30TH ANNUAL CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL
presents
Operation Taco Gary's
FRI · NOVEMBER 22 · 2024 · 7:45 PM · THALIAN MAIN
Ready to leave hotel life behind, an aimless man named Luke (Dustin Milligan) is selling off all his possessions with plans to move to Ottawa for a new career at a Paleontology Research Center. But when his estranged big brother Danny (Simon Rex) suspiciously pops back into his life and joins the road trip as an unwanted sidekick, Luke realizes his bro's mind has become clouded with insane conspiracy theories. Like, do you know what REALLY happened to the dinosaurs?!
As the brothers drive north, Danny's stories become more shockingly nonsensical and detail a dangerous plot led by a shadowy organization called "the Coalition." Thankfully, Luke has been gifted with a homing beacon that Danny acquired using a full-figured Bigfoot suit, a live chicken, and a shit-ton of ketamine. So why does this beacon look mysteriously like a Rubik's cube colored over with a black Sharpie? Why must they hire an amateur "badger" (like a coyote, but for crossing the Canadian border)? And how is that loner in the woods (musical artist Genji Hughes) able to tell these two are related because they smell the same? At least everyone knows the fast-food chain Taco Gary's is a safe zone for avoiding the wrath of Coalition.
An irreverent comedy misadventure with plenty of outlandishly clever detail (including the most ankle-busting chase sequence in cinema history), Michael Kvamme's feature directorial debut boasts a mighty ensemble of colorful talent. As an our hapless hero Luke, Dustin Milligan is best known for playing Ted Mullens for six years on the hit series Schitt's Creek. Capturing the perfect strung-out energy of conspiracy addict Danny, Simon Rex is a former MTV VJ who performed as his rapper alter-ego Dirt Nasty and recently starred in indie darlings like Red Rocket, The Sweet East and Blink Twice. Rounding out the hilarious cast are Brenda Song (Dollface), Arturo Castro (Broad City), Tony Cavalero (The Righteous Gemstones) and American Pie's Jason Biggs... as himself.
Receiving support from the North Carolina Film Incentive program and shot on location in Charlotte and Waxhaw,
Operation Taco Gary's is a charmingly offbeat showcase for North Caorlina's capacity to make great weird movies! Hop into the back seat, we're heading to the home of the Bingo Bongo Fiesta.
Year: 2024
Runtime: 86 minutes
Director: Mikey K
Screenwriter: Mikey K
Producer: Matthew Vaughan
Executive Producer: Jimmy Miller, M. Riley, Brian David Cange, Bill Dawes, Dustin Milligan
Cast: Simon Rex, Tony Cavalero, Dustin Milligan, Brenda Song
Editor: Josh Crockett, Spencer Houck
Production Design: Elliott Glick
