Kodachrome

Behind the Scenes of Kodachrome (2017): A Road Trip Born from Real-Life Inspiration

Mark Raso’s Kodachrome (2017) is a quiet drama about family, regret, and the fleeting nature of time—wrapped in the nostalgia of analog film. Starring Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis, and Elizabeth Olsen, the movie follows a dying photographer (Harris) and his estranged son (Sudeikis) on a cross-country journey to develop the last rolls of Kodachrome film before the final lab shuts down. But the film’s origins are just as compelling as its story, latestnetflix.com argues, rooted in a real-life event that shaped its emotional core.

The True Story That Sparked the Film

The idea for Kodachrome wasn’t just a creative whim—it was born from a New York Times article about the last Kodachrome processing lab in the world, Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas, which stopped developing the iconic film in 2010. Director Mark Raso and star Jason Sudeikis revealed in a TIFF 2017 interview that the article’s bittersweet tone resonated deeply, inspiring them to craft a story around the end of an era . Raso, a Canadian filmmaker known for his intimate character studies (Copenhagen, Awake), saw the lab’s closure as a metaphor for lost connections—something he wanted to explore through the lens of a father-son relationship .

A Cast United by Personal Stakes

The film’s emotional weight hinges on the chemistry between Harris and Sudeikis, who play a father and son at odds over art, legacy, and forgiveness. In interviews, both actors hinted at the personal stakes they brought to their roles. Harris, known for his intense performances (The Truman Show, Apollo 13), described the project as a chance to explore the "fragility of relationships" and the "weight of time" . Sudeikis, typically associated with comedy (Ted Lasso, Horrible Bosses), embraced the dramatic shift, calling the role a "gift" to dig into something raw and unfiltered .

Elizabeth Olsen, who plays a young nurse who joins their road trip, added another layer of tension. In the film’s trailer, her character serves as both a mediator and a catalyst, pushing the father and son to confront their past . While the evidence doesn’t dive deep into her process, her presence suggests a deliberate contrast to the film’s heavier themes—lightness amid the weight of memory.

The Road Trip That Almost Wasn’t

Filming a road movie comes with its own set of challenges, and Kodachrome was no exception. Raso revealed in interviews that the production faced logistical hurdles, from securing locations to capturing the authenticity of a cross-country drive . The film was shot in Canada (standing in for the American Midwest and Northeast), which required careful planning to maintain the illusion of a seamless journey. Raso’s background in low-budget filmmaking (Copenhagen was shot for under $1 million) likely helped the team navigate these constraints, but the evidence doesn’t specify whether the shoot went off without a hitch .

One detail that does emerge is the cast’s commitment to the material. Harris, in particular, spoke about the intensity of filming emotional scenes, describing the process as "exhausting but rewarding" . Sudeikis, meanwhile, joked in an Entertainment Weekly interview that the road trip dynamic—long hours in a car with Harris—mirrored the film’s themes of forced intimacy . Whether the chemistry was as organic off-screen as it appears on-screen remains unconfirmed, but the performances suggest a cast that trusted the material.

A Netflix Gamble with Mixed Reception

Despite its star power and timely premise, Kodachrome didn’t make a huge splash upon release. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2017 before landing on Netflix in 2018, where it became a quiet addition to the streaming giant’s library . Critics were divided: some praised its understated performances and emotional depth, while others found it overly sentimental. On SensCritique, the film holds a modest 6.3/10 rating based on over 800 votes, with users noting its "poignant but predictable" narrative .

Raso, however, seemed unfazed by the mixed reception. In interviews, he emphasized that the film was never meant to be a blockbuster—it was a personal story about "saying goodbye" . Given that his follow-up project, Awake (2021), became a Netflix hit with over 60 million views, it’s clear his approach resonates with audiences, even if Kodachrome flew under the radar .

The Legacy of a Film About Letting Go

More than seven years after its release, Kodachrome endures as a time capsule—not just for the dying art of film photography, but for the relationships it captures. The movie’s final act, where Harris’s character finally develops his last rolls of film, serves as a metaphor for closure, both for the characters and the audience. Raso has said that the film’s message is simple: "Some things can’t be fixed, but they can be remembered" .

For fans of character-driven dramas, Kodachrome remains a hidden gem—a road trip movie that’s less about the destination and more about the people you’re stuck in the car with. And while it may not have been a commercial juggernaut, its themes of nostalgia and reconciliation feel timeless.