Nice Guys Sleep Alone (1999)

Director:

Stu Pollard

Writers:

Bruce Feirstein (book)
Stu Pollard (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

Casual Sex Just Makes For Casual Enemies.

Plot:

A young man in Louisville sees his dating failures are related to his always being nice. All of his dates end up going with the rude...

Plot Keywords:

Dating | Friendship | Field Trip | Casual Sex | Stalking

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Michael Greene	...	Slick Willie
Sean O'Bryan	...	Carter
Susannah Cranage	...	Nancy
Blake Steury	...	Pat
Vanessa Marcil	...	Erin
Sybil Temtchine	...	Maggie (as Sybil Temchen)
Brenda James	...	Kate
William Sanderson	...	Rufus
Maggie Lawson	...	Meghan
Jeffrey Roth	...	Wally
Paul Smith	...	Lance
Dorothy Grossman	...	Rachel
Carol Ann Leif	...	TV Testimonial #1
Chris Williams	...	TV testimonial #2
Joseph Aspromonti	...	TV Testimonial #3 (as Joey Aspromonti)
Jack Johnson	...	Woody
Christopher Murray	...	Robert
Rachel Zients	...	Jack Fry's Waitress
Pat Farrelly	...	Brunch Waiter
Shea Curry	...	Girl in Park
Angela Shouse	...	Other Girl in Park
Stacy Solodkin	...	Carrie Kay
Melinda Allen	...	Jamie Lee
Nancy Jo Boone	...	Laura Beth
Rachel Reenstra	...	Janet
Morgan Fairchild	...	Lorraine
Derek McGrath	...	Eddie
Jeff Sampson	...	Wedding Bartender
Chelsea Bond	...	Bridget
Libby Kuffner	...	Wedding Waitress
Tudor Sherrard	...	Ted
Mike Battaglia	...	Racetrack Announcer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kimberly Magness	...	Racetrack Attendee
Brett Shaw	...	Backgroud

Directed by
Stu Pollard

Writing credits
Bruce Feirstein		(book)
Stu Pollard		(screenplay)

Produced by
Stu Pollard	....	producer
Diana E. Williams	....	co-producer
Heidi Winston	....	producer (as Heidi Winston)

Original Music by
Stephen Graziano

Cinematography by
Nathan Hope

Film Editing by
Terry Kelley

Casting by
Lee Ann Groff

Production Design by
Georges Moes

Art Direction by
Monica Mahoney

Costume Design by
David R. Zyla

Makeup Department
Aimee Circosta	....	assistant hair stylist
Aimee Circosta	....	assistant makeup artist
Jeri Harder	....	additional hair stylist
Jeri Harder	....	additional makeup artist
Karen Kovacs	....	additional hair stylist
Karen Kovacs	....	additional makeup artist
Rebecca Wachtel	....	hair department head
Rebecca Wachtel	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Valerie Hoffman	....	production manager (as Valerie Howlett)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph Aspromonti	....	second second assistant director (as Joey Aspromonti)
Kelly Cantley	....	first assistant director
Jill Southern	....	second assistant director (as Jill Musser)

Art Department
Greg Bennett	....	graphic artist
Dale Brooks	....	art department intern
Sally Campbell	....	buyer
Erin Jensen	....	storyboard artist
Amy L. Jones	....	art department assistant (as Amy Jones)
Jennifer Lunsford	....	art department assistant
Bebe Pollard	....	wedding flowers
Dale Price	....	art department assistant
Suzanne C. Reynolds	....	property master (as Suzanne Reynolds)
Ronald Winston	....	wedding flowers

Sound Department
Paul Braccili	....	boom operator
Kevin Patrick Burns	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bryan Franklin	....	sound editor
Brian Linder	....	production sound
Rudy Pi	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	in-show optical compositor: THDX (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James L. Conway	....	best boy grip (as Jim Conway)
Ron Coons	....	additional first assistant camera
Dan Cunningham	....	additional first assistant camera
Ellen Curry	....	camera loader
Manuel Duran	....	key grip
Pat Farrelly	....	additional grip (as Pat 'Scrump' Farrelly)
Cort Fey	....	camera operator: second unit
Cort Fey	....	gaffer
Tim Fuller	....	additional first assistant camera
Michael Goralsky	....	second assistant camera (as Michal Goralsky)
Willy Hewson	....	dolly grip (as William Hewson)
Troy House	....	additional electrician
Bud Kremp	....	Steadicam operator (as Clyde 'Bud' Kremp)
Bud Kremp	....	camera operator: second unit (as Clyde 'Bud' Kremp)
Neil Lisk	....	additional first assistant camera
Kip McDonald	....	additional first assistant camera (as Brian 'Kip' McDonald)
Frank Olah	....	key electrician
David Ryan	....	additional electrician
Jake Warga	....	first assistant camera (as Jason 'Jake' Warga)
Clarissa Weiss	....	best boy electric
Mike Wright	....	additional grip (as Michael Wright)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Misty Halliday	....	additional costume assistant
Alise Makfour	....	costume intern
Kevin McLead	....	tailor
Carolina Witham	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Matt Evans	....	additional editor

Music Department
Arlene Fishbach	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Kirk Baily	....	adr loop group
Mike Brink	....	script supervisor (as Michael A. Brink)
Jennifer Brown	....	production coordinator
Pat Farrelly	....	location manager
John Frick	....	production auditor
Melora Harte	....	adr loop group
Steve Kramer	....	adr loop group
Wendee Lee	....	adr loop group
Mark Litwak	....	producer's representative
Patience Martin	....	dialect coach
Beth Mitchell	....	set production assistant
Jennifer Sims	....	assistant production coordinator

Production Companies

• Lunacy Unlimited Productions

Distributors

• American Movie Classics (AMC)
• Asylum, The
• Curb Entertainment (non-USA) (sales)
• HBO Films
• Lifetime Movie Network
• Vanguard Cinema
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2006) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Mark Litwak & Associates  legal counsel

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual content

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Kentucky, USA

Company:

Lunacy Unlimited Productions

Trivia:

Some of the scenes were shot at Kentucky Country Day School, Pollard's high school. A few of Stu Pollard's old teachers even made it into the film as extras.

Quotes:

Pat:Do you really want to fall in love with someone who doesn't appreciate a good cheeseburger?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Keep Your Distance (2005)

The truth about dating

The best comedy comes from simple truths about life. ‘Nice Guys' captures so many of the essential truths about the dating game that, despite its shortcomings, it is extremely entertaining.

Carter (Sean O'Bryan) is a really nice guy. He is such a nice guy that women are dying to be his friend. At least that is what they all tell him at the end of the first date. Maggie (Sybil Temchen) is a New York veterinarian who is starting over in Louisville, Kentucky working on a thoroughbred horse farm. With the dubious guidance of his best friend, Carter asks Maggie for a date, and the fun begins.

The movie is peppered with vignettes about dating and the games the sexes plays. What makes it funny is that it is all so true, and without much exaggeration. There are quite a few good sight gags and liberal guffaws throughout.

This was a low budget independent production written and directed by Stu Pollard in his first attempt at both. The writing was honest and insightful, but uneven. At times, the dialogue was terrific; sharp, biting humor the captured the essence of this absurd ritual called dating. At other times it was gut wrenching drivel. The same was true of the cinematography. He had some beautiful shots of Kentucky, and then other shots were set up all wrong.

The acting was about what you would expect from third tier actors. Sean O'Bryan was nice enough, but so bland that one might suspect that he was boring his dates into friendship. He did exude great sincerity though, which worked very well with his character. Sybil Temchen was the best actor in the film and seemed very confident in her role. She was strong and self-assured in her role as the vet, but confused and uncertain in dating mode.

Overall, this was a pleasant surprise for a film with untested talent and limited resources. I rated it a 7/10. It is a fun movie with something for just about everyone who has ever been on a date as an adult. At some point you may even find yourself saying, `Yeah, that happened to me too.'