Freestyle Digital Media releases Jeff Ryan’s golf crime comedy Mooch

Freestyle Digital Media released Mooch on August 14, 2026 across North American digital, DVD, cable and satellite platforms after festival success in Boston and Philadelphia. The offbeat New Jersey-set film pairs a golf-club crime story with an original emo soundtrack and possible future live-event screenings with Emo Nite.

Why it matters: - Mooch expands Freestyle Digital Media’s indie film slate with a festival-tested feature that blends crime comedy, music culture and a built-in audience around emo and pop-punk. - The release puts the film into homes across North America on digital HD internet, DVD, cable and satellite platforms. - The project also gives First-Names Films a title with possible follow-on life through live screenings, concerts and soundtrack events.

What happened: - Freestyle Digital Media released Mooch on August 14, 2026. - The film had its sold-out Center Stage premiere at IFFBoston and won the Audience Award at the Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival. - Jeff Ryan wrote, directed and stars in the film. - First-Names Films retains theatrical rights to Mooch. - Ryan’s team is in conversations with Emo Nite about rolling out the film through live event screenings, concerts and album moments over the coming year. - The full film page is available at Mooch film website.

The details: - Mooch is a First-Names Films production in association with Schaefer Cinema. - The ensemble cast includes Scott Cohen, Katerina Tannenbaum, Geneva Carr, Molly Brown, Ashby Gentry, Will Chase, Louis Cancelmi, Olli Haaskivi, Lucy Walters, Ian Dolley, Natalie Roy, Charlie Pollock and Oscar Williams. - The story follows Shane, a nearly 30-year-old caddy at his local golf club who still cannot quite grow up. - A botched theft of $400 pushes Shane into work for a charismatic New Jersey nightclub owner. - The plot sends Shane into amateur investigations, broken relationships and escalating bad decisions. - The film is set in suburban New Jersey, golf courses, neighborhood bars and DIY music spaces. - Mooch includes an original emo soundtrack co-produced by Aaron Gillespie and Ryan. - The 11-track album features Kellin Quinn, Derek Sanders, Spencer Chamberlain, JT Woodruff, John Vesely, Cassadee Pope and Sierra Kay. - The filmmakers are in ongoing discussions with Emo Nite and Graveboy Records, part of Insomniac Music Group, about releasing the album with the film. - Ryan said the film is partly autobiographical, partly fantasy and partly an apology to people in his life. - Ryan said a high school conversation about being a “mooch” helped inspire the character and that a Jersey City emo show shaped the film’s emotional perspective. - The film was produced by Joe Adams and Jacob Andres Padilla. - Co-producers are Aaron Gillespie, Eamon Downey, Molly Welsh and Jonathan Coleman. - Executive producers include Peter Phok, Chris Marino, Patrick Martin, Nick Isder, Sam Schaefer, Paula Schaefer, Theo Schaefer, Owen Williams, Chris Bilezikian and Peter Danis. - Freestyle Digital Media negotiated the acquisition directly with the filmmakers.

Between the lines: - The film is positioned as more than a traditional release because its soundtrack and possible event screenings create multiple entry points for fans. - The emo and pop-punk angle helps define the movie’s audience and separates it from a standard indie crime comedy. - Ryan’s personal origin story gives Mooch a confessional tone that matches the film’s coming-of-age theme.

What’s next: - Freestyle Digital Media will keep distributing Mooch across North American home entertainment platforms. - More details are expected soon on Emo Nite-linked screenings, concerts and soundtrack releases. - First-Names Films and the filmmakers are continuing talks about a combined music-and-film rollout over the coming year.

The bottom line: - Mooch is launching as a festival-vetted indie with a music-driven strategy designed to extend its life well beyond a standard digital release.