A film shot in Kendall Yards is good enough for Apple TV and Amazon

The original opening for “A Good Enough Day” just wasn’t good enough. So director and co-writer Trevor St. John, who also stars, shot new footage to kick off his compelling independent film.

“We decided we wanted something more hooky,” St. John said while calling from his Los Angeles home. “A Good Enough Day,” which screened at the Fox in 2021, now starts with the focus on a girl in a hospital, who doesn’t say a word. Pain is etched on her face when she discovers her brother has died.

Her father, who is played by St. John, 52, is just as devastated. His life is derailed after the death of his teenage son. The beleaguered dad attempts to reconnect with his daughter throughout “A Good Enough Day.”

When the film was screened at the Fox, the audience was quiet as they sat in rapt attention.

“You could hear a pin drop,” producer and director of photography Don Hamilton recalled. “I’m guessing it was a good thing.”

The film is good enough for Apple TV and Amazon’s Prime Video, which are streaming the film.

“I don’t know if we’ll get rich, but at least it will give the film a chance to be seen,” Hamilton said.

No matter what happens, it’s a victory for those who prefer story to films which rely on CGI. “A Good Enough Day,” with a $100,000 budget, was shot almost entirely in Spokane and Kendall Yards, as well as at Dean Avenue and Walnut Street, where Hamilton’s studio is located. Everything was captured there, except for a bridge scene that was shot within 200 feet of the studio and the new footage, which was captured in the YWCA on Monroe Street.

“We found a perfect room that looked like a (hospital) waiting room at the Y,” St. John said.

“A Good Enough Day” is an intimate, deep film driven by story, not effects.

“We were encouraged by the acceptance of ‘Nomadland,’ ” Hamilton said. “That film is very dialogue-driven. We robbed the tomb of ‘Nomadland.’ ”

The pain St. John conveys is palpable while trying to bridge the gap between he and his estranged daughter. The father, who has slipped into a downward spiral, runs into obstacle after obstacle.

“One of the tenets of screenwriting is to really throw the kitchen sink at your protagonist to make his life as difficult as possible,” St. John explained. “How can we stop this guy? We want to make it impossible for him. The hill he has to climb has to be steep.”

St. John, a veteran soap opera actor, who stars in “The Young and the Restless,” enjoyed shooting “A Good Enough Day” in his hometown, which he visits often.

“I love Spokane,” St. John said. “Even though we shot just about everything at Don’s studio. I can see why films are shot there.

“It has that medium size town feel. You have the gritty, you have the suburbs. You have great outdoor locations.”

Hamilton’s studio is not only setup to create films, but it’s also a screening space. Hamilton made for a unique experience Tuesday by having a private screening for “A Good Enough Day.”

“I don’t know how often a movie is shown where it was shot,” Hamilton said. “We thought it would be a fun idea. It was a great turnout for the screening with the crew and families. We’ll see where we go from here with the film.”

The Orchard Prairie native wonders where “A Good Enough Day” goes from here but is ecstatic since he knows he’s playing with house money.

“It’s a minor miracle when a film gets made and then finds distribution,” St. John said. “We’ve done both. We couldn’t be more proud and excited.”

Expect the West Valley alumnus, Hamilton; Lorna St. John, who co-produced the film and is St. John’s mother; and Hamilton’s wife to make more movies. St. John is inspired to create films that focus on story and are dialogue driven.

“I want to create movies that give respect to the audience,” St. John said. “I love movies that were made in the golden era of the ’ 70s, such as ‘All the President’s Men’ and ‘Chinatown.’ Audiences don’t have to be led by the nose.

“I believe we made a film that respects the audience’s intelligence. It’s a movie I hope people will talk about after they see it.”

“A Good Enough Day” is streaming on Apple TV and Amazon’s Prime Video.