I hadn't paid for anything. "[17], "Sundance: Evan Peters, Bella Heathcote To Star In Joe Castelo-Helmed 'The Preppie Connection, "IFC Buys Thomas Mann's 'Preppie Connection' for North America", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Preppie_Connection&oldid=951564475, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 April 2020, at 19:45. To continue reading login or create an account. Based on the wild story of a teen drug trafficker who rocked headlines in 1984, this true crime caper stars Thomas Mann (ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL) as Toby, a blue-collar scholarship student at an elite boarding school who finds an in with the cool crowd by supplying them with cocaine. Drug dealer at $56,000-a-year boarding school recounts selling $300,000 worth of cocaine to his rich friends 30 years ago after his story was retold in … Oatis remembers sitting in a hotel room, tense, waiting, scared senseless. THE PREPPIE CONNECTION chronicles the exploits of a group of private school students who ran a drug distribution operation in the early 1980s. The Preppie Connection is a 2015 American-French crime drama film written and directed by Joseph Castelo and based on the infamous 1984 incident where Choate Rosemary Hall student Derek Oatis, along with a handful of friends, ran a cocaine smuggling operation on the school's campus. He's the same Derek Oatis who, at 17, smuggled $300,000 worth of pure cocaine from Venezuela into the U.S., igniting one of the greatest prep school scandals in American history. In March 1984, Holmes invited Oatis to Venezuela for spring break. It holds an 11% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 9 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10. [7], Principal photography on the film began on July 21, 2014 in New York City, filming in New York City wrapped on August 9, 2014. Based on the incredible true story. "How do you go from this to smuggling a pound of cocaine in from JFK Airport? ), The officers took Oatis and Cowan into a room, searched their belongings and found the bottle of baby powder in Oatis's suitcase. The one in charge was short, with a thick, black mustache he kept twirling between his fingers. Toby, a scholarship student at the fictional Sage Hall, starts dealing cocaine to classmates and ends up in Colombia buying drugs from a cartel. Sophomore year, Oatis started hanging out with Matthew Holmes. [8] with production beginning in Puerto Rico on August 12, 2014. [15] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 34 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Oatis, 49, lives with his wife, two dogs and three cats in Glastonbury, Connecticut, where he practices criminal and civil law. The film had world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 10, 2015. And I did—I brought it back without any incident whatsoever.". Oatis has started fielding phone calls from the press. A student at a private school uses his connections to establish a drug trafficking network there. I knew that the whole charade was over," Oatis told 60 Minutes in 1984. Around 10 p.m., they heard a loud knock on the door. Picture: IFC Films Source:Supplied DEREK Oatis’ plane touched down at New York’s … Arriving on the 458-acre campus freshman year, Oatis was awestruck by the stunning red-brick Georgian buildings, sprawling greens and majestic wooded areas. "The ones that really hit home for me are the ones with really bad endings," Oatis says. When they searched Oatis, they found the packets of cocaine in his pocket. ", You have 4 free articles remaining this month, Sign-up to our daily newsletter for more articles like this + access to 5 extra articles. He was a scholarship student at Choate Rosemary Hall, an elite private school in Wallingford, Connecticut, that counts John F. Kennedy and Edward Albee among its alumni. He was doing well in some classes and terribly in others. they asked. She was 5 years old when she arrived in the U.S., malnourished, balding and nearly toothless. "He was in the same boat as I was. The film was released on March 18, 2016, in a limited rel… [12] In December 2015, IFC Films acquired distribution rights to the film. A documentary would have been far more compelling. They hid the coke in a bottle of baby powder, and at the last minute, Oatis offered to carry it back into the U.S. "I felt I owed him. After his first meeting with Castelo—on his 40th birthday—Oatis went into an emotional tailspin. "I walked right up to the edge, and I'm lucky I didn't get killed or end up in prison. From left, Lucy Fry, Jessica Rothe, Thomas Mann and Sam Page star in Joseph Castelo’s "The Preppie Connection.". But in a weird way, it helped me process this stuff in a way I never had.". (Oatis's biological parents divorced before he was born, and his stepfather adopted him after marrying his mom.) The Preppie Connection chronicles the exploits… [2] The film stars Thomas Mann, Lucy Fry, Sam Page, Bill Sage, Jessica Rothe. In January 2013, it was announced that Evan Peters, Bella Heathcote had been cast in the lead roles of Tobias and Alex respectively, and the project had been written and directed by Joseph Castelo. A group of Choate private school students run a drug distribution operation in the early 1980s. [5] (It took over a year for Choate to admit this publicly. ", Oatis wishes he'd had someone to turn to in high school. [13] The film was released on March 18, 2016, in a limited release, and through video on demand. A dramatized real-life scandal of 1980s prep-school drug dealing plays like a tepid compilation of fictive cliches in “The Preppie Connection.” When he thinks back to who he was at Choate, he recalls a lonely, depressed young man. Her parents and two sisters had already survived Nazi slave labor camps. The film had world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 10, 2015. Then he headed back to the U.S. with Cowan. Synopsis. Thomas Mann plays a scholarship student at a nearby posh Connecticut prep school, living at home, but trying to fit in with the trust fund snobs he secretly hates. In a way, what we were doing seemed less risky than that.... At Choate, there were no police. It is a story that needs to be seen by everyone, whether they are familiar with the true story or … Now on March 18, 2016, The Preppie Connection sees a an IFC Films release through Video on Demand as well as select theaters. A few years ago, a friend asked him to talk with his son, who was being investigated by police for breaking into homes with his girlfriend to support a heroin habit. Toby, who's in school as a scholarship student because of financial need, uses his street cred and easy access to drugs to befriend the popular and wealthier kids, eventually cultivating a drug trafficking network with him in the center. Now playing on demand. Director and co-writer Joseph Castelo (The War Within) first contacted Oatis nearly a decade ago. "I don't know what words would get through the thick skull of a teenager, especially one using drugs or with emotional issues, but nothing matters but your existence, your health, your family," Oatis says. I had a huge amount of guilt for what I did to my family. ", The story of how Oatis wound up smuggling nearly a pound of cocaine out of Venezuela starts long before his first day at Choate. Based in the wild true story of a … However, either Peters and Heathcote dropped out or were recast, in July 2014, Lucy Fry was cast in the role of Alexis. The Preppie Connection ( 54 ) IMDb 6.2 1 h 36 min 2016 R In this wild but true story that rocked headlines in the 80s, a working-class teen gains acceptance from his prep school classmates by dealing cocaine from a Colombian cartel. In 1984, a private school student uses connections to create a drug trafficking network at his school which leads him and his friends into the dangerous world of drug cartels. The Preppie Connection, which takes its name from the 60 Minutes segment, brings this universe to life, albeit somewhat limply. THE PREPPIE CONNECTION chronicles the exploits of a group of private school students who ran a drug distribution operation in the early 1980s. Before that meeting could take place, his friend called to say he'd just found the couple hanging from a tree. Based on a true story of a prep school student who smuggled $300k of uncut cocaine into the US in 1984. See why nearly a quarter of a million subscribers begin their day with the Starting 5. "As perverse as it sounds, it was an adventure," Oatis says. He was not a super popular guy," Oatis says. By that point, Holmes had already brought cocaine back to school five times, and on this trip he scored big: 200 grams. Growing up in the blue-collar town of Meriden, Connecticut, Oatis excelled academically without trying very hard. Based on a true story of a prep school student who smuggled $300k of uncut cocaine into the US in 1984. They drove a beat-up Dodge Dart. Oatis received his five years of probation and 5,000 community service hours. Too young, too wild, too rich to know better. But things spiral out of control when Toby goes from small-time dealer to international drug trafficker. "I have a lot of parents who come to me with a kid who got into trouble, usually drugs, and my experience makes it a lot easier for me to speak to them. They made it all the way to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport before two law enforcement officials stopped them. "My mom was very motivated in trying to get me the best education possible. "Where's the rest of it?" Based on a true story of a prep school student who smuggled $300k of uncut cocaine into the US in 1984. Oatis says. Cowan was sentenced to three years of probation and 1,000 community service hours. Oatis opened it, and three men with guns walked in. He does it all for power, belonging and, of course, a girl who's just out of his reach. More than 30 years later, his colossal teenage missteps have inspired a movie, The Preppie Connection, now in theaters and on demand. He went to summer programs for the gifted and attended a local science school. Capturing the music, style, and burgeoning 'greed is good' ethos of the 1980s, The Preppie Connection is a stranger than fiction look at the price of popularity. His mother, Sofie Oatis (now Buyniski), was born in a displaced person's camp in Kiel, Germany, at the end of World War II. The Preppie Connection is a film based on the 1984 drug scandal at Choate Rosemary Hall, an elite private High School in Connecticut. Going into the Preppy Connection, I was sure I wasn't even going to be able to finish it, but I was surprised. Both were expelled from Choate, along with 12 other students who gave money for the drug buy. "Part of me realized I'd be lucky to get out of there alive," he says. The other two flanked him. "They sniffed it and dumped it into the garbage—there was a little baby powder at the top, so it looked like baby powder," he says. “The Preppie Connection,” inspired by those events, changes the names and details but borrows its title from a “60 Minutes” report on the incident. The story made national headlines, sparking an in-depth 60 Minutes piece, and saddled Oatis with five years of probation and 5,000 community service hours—and that was a lucky break, considering he faced up to 15 years in prison. She went to Southern Connecticut State University, and she'd drive by Choate and say, 'Geez, it'd be amazing to have my child go to the same school JFK went to.'". "I had a hard time revisiting the stuff. Based on a true story of a prep school student who smuggled $300k of uncut cocaine into the US in 1984. Oatis's mother was a public school teacher, and his stepfather, James Oatis, worked as a truck driver and vending machine delivery man. "I was stupid enough to say, 'You just dumped it in the garbage.'". The man pulled out 350 grams of cocaine wrapped in heavy plastic. It prompted a return to therapy. Toby, a blue-collar scholarship student at an elite boarding school who finds an in with the cool crowd by supplying them with cocaine. This is Lyons Den, I'm Jeffrey Lyons looking at The Preppie Connection, based on a true story. It was the longest minute of his life. The Preppie Connection chronicles the exploits of a group of private school students who ran a drug distribution operation in the early 1980s. "I want Joe [Castelo] to do really well, but I hope nobody sees it. An unpopular boy teaches Toby how to blend in by telling him to study GQ. [11] and will also screen at the Mill Valley Film Festival on October 15, 2015. How Come Journalism Movies Don't Win Best Picture? The film stars Thomas Mann, Lucy Fry, Sam Page, Bill Sage, Jessica Rothe. I thought, That's great—the movie got made and nobody knows about it!" Choate was a place where parents arrived for annual parents day events in private helicopters. [6] A day later, it was announced Thomas Mann, Logan Huffman had joined the cast of the film. The Preppie Connection is based on the life of Derek Oatis. THE PREPPIE CONNECTION. BASED ON A TRUE STORY. Plot synopsis: “How to win friends: smuggle $300k of … "When they came over, they truly had nothing," Oatis says. “Alex toyed with people, but I didn’t care.”- Toby. If I was going to my local high school, you get a bunch of friends in a car, drive around, someone goes in with a fake ID to buy a case of beer and park somewhere and drink, and you keep an eye out for police. It was our little universe.". Once, Oatis accompanied a friend's family to a Chinese restaurant and realized that "these folks can identify the regions from China where all the food came from—and pronounce them." Maybe it was [that] I was never concerned about getting into the right school or right job. Thomas Mann, right, stars as Toby, a working-class kid who builds a cocaine business at his prep school. He doesn't spend much time reminiscing about the biggest mistake of his life, and when he does, it's with clients who can benefit from his story. It's nothing we haven't seen before, but The Preppie Connection gets by just fine thanks to its engaging cast (Thomas Mann and Lucy Fry both deliver strong lead performances), slick direction, moody synth score, and slow-building tension. The film had its debut at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 10, 2015, which was a perfect location to premiere the story of rich kids caught in a scandal. There's even a main character named Ellis William Thynes III, whose father rode horses with President Ronald Reagan. The Preppie Connection is a film based on the 1984 drug scandal at Choate Rosemary Hall, an elite private High School in Connecticut. About six weeks later, Oatis and his girlfriend, Catherine Cowan, returned to Caracas for another big score. [3] The film was released on March 18, 2016, in a limited release, and through video on demand by IFC Films.[4]. How to win friends: smuggle $300k of uncut cocaine into your snooty prep school. The other day, he spotted co-workers searching for local theaters showing the movie. The students, most of whom were boarders from well-off families, made him feel like a foreigner: "They had a manner, style and experience that was alien to me." Only Oatis was too late. "I know she probably feels tremendous guilt and probably blames herself much more than me, which is wrong.... She wanted more than anything to give me the best education I could possibly receive. The movie plays on stereotypical private school elitism: cool kids watching rugby while sprawled across manicured lawns or doing lines of coke on a copy of Homer's Odyssey. THE PREPPIE CONNECTION chronicles the exploits of a group of private school students who ran a drug distribution operation in the early 1980s. Based on the wild story of a teen drug trafficker who rocked headlines in 1984, this true crime caper stars Thomas Mann (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) as Toby, a blue-collar scholarship student at an elite boarding school who finds an in with the cool crowd by supplying them with cocaine. "I thought the movie was already released six months ago [at the Hamptons Film Festival]. The Preppie Connection, which takes its name from the 60 Minutes segment, brings this universe to life, albeit somewhat limply. I didn't have as much to lose. But things spiral out of control when Toby goes from small-time dealer to international drug trafficker, culminating in a trip to Colombia and a daring deal with a cartel. "He was doing things for many of the same reasons I did: to bolster self-esteem, get a little more attention and fit in." The Preppie Connection is based on the true story of an East Coast boarding school scandal in the 80's and at its center is a working class Odysseus determined to brave the cartels of Colombia to fit in with the children of the elite class. Oatis had avoided talking publicly about his past, but he was impressed by Castelo's work and liked the fact that they both came from working-class families and had been scholarship kids at prep schools. Yet he was so ambivalent about applying to Choate that, when his acceptance letter arrived, he initially told his mother that he'd been rejected. [9][10], The film had its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival on October 10, 2015. "It's been cathartic a bit and helpful for me to come to terms with this, but I pray my mom never sees it," he says. That changed when Holmes brought marijuana to school from Venezuela, where his parents lived. It is very subtle and intimate, making the whole story feel more real, which I suppose was the purpose given this is based off of a true story. It's hypocritical to be talking to you and saying that at the same time, but having a movie made about the worst experience in your existence..." Oatis trails off. "The thought of saying no was not a possibility to me," he says. When he realized the bottle wasn't big enough, he tossed the remaining loose bags of cocaine into his jacket pocket. Despite a chase scene, midnight swimming and lots of partying and sex, the film is dull around the edges. The story centers on Toby, the lower-class scholarship student, who uses his street cred and access to drugs to make friends with the popular … At first, Oatis thought it was a random search, but he later learned that Choate administrators had alerted the government that two of its students might be smuggling drugs. [14], The Preppie Connection received negative reviews from film critics. 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The Preppie Connection, which is now in select theaters and available on demand and on iTunes and Amazon, stars Thomas Mann (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) as the Oatis-inspired Toby, a … Oatis handed over $5,000 in cash. Holmes made the arrangements. It took a couple of weeks for Derek Oatis to return my call, and when he finally did, the first thing he said was, "Wild guess, is this about The Preppie Connection?". Then he began smuggling small amounts of cocaine. First of all, the cinematography in this movie is excellent. His grades were faltering, and he didn't have many college prospects. Then again, maybe he also liked getting high and having cash to spend? See the beautiful and elusive Alex, played by Lucy Fry, in The Preppie Connection. Set in the 1980s — and based on a true story— “The Preppie Connection” relies on a pulsing synthesizer score to evoke nostalgia for old teensploitation flicks. The Preppie Connection is a 2015 American-French crime drama film written and directed by Joseph Castelo and based on the infamous 1984 incident where Choate Rosemary Hall student Derek Oatis, along with a handful of friends, ran a cocaine smuggling operation on the school's campus. The story centers on Toby, the lower-class scholarship student, who uses his street cred and access to drugs to make friends with the popular kids, eventually … As he had done before, Oatis hid the coke in a bottle of baby powder, covering it with a layer of baby powder. But things spiral out of control when Toby goes from small-time dealer to international drug trafficker, culminating in a trip … Based on the wild story of a teen drug trafficker who rocked headlines in 1984, this true crime caper stars Thomas Mann (Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) as Toby, a blue-collar scholarship student at an elite boarding school who finds an in with the cool crowd by supplying them with cocaine. 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