Original-Cin Q&A: Writer/director/co-star Jay Baruchel on his passion project Random Acts of Violence and the sad, scary decrepitude of rural towns

By Bonnie Laufer

Random Acts of Violence is Jay Baruchel’s passion project.  The Montreal-native co-wrote, directed and stars in the new slasher film that took almost a decade to get off the ground. 

The film, based on the comic by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, centers on successful comic book creator Todd (Jesse Williams), who’s in search of an ending for his series focused on a serial killer. On a road trip, Todd finds the murders he's depicted on the page are showing up in real life. Baruchel has a role as Todd's close friend and business partner, opposite Jordana Brewster and Niamh Wilson.

Read our review of Random Acts of Violence

Our Bonnie Laufer spoke with Baruchel from his home in Montreal about his journey getting the film completed.

Random Acts of Violence hits VOD and has a limited theatrical release in Canada on July 31 and is set to debut on the horror-focused streaming service Shudder Aug. 20.

ORIGINAL-CIN: Jay, so great to see you! How's it been going during this crazy time in our  lives? 

JAY BARUCHEL: Great to see you as well. I'm well. Thank you. It's been an interesting time but everyone in my family is happy and healthy. So we have zero complaints. I just got to increase my intake of cinema which was already at all world levels anyway. So it's been  fantastic. 

OC: This film is clearly a labour of love, and I have to say it is a terrifying wild ride. Based on the comic, Random Acts of Violence, I know that they approached you to write a screenplay, but originally it was not intended for you to direct. It's been a 10-year journey  and now it’s finally ready for the world to see. You must be thrilled. 

BARUCHEL: “Yeah, I am beyond thrilled and beyond proud. It's one of these things that started off as, for lack of a better term, an assignment. And in just working on it, it became our baby. It became somewhere between our baby and a sort of shared additional limb. 

“Every time that we (Baruchel and writing partner Jesse Chabot) had an opportunity where we came close to making it, it  didn't happen and fell apart. 

“And we were like, ‘Oh, the fates or God or whomever wants us to rewrite it. We need to go back and open the hood up and not be satisfied with the document where it is.’ So throughout a decade or so of development,  it was an evolving document. And yeah, now finally the world gets to see it and I couldn't be more proud.”

Director Baruchel on set.

OC: In the course of those 10 years, you directed Goon: Last of the Enforcers and now you directed this.  How did you find yourself evolving as a director? Did it get easier for you? 

BARUCHEL: “I don't know  if I should say easier, but I definitely had my sea legs a bit earlier this time. Just  having gone A-to-Z through the process once before made me more confident. 

“Also, I couldn’t have asked for a better first film to direct.  I was spoiled with riches on The Last of the Enforcers in terms of the resources, the caliber of performers, and the amount of time I had to make it.  It allowed me to make this film where we had far less time and far fewer resources, but we got through it.”

“We also edited Goon 2 for something like eight months, and there were about half a dozen new character arcs in that movie. And we were  freaking to get it together to a point where it made sense to an audience.  

“You would think that moving to this next movie, which has three main characters, should ostensibly be simpler. It wasn't simpler, but we were definitely more comfortable. And so yeah, you learn things and you definitely learn where to put your stresses.” 

OC: “Some of this film was shot in and around Hamilton. How hard was it to find the creepiest place in Hamilton?

BARUCHEL: “This feels like a loaded question. (Laughs) I'm not sure I want to throw Hamilton under the bus. I'll be honest, the scarier places that we found were around Haldimand County. 

“In fact, the only location in Hamilton is  our nice normal place. Hamilton was the location where our hero’s hipster, artsy loft is.”

OC: Well that’s good to know.  Hamiltonians will be proud! 

BARUCHEL:  “Yes, phew!!  I stuck the landing on that one.  The real creepy places are out in Bethany and Lindsay, Ontario. We found these sort of  forgotten gas stations and stuff.  

“Canada's a big country and, sadly, North America is littered with failed businesses and abandoned neighborhoods. So that in itself is kind of the scariest part of all of this. But we didn't have to build anything.” 

OC: What was the first movie that scared the pants off of you? 

BARUCHEL: “Oh, wow. Great question. Actually, I'll say it was Ghostbusters!  That opening scene in Ghostbusters.

OC: How old were you when you saw that? 

BARUCHEL:  Probably around three or four.  

OC: Oh, ok, I'll give you that. 

BARUCHEL: (Laughs) “I’ll tell you, as a four-year-old, the scene when the librarian turns into a ghost and leaps at the camera, that was a rough one for me. Ultimately, you know  I was laughing a few minutes later, but it’s something I will never forget.” 

OC: I have to wrap up quickly. Did you need therapy after making this movie? 

BARUCHEL: “Ha, Bonnie, I was in therapy long before and continue to long after!”