Treed Murray (2001)

Canadian filmmaker William Phillips makes his feature debut with this psychological thriller about an ad exec, a gang of juvenile thugs, and a really big tree. Murray Roberts (David Hewlett) is an up-and-coming salesman for an advertising company who, while strolling in a city park one day, encounters a 14-year-old mugger named Carter (Kevin Duhaney). Being a life-long alpha male, Roberts refuses to play the victim and a tussle ensues. The lad's comrades in crime emerge from the surrounding trees and soon Roberts is forced to flee. He eventually finds refuge in the higher branches of a rather large tree. The gang members, led by the charismatic Shark (Clé Bennett), lay siege. A battle of wills and wits ensues between the adman and the gangster. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival.