Podtalk: Josh & Jonathan Baker on the Passion of ‘Kin’

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CHICAGO – The tagline for the new film “Kin” is “No force is stronger than family,” and who would know that better than a couple of twin brother filmmakers. Josh and Jonathan Baker make their feature film debut with this gritty sci-fi action picture, and create a new direction and style for the genre.

“Kin” features Jimmy (Jack Reynor) and Eli (Myles Truitt) as brothers, and Dennis Quaid as their Dad in a Detroit working class family, whose fortunes are swayed by Jimmy’s ex-con status… he owes a gangland leader (James Franco) a large debt. In the meantime, Eli – the family’s adopted African American sibling – makes a discovery while pilfering wire from a closed Detroit factory. It is a strange kind of weapon, that works only in his hands. When Jimmy tries a robbery to settle his debt, he and Eli must go on the run, with the weapon in tow. Along the way, they meet a stripper with a heart of gold (Zoë Kravitz), while being pursued by Franco’s character and another otherworldly force who wants Eli’s weapon back.

Myles Truitt in ‘Kin,’ Directed by Jonathan and Josh Baker (inset)
Photo credit: Lionsgate

Josh and Jonathan Baker are Australian filmmakers, and began their media careers as commercial directors. They made a short film version of the concept of “Kin” (entitled “Bag Man”) only three years ago. The feature film version was given a green light based on that short, and now has its release… in what is most likely one of the quickest turnarounds in the movie business. Like most twins, the Baker boys speak in one voice, but also create the duality of the yin/yang.

In PART ONE of the Podtalk, Josh and Jonathan Baker talk about the transition of “Bag Man” to “Kin,” and how Dennis Quaid became a quintessential working class character.

In PART TWO, Josh and Jonathan reflect on the choice of introducing Myles Pruitt for a lead role, and what they potentially learned as first time feature directors.

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor and Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com