Interview: Director Brian Caunter of ‘Chicago Overcoat’ at the Chicago International Film Festival

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CHICAGO – Last Saturday at the Chicago International Film Festival was a very important debut for the new film “Chicago Overcoat,” directed by newcomer Brian Caunter. The hometown audience gave big thumbs up to the gritty mobster film.

Filmed entirely on location in and around the Windy City, Chicago Overcoat features a veteran of “The Sopranos,” Frank Vincent (who played Phil Leotardo on that program and here plays aging hitman Lou Marazano). Lou is juggling a life-changing “final” assassination assignment, his daughter’s family problems and the nagging indignities of old age.

Mike Starr (left) and Frank Vincent of “Chicago Overcoat” at the Chicago International Film Festival on Oct. 10, 2009. Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

HollywoodChicago.com caught up with Brian Caunter after his triumphant Chicago International Film Festival presentation. He talked about influences for the film and using Chicago as a character within the narrative.

HollywoodChicago.com: How did the postmodern gangsterism of ‘The Sopranos’ influence ‘Chicago Overcoat?’

Brian Caunter: I wouldn’t say that it was The Sopranos that was the influence. I based Chicago Overcoat on the older gangster movies, like “Goodfellas” and “Casino” and those type of movies. The one thing that does set it apart from those other films is that it is a modern Chicago gangster film and the mob is now as flashy and colorful, it’s more humble and gritty.

HC: What immediate character traits did you get from the essence of the City of Chicago?

BC: I wanted to keep my characters humble and hard-working, I think that is a Chicago trait. I’ve been here for seven years and I’ve met a lot of people, and I get small little influences from everyone. I made a collage of what I feel the city is all about, especially about the ‘lingo’ to keep it real.

HC: What did Frank Vincent bring to the character of Lou that most surprised you?

BC: The humanity he brought to someone who is basically a serial killer, a gunman, like the anti-hero from the wild west movies. He brought more humanity than we ever imagined, so much so that people side with Lou, and is interested to see where he going next.

HC: You wrote the original story that became Chicago Overcoat. Any event or reminder that inspired the story initially for you?

BC: The title came first. We wanted to stay true to the title, that the ‘Chicago overcoat’ is another name for a coffin. We wanted it to be about an older gentleman and death. I was most inspired by the old French film, ‘Le samouraï,’ as a hitman movie. We even designed the interiors of Lou’s apartment to be similar to the character in that film.

Brian Caunter Checks a Shot During the Production of ‘Chicago Overcoat’ Photo credit: Columbia Chronicle

HC: How does having Stacy Keach and Armand Assante strengthen the small parts of Ray and Stefano?

BC: We wanted to stay true to the genre in casting the mob boss [Assante]. Adding those two guys gave the film a bigger appeal than just local casting. At a film on this level, you have to selectively choose to afford bigger names in, and approach them with a smaller part that gives them enough meat so they want to play it and that contributes to the story.

HC: What did you try to do different with the ‘cop character’ that we haven’t seen before in TV or movies?

BC: The ‘drunk cop’ detective is usually a more likable character and what we tried to do in our film is put that type in an environment where you’re not sure whether you like this character. His word usage and general demeanor make him not likable. I think that helps the audience root for Lou the hitman and hope that he succeeds in the end instead of the detective.

HC: Obviously this is a hitman movie and there is going to be some violence and bloodshed. How did you determine how far you wanted to go with the violence in Chicago Overcoat?

BC: It comes down to edit. You shoot as much as you can on set, get it as graphic and detailed as possible. There are a lot of small, intensely violent shots that didn’t make the cut. An audience can get distracted by the gore and then they don’t respond to a scene like you want them to. So we cut back on a lot, wanting to keep it as realistic as possible.

HC: Why do you think Americans will continue to be entertained by the mob culture?

BC: Any sort of illegal activity, or an event that conjures suspense and thrills, I think will continue to be in the media. Whatever the audience is drawn is something that could never happen to them personally. A movie like a mob film gives them a glimpse into another life, a life that they themselves didn’t choose.

HC: Do you think Chicago has shed its mobster image or is it still in the background of the city?

BC: To the locals it has shed it. If you still go outside the city, especially to other countries, Chicago is still Al Capone. The young people don’t think of it as much, but it is still here. When I was working at a video store on 8th and Wabash when I was in college, I remember the mayor used to have his bodyguards rent movies from the store, and it felt kind of mobster-like. The general demeanor and the way they spoke (laughs).

But there is enough humor and lightness in our film to keep it away from an autobiography of any one person.

HC: How difficult was it, at the end of your film, to stay away from giving Lou more of a redemptive quality given that the audience is rooting for him?

BC: It’s all part of what I called ‘pure cinema.’ It’s a gun-slinging picture and you don’t want to take the audience anywhere so that they hate the ending. You spend the whole movie expecting Lou’s demise.

The response to the end has been very positive. The way we pull out of the movie, we can only assume where these characters will be afterwards.

By PATRICK McDONALD Senior Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com