Quid Pro Quo (film)

Quid Pro Quo is a 2008 American drama film, written and directed by Carlos Brooks, and starring Nick Stahl and Vera Farmiga. The film is about a semi-paralyzed radio reporter who investigates a story that uncovers an odd subculture leading to a disturbing self-realization. The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2008, and was released in the United States on June 13, 2008.

Plot
Isaac Knott (Nick Stahl) is a successful radio talk show host on a New York City public radio outlet. He lost the use of his legs at the age of eight in an automobile accident that also claimed the lives of his parents. He is a wheelchair user.

One day, Isaac learns about a man who showed up at a local hospital and demanded to have his legs amputated. The man was part of a secret subculture of able-bodied people who want to be paraplegics. They use wheelchairs whenever possible, and they try to deaden their legs through artificial means. Isaac becomes fascinated by these strange people, and begins studying the phenomenon for a news piece on his radio show.

Through his research, Isaac meets Fiona (Vera Farmiga), a sexy but mysterious blonde who collects and restores Chinese art. Fiona also owns a wheelchair she doesn't really need. Increasingly attracted to her, Isaac tries to learn all he can about her role in the fake-paraplegic underground. Fiona, however, does not give away her secrets for free. Soon, Isaac discovers that the exchange of information and trust goes deeper the longer they know one another.

Cast

 * Nick Stahl as Isaac Knott
 * Vera Farmiga as Fiona Ankany
 * Rachel Black as Janice Musslewhite
 * Jessica Hecht as Edie
 * Jacob Pitts as Hugh
 * Ashlie Atkinson as Candy
 * Pablo Schreiber as Brooster
 * Jeane Fournier as Charlene Coke
 * Michal Sinnott as Isaac's Mom
 * Joshua Leonard as Isaac's Dad
 * James Frain as Father Dave
 * Aimee Mullins as Raine
 * Dylan Bruno as Scott
 * Kate Burton as Merilee
 * Ellen Marlow as Young Fiona
 * Tommy Nelson as Young Isaac

Production
On his inspiration for the film, director Carlos Brooks commented: "I was interested in taking this story into the psychological realm, where no matter what our physical condition, we all have the same psychological potentials or limitations that we struggle with. Isaac puts on these shoes which allow him to walk again. That send him on a quest where, in the end, he discovers that he has really been investigating himself." Principal photography for Quid Pro Quo took place on location in Upper Freehold, New Jersey, with additional road scenes shot in La Conner, Washington.

Reception
The film received mixed reviews from film critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gave Quid Pro Quo an approval rating of 60%, based on 35 reviews, with an average rating of 5.9/10. The critical consensus reads, "Despite a stunning performance by Vera Farmiga, Quid Pro Quo never develops its effective parts into a convincing whole." On Metacritic, the film holds an average score of 55 out of 100, based on 13 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".