I admittedly watch a lot of television shows and movies – comedies, dramas, documentaries, reality series, etc. – pretty much any content I can get my hands on. Hey, it’s part of the job! But occasionally, a production manages to somehow fly under my radar. Such was the case with the 2016 film “The Fundamentals of Caring,” which I only recently happened upon while perusing Netflix’s vast library. Based on Jonathan Evison’s 2012 novel “The Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving” and written and directed by Rob Burnett (who was also behind the beloved series “Ed”), the heartwarming tale chronicles the life of Trevor Conklin (Craig Roberts), a young man from England with a biting wit who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy and a fear of leaving his house. Enter his newly-hired caregiver, former novelist Ben Benjamin (Paul Rudd), who, though dealing with some debilitating hurdles of his own, convinces his new ward to branch out from his restrictive self-imposed comfort zone. Together, the two embark upon a life-changing road trip to see some of the United States’ more whimsical sites – or, as Trevor puts it, “your precious country’s lamest roadside attractions – odd museums, bizarre landmarks and, of course, anything giant, from farm animals to cherry pie” – during which they discover the true healing power of friendship.
Though it might not sound like the most comedic of premises, “The Fundamentals of Caring” is undeniably funny – laugh-out-loud so! – not to mention feel-good, warm and definitely worth a watch! And the locations are pretty stellar, too!
Set mainly in Seattle, Washington, with some brief roadside stops in Utah, Idaho and a handful of other unnamed places, the movie was actually shot over the course of 23 days in the Atlanta and Cartersville, Georgia areas. Standing in for the Abundant Life Church, where Ben attends his caregiver certification course at the beginning of the film, is North Decatur Presbyterian at 611 Medlock Rd. The rustic Wes-Man’s Restaurant at 3167 US-411 in the city of White plays Idaho Bo’s where Ben and Trevor pick up Dot (Selena Gomez), an enchanting 21-year-old who is hitchhiking her way to Denver. Trevor and Dot’s dinner date takes place at the Zesto outpost located at 2469 Piedmont Rd. in Buckhead. And the World’s Deepest Pit, purported to be in Utah, is actually Bellwood Quarry in Westside Reservoir Park, an oft-used site that has popped up in such productions as “Stranger Things,” “The Walking Dead,” The Vampire Diaries” and “The Hunger Games.”