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Keith (film)
Encyclopedia
Keith is an independent film directed by Todd Kessler. It was written by Todd Kessler
and David Zabel
based on the short story "Keith" by author Ron Carlson
, from his book The Hotel Eden. The film stars actor and pop star Jesse McCartney
, Elisabeth Harnois
, and Margo Harshman
.
The storyline is based around a popular 17-year-old high school senior, Natalie, who thinks she has got life figured out, until she meets Keith Zetterstrom, portrayed by Jesse McCartney. Natalie is at first annoyed by her new chemistry class lab partner, but she ultimately falls for him and discovers that Keith is hiding a secret, with tragic results. The film was released in theaters on September 19, 2008.
) is an academically-focused student, with the intent of going to Duke University
on a tennis scholarship. Natalie, with several other of her classmates, frequents an outdoors party place called The Brick. There, she bonds with Rafael (Ignacio Serricchio
), a new transfer student. Meanwhile, in chemistry, Natalie is paired with Keith (Jesse McCartney
), an intriguing, seemingly carefree boy. When Natalie asks Keith to help her with a lab report, he drives her out of school to trespass into an office building, bringing her into his easygoing lifestyle. Even though Rafael becomes Natalie's boyfriend, Keith persistently asks Natalie to go out with him, as friends.
Gradually, Keith and Natalie come closer, and Natalie goes on 'non-dates' with Keith. Her continued interaction with Keith starts to make Rafael jealous. One night, Keith and Natalie have an argument just as Al and a boy named Billy turn up. The relationship between Al and Billy is not made clear. Keith's kindness towards Billy causes Natalie to think that Keith is 'a softy'. After driving for a while, Natalie tells Keith to turn into a dirt road, a cliff overlooking The Brick, which happens to be Keith's favorite spot. They talk and exchange a kiss. The next day, Natalie and Keith go to the cliff and discuss their future dreams. While lying down and talking in the back of the truck, Natalie notices that the truck is moving. She panics and gets out of it, screaming at Keith to jump to safety. Keith, however, remains lying down, relaxed and rambling on. Just before rolling off, Keith swiftly moves into the driver's seat and hits the brakes. Natalie is furious at Keith and asks him if he wanted to kill himself. When Natalie gets home, she is still wearing Keith's jacket and finds antidepressant
s in his pocket.
Worried, Natalie wants to speak to Keith about the medication, but he does not come to school. When Natalie fails to get his address from the school's office, she remembers Keith saying that he lived at the old white house with a big porch, and decides to go visit. When she arrives, she realizes Keith lied to her about his residence. Two weeks later, Keith appears, and Natalie is irritated with his lies. She decides to find out his real address by breaking into his locker, and is suspended from school as a result. When Natalie visits his house, Keith refuses to see her, so Natalie hides in the back of his yellow truck. Later that night, Keith comes out of the house and drives off to the clifftop. There, Natalie expresses her love for him, and they end up sleeping together in the back of Keith's truck. As Keith drives Natalie home, Natalie is excited to begin a relationship with Keith, but he says that they should forget about what happened, leaving Natalie heartbroken.
Natalie's tennis rankings drop, and she is on the verge of losing her scholarship. She also dumps Rafael. On the road, Natalie sees Al, who is revealed to be Keith's counselor. Natalie is informed that Billy died of cancer
and that Billy and Keith received chemotherapy
treatment together. Natalie finally realizes that Keith is dying of cancer. One night, Keith appears at her house, and Natalie leads Keith to the airport so that he can follow his dreams. Keith finally expresses his true feelings for Natalie, and Natalie tells Keith that she wants to be with him despite what the future holds for him. They kiss and embrace.
The film then cuts to when Natalie graduates; Keith has presumably died, and Natalie has adopted many of Keith's old habits. She has become a grease monkey
and drives Keith's truck. The film cuts back to its first scene, where Natalie is slowly rolling towards the edge of the cliff. Just before falling off, she swiftly, like Keith did, jumps into the driver's seat and hits the brakes. Afterwards, Natalie drives Keith's truck to London, Ontario
to attend its annual truck festival, which was Keith's dream. The film ends with a long aerial shot of the yellow truck driving away.
Todd Kessler
Todd Kessler is an award winning American film and television writer, producer and director. Among his credits are show runner and co-creator of Nickelodeon's preschool series Blue's Clues and director and producer of the feature film "Keith."-Career:...
and David Zabel
David Zabel
David Zabel is an American television producer and writer. He has worked extensively on ER becoming an executive producer and the series showrunner. He has won an Humanitas Prize for his writing for ER...
based on the short story "Keith" by author Ron Carlson
Ron Carlson
-Life:Carlson was born in Logan, Utah, and grew up in Salt Lake City. He received a masters degree in English from the University of Utah. He then taught at The Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, where he began his first novel....
, from his book The Hotel Eden. The film stars actor and pop star Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
, Elisabeth Harnois
Elisabeth Harnois
Elisabeth Rose Harnois is an American television and film actress.-Early life:Harnois was born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA, and raised in Los Angeles. She attended St...
, and Margo Harshman
Margo Harshman
Margo Cathleen Harshman is an American actress who played Tawny Dean on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens.- Personal life :...
.
The storyline is based around a popular 17-year-old high school senior, Natalie, who thinks she has got life figured out, until she meets Keith Zetterstrom, portrayed by Jesse McCartney. Natalie is at first annoyed by her new chemistry class lab partner, but she ultimately falls for him and discovers that Keith is hiding a secret, with tragic results. The film was released in theaters on September 19, 2008.
Plot summary
Natalie (Elisabeth HarnoisElisabeth Harnois
Elisabeth Rose Harnois is an American television and film actress.-Early life:Harnois was born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA, and raised in Los Angeles. She attended St...
) is an academically-focused student, with the intent of going to Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
on a tennis scholarship. Natalie, with several other of her classmates, frequents an outdoors party place called The Brick. There, she bonds with Rafael (Ignacio Serricchio
Ignacio Serricchio
Ignacio Serricchio is an American actor.Serricchio is a graduate of Syracuse University's drama department. In October 2004, Serricchio joined the cast of the daytime serial General Hospital as troubled youth Diego Alcazar. He left the soap in November 2006...
), a new transfer student. Meanwhile, in chemistry, Natalie is paired with Keith (Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney
Jesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
), an intriguing, seemingly carefree boy. When Natalie asks Keith to help her with a lab report, he drives her out of school to trespass into an office building, bringing her into his easygoing lifestyle. Even though Rafael becomes Natalie's boyfriend, Keith persistently asks Natalie to go out with him, as friends.
Gradually, Keith and Natalie come closer, and Natalie goes on 'non-dates' with Keith. Her continued interaction with Keith starts to make Rafael jealous. One night, Keith and Natalie have an argument just as Al and a boy named Billy turn up. The relationship between Al and Billy is not made clear. Keith's kindness towards Billy causes Natalie to think that Keith is 'a softy'. After driving for a while, Natalie tells Keith to turn into a dirt road, a cliff overlooking The Brick, which happens to be Keith's favorite spot. They talk and exchange a kiss. The next day, Natalie and Keith go to the cliff and discuss their future dreams. While lying down and talking in the back of the truck, Natalie notices that the truck is moving. She panics and gets out of it, screaming at Keith to jump to safety. Keith, however, remains lying down, relaxed and rambling on. Just before rolling off, Keith swiftly moves into the driver's seat and hits the brakes. Natalie is furious at Keith and asks him if he wanted to kill himself. When Natalie gets home, she is still wearing Keith's jacket and finds antidepressant
Antidepressant
An antidepressant is a psychiatric medication used to alleviate mood disorders, such as major depression and dysthymia and anxiety disorders such as social anxiety disorder. According to Gelder, Mayou &*Geddes people with a depressive illness will experience a therapeutic effect to their mood;...
s in his pocket.
Worried, Natalie wants to speak to Keith about the medication, but he does not come to school. When Natalie fails to get his address from the school's office, she remembers Keith saying that he lived at the old white house with a big porch, and decides to go visit. When she arrives, she realizes Keith lied to her about his residence. Two weeks later, Keith appears, and Natalie is irritated with his lies. She decides to find out his real address by breaking into his locker, and is suspended from school as a result. When Natalie visits his house, Keith refuses to see her, so Natalie hides in the back of his yellow truck. Later that night, Keith comes out of the house and drives off to the clifftop. There, Natalie expresses her love for him, and they end up sleeping together in the back of Keith's truck. As Keith drives Natalie home, Natalie is excited to begin a relationship with Keith, but he says that they should forget about what happened, leaving Natalie heartbroken.
Natalie's tennis rankings drop, and she is on the verge of losing her scholarship. She also dumps Rafael. On the road, Natalie sees Al, who is revealed to be Keith's counselor. Natalie is informed that Billy died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
and that Billy and Keith received chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
treatment together. Natalie finally realizes that Keith is dying of cancer. One night, Keith appears at her house, and Natalie leads Keith to the airport so that he can follow his dreams. Keith finally expresses his true feelings for Natalie, and Natalie tells Keith that she wants to be with him despite what the future holds for him. They kiss and embrace.
The film then cuts to when Natalie graduates; Keith has presumably died, and Natalie has adopted many of Keith's old habits. She has become a grease monkey
Mechanic
A mechanic is a craftsman or technician who uses tools to build or repair machinery.Many mechanics are specialized in a particular field such as auto mechanics, bicycle mechanics, motorcycle mechanics, boiler mechanics, general mechanics, industrial maintenance mechanics , air conditioning and...
and drives Keith's truck. The film cuts back to its first scene, where Natalie is slowly rolling towards the edge of the cliff. Just before falling off, she swiftly, like Keith did, jumps into the driver's seat and hits the brakes. Afterwards, Natalie drives Keith's truck to London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
to attend its annual truck festival, which was Keith's dream. The film ends with a long aerial shot of the yellow truck driving away.
Cast
- Jesse McCartneyJesse McCartneyJesse McCartney is an American singer-songwriter, actor and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler. He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career...
as Keith Zetterstrom - Elisabeth HarnoisElisabeth HarnoisElisabeth Rose Harnois is an American television and film actress.-Early life:Harnois was born in Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, USA, and raised in Los Angeles. She attended St...
as Natalie Anderson - Ignacio SerricchioIgnacio SerricchioIgnacio Serricchio is an American actor.Serricchio is a graduate of Syracuse University's drama department. In October 2004, Serricchio joined the cast of the daytime serial General Hospital as troubled youth Diego Alcazar. He left the soap in November 2006...
as Rafael Márquez - Margo HarshmanMargo HarshmanMargo Cathleen Harshman is an American actress who played Tawny Dean on the Disney Channel series Even Stevens.- Personal life :...
as Brooke - Tabitha Brownstone as Cynthia Anderson
- Courtney HalversonCourtney HalversonCourtney Halverson is an American actress who has appeared in various films and television shows.Halverson was born in Orange County, California. She has appeared in such films as Rogues, Sleepwalk, and Freaky Faron. She also provided her voice as the narrator for Disney's series Check This Kid...
as Junior Girl