Movie Profile: KODACHROME (2017)
| Attribute | Details |
| Title | Kodachrome |
| Release Date | September 8, 2017 (TIFF) / April 20, 2018 (Netflix) |
| Director | Mark Raso |
| Writer | Jonathan Tropper |
| Based On | For Kodachrome Fans, Road Ends at Photo Lab in Kansas (2010 New York Times article) by A.G. Sulzberger |
| Genre | Drama, Comedy |
| Runtime | 100 minutes |
| Distributor | Netflix |
| Lead Cast |
• Ed Harris (Ben Ryder) • Jason Sudeikis (Matt Ryder) • Elizabeth Olsen (Zooey Kern) • Bruce Greenwood (Uncle Dean) • Wendy Crewson (Aunt Sarah) • Dennis Haysbert (Larry) |
Trailer
Plot Overview
Set in late 2010 during the final weeks before Kodak permanently shuts down processing for its iconic Kodachrome film, the story follows Matt Ryder (Jason Sudeikis), a struggling Manhattan music executive on the verge of losing his career.
Matt is unexpectedly contacted by Zooey Kern (Elizabeth Olsen), the live-in nurse and assistant to Matt’s estranged father, Ben Ryder (Ed Harris). Ben is a world-renowned, notoriously arrogant photojournalist who is dying of terminal liver cancer. Ben’s final wish is to take a cross-country road trip to Dwayne’s Photo in Parsons, Kansas—the very last lab in the world that still processes Kodachrome film—to develop four rolls of undeveloped film before the chemistry process is retired forever.
Reluctantly, Matt agrees to drive his father in exchange for a high-stakes business opportunity arranged by Ben’s manager. As the mismatched trio drives across the American Midwest, long-buried family resentments, unresolved grief, and artistic perfectionism surface—forcing father and son to confront their volatile past before time runs out.
Key Themes & Highlights
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Analog vs. Digital Era: Serves as a nostalgic eulogy for physical, analog media—celebrating the tangible weight, permanence, and vibrant colors of 35mm film photography over disposable digital convenience.
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Father-Son Reconciliation: Explores the complexities of artistic ego versus parental obligation, anchoring its emotional weight on the fiery performances between Ed Harris and Jason Sudeikis.
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True-Story Inspiration: The screenplay directly adapts A.G. Sulzberger’s real-life 2010 news coverage regarding the end of Kodachrome processing in Kansas.