In director Sam McConnell’s new feature “Test,” Brock Yurich stars as Eddie, a competitive bodybuilder who suddenly finds himself attracted to his new coach (Mike Edward).
In an exclusive first look at the film’s first teaser trailer, Eddie is seen pumping, primping and posing on the bodybuilder circuit. But there’s a much darker side to the showmanship that arises in this story, one that includes performance enhancing drugs, substance abuse and violence.
“God doesn’t want this for you,” Tammy Blanchard, who plays his ultra-religious mother and manager, is heard yelling as Eddie storms out of the house.
In another moment, Blanchard is seen bending over a bathtub, crying into the phone, “My son, he needs an ambulance.” An old girlfriend of Eddie’s (Paloma Garcia-Lee) comes across Eddie and Mike being affectionate with each other when they think no one is watching.
“Glee” star Matthew Morrison plays a local pastor.
“Convinced that his only path forward is through perfecting the body God gave him, Eddie pursues bodybuilding with an obsessive devotion that ultimately forces him to confront questions of identity, masculinity and faith,” McConnell said. “I’ve always been fascinated by bodybuilding and the specific culture surrounding it. We designed ‘Test’ to feel like an authentic peek behind the curtain. I found the character of Eddie to be so compelling — he is on a mission to perfect his exterior at the same time his interior is crumbling around him.”
Written by Yurich, “Test” will have its world premiere June 3 at SXSW London followed stateside at the Provincetown International Film Festival. “Test” is also an official selection of the Frameline Film Festival in San Francisco. The film marks McConnell’s scripted feature directorial debut.
“Telling Eddie’s story though my screenplay ‘Test’ was all I could think about for the past 10 years. Making an independent film is a long painful process, but I knew the pain of giving up on it would be far greater,” Yurich said. “I am so thankful that I not only had the privilege of making such a deeply personal film with such a great team, but also to be able to share it at such prestigious film festivals.”
Producers include Julie Christeas, Daryl Freimark and Yurich along with executive producers Jim McCauley, McConnell and Derek Strum.
Sales for “Test” are being handled by Bill Straus at Bridge Independent.
You can watch the trailer below.
