Ida Red, a crime family drama, is written and directed by John Swab. Ida “Red” Walker is imprisoned for armed robbery, but she might not survive her terminal illness if she stays in. It is in this situation that she turns to her son for the last favor that could give her a chance to regain her freedom.
The movie stars Melissa Leo in the title role, and Josh Hartnet as her son. Others in the cast include Frank Grillo, Sofia Hublitz. Deborah Ann Woll, Mark Boone Junior, among others.
The movie begins on a high tension scene where a truck carrying pharmaceuticals is pulled over at night by Wyatt Walker (Josh Hartnett) and his uncle (Frank Grillo), disguised as policemen. Bullets fly. The scene then cuts to Wyatt visiting his mother in the prison, where she talks to him through coded messages about the heist and about getting rid of witnesses to tie loose ends.
To get his mother out on parole, he, along with his uncle, kidnap the parole board chairman Stuart Prince and use threats and an incentive of $100,000 cash to ensure Ida is out in a week. Before the anticipated release, Ida lets her son know about a major robbery that could give the family enough money to retire in luxury.
Ida Red: filming location
This is John Swab’s fourth movie to be filmed in Tulsa. His previous three films were all shot around the area of Tulsa. This should not be a surprise to those who know that he was born in Tulsa itself. The production closely followed the Oklahoma guidelines and SAG-AFTRA health and safety COVID-19 protocols for filming during the pandemic.
Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Principal photography lasted during the months of August and September 2020. The production hired 40 local crew members and ten local cast members to be in the film. Throughout the filming, strict precautions were taken.
Abby Kurin, the Executive Director of TFMAC (Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts, and Culture), confirmed that the director was committed to the safety of the cast and crew, and was also pleased with the use of local vendors and hotels and highlighting various locations around Tulsa in the film.
He believed that Swab’s projects in Tulsa will bring to light why Tulsa is a great choice for the film industry. In fact, Swab’s continued dedication to his local community has also elevated the local infrastructure to a new level.