Long Way Gone

LONG WAY GONE is a prodigal son story about a terminally ill man, who once had a promising music career. Upon returning home, he reconnects with his old flame, a mature country star whose fallen on hard times. They relive their romance through a series of flashbacks which also ignites memories of his childhood traveling around with his father, an itinerate preacher/musician.

While this story is certainly catnip for the faith-based market, the overarching appeal of this film for a larger market will rest primarily on the music. If adapted, the soundtrack would be just as crucial as the screenplay for the story to truly come alive.

COOPER O'CONNER is the son of a widowed itinerate preacher /gospel musician. His FATHER is a kind and loving, yet larger-than-life figure. Cooper never understands why his father is a tent minister and he’s never seen him collect an offering. When he turns eight his father discovers a high-walled canyon he’d like to use as the next location for his traveling church. The landowner TOM SLOCUMB tells him the river has gone dry, but if he can fill up the dry riverbed then he can use the meadow. His father digs a trench from his side of the
One night when he gets home from the restaurant his father tells him dinner is on the stove, but rather than a home cooked meal, Cooper finds take out from the Mexican restaurant where he performed. The following morning as his father gives an impassioned sermon titled “Why are You Here?” Cooper infuriated by the message and the overwhelming feeling that his father is holding him back walks up to the pulpit and punches his father in the face splitting his lip. He grabs his father’s beloved guitar Jimmy and makes his way towards the cash box. His father advices the pianist to play and the congregation joins in singing the hymn as Cooper raids the offerings from the cash box, before driving off in his father’s old