In 2019, a group of Orange County youth teamed up to make the small-budget film, Northwood Pie.
Writer and actor Todd Knaak — a former employee at the popular North Irvine restaurant Northwood Pizza — joined forces with fellow writer Jay Salahi. The two friends wrote, filmed, directed, and produced the film.
Northwood Pie tells the story of community college burnout Crispin (played by Knaak) who lands his first job at the local pizza joint in town (filmed at the real restaurant in the Northwood Town Center).
This authentic slice-of-life portrait of young adulthood in Orange County follows Crispin as he juggles shifts at Northwood Pie with classes at Irvine Valley College. The film captures the mundane yet meaningful moments that define the main character’s transition to independence.
Irvine locations shine throughout the film with scenes of the actor playing basketball at Quail Hill Community Park, attending classes at Irvine Valley College, walking around town, and going to work at the Northwood Town Center.
Northwood Pie is an indie-style film that some movie critics have described as a cross between Clerks and Dazed and Confused with its dry humor and simplicity. It may not be the blockbuster film that we’re used to seeing, but as an Irvine native, I really enjoyed it! You could feel the realness of the locally-run pizza shop and the genuine struggle Crispin faced as he dealt with questions about his future.
The film is now available to watch online through Amazon Prime Video here and on the free streaming platform Tubi here.
Visit the movie’s website here, Instagram page here, IMDb movie page here.
Read my other reviews (Smith’s Picks) on Instagram here.
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