In this dark, comedic thriller, an ambiguously intentioned masked man (James Parks, The Hateful Eight) kidnaps a drug addicted punk rock singer (Liv Roush, in her acting debut) and triggers a police investigation headed by Detective Charles Dobson (Ralph Garman, Ted) as well as a media circus.
From Executive Producer Kevin Smith (Clerks III, Red State), WRONG REASONS marks the narrative feature debut from director Josh Roush (Magnum Dopus) and features an all-star supporting cast that includes Teresa Ruiz (The Marksman), David Koechner (Anchorman: The Legend of Don Burgundy) Daniel Roebuck (The Fugitive), Kevin Smith (Clerks) and Keith Coogan (Adventures in Babysitting), boasting a killer punk rock soundtrack with music by Tim Armstrong, L7, Black Flag, The Wipers, Channel 3, William Elliott Whitmore, The Unseen, Bi-Product and more.
Following its debut at Smith’s first annual Smodcastle Film Festival in the fall of 2022, the film was toured theatrically in North America and Australia during the first quarter of 2023, presented by Smith himself, along with Q & A’s from writer / director Roush.
Making his feature directorial debut with WRONG REASONS, director and writer Josh Roush talks about his experience in bringing his vision to the screen. “This film represents the culmination of the skills I’ve been developing throughout my entire life. I wrote and directed this film as psychoanalysis of myself and my love of Punk Rock and approached the film
like The Ramones approached music: Get in and out quick while cutting to the chase. There is not one single aspect of this flick that doesn’t contain my heart, soul, and DNA bared openly for the audience to judge.”
Roush’s producer, star (and partner) Liv Roush, Australian born filmmaker whose most recent credits as Production Manager on David O. Russell’s Amsterdam and Netflix’s Blonde, agrees. “Filmmaking has a tendency to be such a bloated process nowadays. It’s refreshing to work with a smaller crew who has their hands and hearts in every detail. And, it’s exciting to work with a director who isn’t just afraid to get his hands dirty, but also to get his nose bloody, if it means getting the shot.”
Watch Wrong Reasons (2022) Trailer
Both Josh and Liv were also fortunate to have the support of Executive Producer Kevin Smith, who shared with Deadline, “Few first films are as accomplished as Wrong Reasons. This punk rock thriller by Josh Roush reminded me of why I got into filmmaking in the first place, and seeing what he accomplished on a next-to-nothing budget even inspired
me to go equally indie-as-f*ck on my next feature.”
MVD Director of Acquisitions Eric D. Wilkinson is excited to bring Josh’s film to a wide audience. “After having experienced Wrong Reasons at the Smodcastle Film Festival with an enthusiastic crowd who loved every minute of it, I was determined to bring Josh’s movie to MVD. The film’s humor, message, and music immediately won me over and I look forward to sharing this fun flick with audiences on digital, VOD and disc this summer.”
