Hudson County is all too familiar with the pros and cons of an ever-changing neighborhood. Bayonne is among the towns that are only just beginning to experience first-hand the process of neighborhood renovations. While some cities embrace the change of pace, others push back in an attempt to maintain the character of what their town has to offer. For residents who were born, raised, and still living within the same zip code, it can be heartbreaking to watch their favorite diner, movie theater or, in the case of Crabs In A Bucket, a beloved bar known as Callahan’s Irish Pub, disappear before their eyes. Director Paolo Pilladi and Greg Lingo chose Bayonne as the perfect middle-class, tight-knit neighborhood to be the backdrop of their independent comedy film being released in 2020. Read on to learn about Crabs in a Bucket, a film about a changing neighborhood.

The Plot of Crabs in a Bucket

This comedy and romance film, produced by Rob Simmons and Ante Novakovic, focuses on protagonist Mick {played by Jeremy Piven, an Entourage alum}. Mick hails from a small, tight-knit, lower-middle-class family. As an adult, Mick left his neighborhood behind to pursue a career in the real estate industry and, well, made quite a living. However, after his mom passes away, Mick finds himself back in his hometown.

Now, being in the real estate business, Mick’s boss {a not-so-lovely guy} sets his sights on Callahan’s Pub, a local watering hole that is owned by Mick’s father. Unfortunately, Mick’s boss wants to knock Callahan’s down. But, as the chances would have it, Mick’s family and friends leave it up to him to save the pub from being demolished.

Under his boss’ influence, Mick completely forgets his roots and what his family stands for. But following his mother’s funeral and reconnecting with some old friends, Mick stays behind in his hometown to help his dad out, helps out around the bar {the aforementioned Callahan’s}, rekindles his friendship with an old flame, and finds himself back into the groove he once was in before he left town. The more time he spends there, the more he begins to become more of who he was before he left.

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Movie-goers will witness Mick’s transformation in his clothes first and then his attitude. Eventually, Mick realizes that there is nothing more important than family and values. The film, although revolving around the evolution of Mick, is also a story of the harsh realities of gentrification and the concept of realizing the importance of maintaining authenticity in oneself and in the community.

A Peek Behind The Scenes of the Film





^ Jeremy Piven and his castmates!

It would be impossible to try and capture the spirit and soul of what it’s like being behind the scenes of such a high-energy film, with actors that have been in the business for most of their lives, and a film crew that devoted their all to ensure that directors Paolo Pilladi and Greg Lingo’s vision was executed to its highest potential.

It’s one thing to sit back with a box of popcorn and soda in hand and enjoy the final product of all that a film entails, but it is a completely different thing to witness and be a part of everything that a film entails.

There is a lot that goes into making a film. At any point in between scenes, if you just stopped for a second to take in everything that was happening around you, you’d see that there’s a sense of beauty in the chaos of a small group of people of all ages and backgrounds running to and from the set to make sure their part is complete.

At first, it’s an overwhelming sight even for a well-seasoned crew member, but after a few days you realize that there’s an undeniable harmony between walkie-talkie conversations, wardrobe changes, prop resets, switching locations, lighting adjustments, camera movement, hair and makeup touch-ups, and sound checking that help create a film. There’s always a method to the madness on set, and it’s a sight that most people never have the benefit of witnessing.

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To see these characters be brought to life from a piece of paper to the silver screen is truly amazing {and is a transition + privilege that many of us don’t get experience}. It takes true talent and instinct to do what Jeremy Piven did with Mick’s character as well as what the rest of the actors did with their characters. Some of the comedic impromptu lines from one character in particular, for example, left the crew barely holding onto their bursts of laughter by the time they heard “cut.”.

It’s obvious that acting is a sixth sense for this aforementioned crew and it’s hard to imagine the process of trying to teach how to bring such passion to a fictional character the way this unbelievable cast has in Crabs In A Bucket.

Will you be watching this film in 2020? Let us know in the comments!