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RUNTIME
Did you know
Tight 18-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Singers
"A man walks into a bar..."
2026 0h 18m EN
👍
6.8
SOLID
⭐
7.3
IMDB
★6.8TMDB · 85★7.3IMDB · 2,403
MusicDramaComedy
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
An impromptu singing contest at a dive bar turns a lonely night into a soul-baring moment of shared harmony.
“A man walks into a bar...”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Michael Young
Mike
Chris Smither
Captain
Will Harrington
Singer
Judah Kelly
Singer
Matt Corcoran
Singer
Michael Keyes
Bar Patron
Leroy Griffith
Bar Patron
Daniel "Hutch" Hutchinson
Bar Patron
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Sam A. Davis
- Writers
- Ivan Turgenev, Sam A. Davis
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Sam A. Davis, shot by Sam A. Davis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Island Styles. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Sam A. Davis shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Michael Young and Chris Smither and Will Harrington carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "A man walks into a bar...".
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt33508491 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Sam A. Davis directs. Sam A. Davis behind the camera. Island Styles scores. Sam A. Davis cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Tight 18-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
- 2Released this year — you're seeing it while it's still in the cultural conversation.
- 3Directed by Sam A. Davis, shot by Sam A. Davis. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 4Original score by Island Styles. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 5Editor Sam A. Davis shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 6Michael Young and Chris Smither and Will Harrington carry the top of the cast.
- 7Marketing tagline: "A man walks into a bar...".
- 8IMDB entry: tt33508491 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 9Only 85 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
- 10Classified under 24 themes, including "bartender", "money", "based on short story", "playing piano".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Sam A. Davis
- Original score
- Island Styles
- Editing
- Sam A. Davis
- Production design
- Michelle Patterson
- Costume design
- Brianna Murphy
- Makeup / hair
- Bunny Armendariz
- Sound
- Island Styles
- Runtime
- 18 min · 0h 18m
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- NR
- IMDB rating
- 7.3/10 · 2,403 votes
Awards
Nominated for 1 Oscar. 27 wins & 14 nominations total
Also by
Sam A. Davis
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- HI
Highway West
US
- JU
Junk Drawer
US
Key crew
- EditorSam A. Davis
- Production DesignMichelle Patterson
- ProducerJack Piatt
- ProducerDavid Breschel
- ProducerCharlie Cohen
- ProducerSam A. Davis
- Associate ProducerTimmy Deters
- Co-ProducerDustin Elm
- Executive ProducerRayka Zehtabchi
- First Assistant DirectorDustin Elm
- Second Assistant DirectorTimmy Deters
- GafferMax Goldberg
- Executive ProducerJohn Saras
- Executive ProducerHenry Platt
- Production CoordinatorClay Piatt
- Assistant Production CoordinatorBryn Kelly
- First Assistant CameraJoe McNairy
- First Assistant CameraEric Ugland
- Second Assistant CameraCorey Cave
- Camera Production AssistantPhillip Schultz
- Additional PhotographyJeff Vanderpool
- Set PhotographerCheyenne Beverly
- Set PhotographerJordan Cramer
- Key GripKurtis Myers
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- bartender
- money
- based on short story
- playing piano
- opera singer
- singing competition
- masculinity
- live music
- piano
- vulnerability
- dive bar
- short film
- bar
- down on one's luck
- shy guy
- live musical performance
- 35mm
- piano bar
- 35mm film
- cash prize
- music live
- regular
- free drink
- group hug
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2025-03-08· South by Southwest Film & TV Festival
- Premiere2025-06-05· Tribeca Festival
- Premiere2025-04-13· Florida Film Festival
- Premiere2025-04-30· Milwaukee Film Festival
- Premiere2025-07-24· Indy Shorts International Film Festival
- Premiere2025-10-24· AFI FEST
- Premiere2025-11-09· Coronado Island Film Festival
- Theatrical (limited)2026-02-17NR· with select showings of Frankenstein and Train Dreams at The Paris Theater in New York City
- Digital2026-02-13R· Netflix
