The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived: Pottersville is finally in theaters! For those of you who are unfamiliar with the film, Pottersville was filmed in our very own Hamilton in January 2016, with many residents featured as extras and in speaking roles. Hamilton’s mayor was one of the many people excited to see the movie. 

 “It was very gratifying to know how much the actors and crew enjoyed filming in Hamilton, finding the village warm and welcoming,” Mayor RuthAnn Speer Loveless said. 

Loveless also expressed the excitement that many locals felt in being able to participate. The star-studded cast includes Michael Shannon, Judy Greer, Ron Perlman, Thomas Lennon, Ian McShane and Christina Hendricks. Colgate alumnus Michael Torpey ’02 also stars as a supporting character. 

Directed by Seth Henrikson in his feature-film debut, the movie revolves around the small, titular town of Pottersville during the holiday season. After general store owner Maynard (Shannon) and his wife (Hendricks) decide to spend some time apart, Maynard gets drunk and dresses up in a shaggy gorilla costume. He wakes up to ground-breaking news the next morning, with multiple reported sightings of something resembling Bigfoot. Realizing that he is the sighted creature, he at first tries to tell someone – but later changes his mind once seeing how profitable and enthusiastic it has made the town and townspeople. The trouble, however, is of course keeping up the ruse. 

Pottersville is executed perfectly with a solid script, thanks to screenwriter Daniel Meyer. Sean Nevison, manager of the Hamilton Movie Theater, described Pottersville as a “fun, quirky comedy,” and he’s absolutely right. The concept and dialogue are refreshing, funny and elevated by Shannon, Perlman, McShane and Lennon who particularly excel in their roles. 

Just to name a few stand-out scenes, keep an eye out for Perlman’s first appearance, Shannon’s inebriated portrayal in the beginning of the movie and pretty much every scene Lennon is in. In addition to being hilarious, the film is also abundantly heartfelt and full of the coziness and satisfaction of holiday cheer. In other words, it’s hard not to like it. 

While Pottersville is (for the most part) a movie for all audiences, it is definitely a film we as Colgate students and Hamilton community members can especially appreciate. I was struck at how easily I could recognize the streets and buildings, inwardly cheering as the shots showed a snowy Village Green, Colgate Inn, Royal Indian Grill and more. The next time you go to Swank, think about how Michael Shannon shoveled snow there! It really is amazing that we as a community can be a part of this film somehow, whether or not we actually partook in the filming. I strongly encourage that everyone watch Pottersville, especially because we are lucky enough to have the movie screened here in Hamilton, as it’s a limited release. The Friday premiere is sold out, but the pre- and after-parties are available to all, so definitely attend if you can. I hope that you come out of it with a greater love for this town like I did – and I think you will – but a deeper fascination for Bigfoot is acceptable, too.      

Contact Gloria Han at [email protected].