28 Days (2000)

Director:

Betty Thomas

Writer (WGA):

Susannah Grant (written by)

Release Date:

14 April 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The Life of the Party... before she got a life.

Plot:

A big-city newspaper columnist is forced to enter a drug and alcohol rehab center after ruining her sister's wedding and crashing a stolen limousine.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Car Accident | Sister Sister Relationship | Speech | World Trade Center Manhattan New York City

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Sandra Bullock	...	Gwen Cummings
Viggo Mortensen	...	Eddie Boone
Dominic West	...	Jasper
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Lily
Azura Skye	...	Andrea
Steve Buscemi	...	Cornell
Alan Tudyk	...	Gerhardt
Mike O'Malley	...	Oliver (as Michael O'Malley)
Marianne Jean-Baptiste	...	Roshanda
Reni Santoni	...	Daniel
Diane Ladd	...	Bobbie Jean
Margo Martindale	...	Betty
Susan Krebs	...	Evelyn
Loudon Wainwright III	...	Guitar Guy
Katie Scharf	...	Young Gwen
Meredith Deane	...	Young Lily
Elizabeth Ruscio	...	Mom
Kathy Payne	...	Aunt Helen
Lisa Sutton	...	Dr. Stavros
Joanne Pankow	...	Saleslady / Night Tech
Corinne Reilly	...	Vanessa
Andrew Dolan	...	Groom
Maeve McGuire	...	Groom's Mother
Jim Moody	...	Chauffeur
Christina Chang	...	Bridesmaid
Adam Pervis	...	Younger Boy at Gas Station
Dan Byrd	...	Older Boy at Gas Station
Ric Reitz	...	Father at Gas Station
Suellen Yates	...	Andrea's Mother
Frank Hoyt Taylor	...	Equine Therapist
Brittani Warrick	...	Traci
Elijah Kelley	...	Darnell
Mike Dooly	...	Marty
Wendee Pratt	...	Elaine
Bill Anagnos	...	NY Cabdriver
Jack Armstrong	...	Falcon in Soap Opera Cast
Judith Chapman	...	Deirdre in Soap Opera Cast
Suzanne Davis	...	Darian in Soap Opera Cast
Rod McCary	...	Dr. Griffin Hartley in Soap Opera Cast
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matt Cedeño	...	Bob Ramirez (uncredited)
Patricia M. Fairchild	...	Cafeteria Worker (uncredited)
Bruno Gunn	...	Michael Anderson (uncredited)
Christopher Murphy	...	Paul (uncredited)
Harsh Nayyar	...	Newsstand Vendor (uncredited)
Brent Ponder	...	Partier (uncredited)
Stan Wood	...	Parker House Patient (uncredited)

Directed by
Betty Thomas

Writing credits (WGA)
Susannah Grant		(written by)

Produced by
Celia D. Costas	....	co-producer (as Celia Costas)
Jenno Topping	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Gibbs

Cinematography by
Declan Quinn		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Teschner		(edited by)

Casting by
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Marcia Hinds		(as Marcia Hinds-Johnson)

Art Direction by
Bo Johnson

Set Decoration by
Debra Schutt

Costume Design by
Ellen Lutter

Makeup Department
Judith H. Bickerton	....	hairstylist
Dale Brownell	....	hairstylist (as Dale E. Brownell)
Colleen Callaghan	....	key hairstylist
Kymbra Callaghan	....	makeup artist
Sharon Ilson	....	key makeup artist
Stephen Kelley	....	makeup artist
Sandra S. Orsolyak	....	makeup artist (as Sandra Orsolyak-Allen)
Janine Rath	....	key hairstylist
Karen Reuter Fabbo	....	makeup artist: New York
Kerrie Smith	....	hair stylist: New York
Robert Steinken	....	hair stylist: Asheville
Pamela S. Westmore	....	key makeup artist (as Pamela Westmore)
Jim Beinke	....	makeup effects producer (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Rosanne Puchal	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Celia D. Costas	....	unit production manager (as Celia Costas)
Patricia Anne Doherty	....	unit production manager: New York (as Patricia Doherty Hess)
Monica Levinson	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chad Graves	....	second second assistant director
Richard Graves	....	first assistant director
Susan J. Hellmann	....	second assistant director
Michael Pitt	....	second second assistant director: New York
Bac DeLorme	....	second assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Bruce Milton	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
C. Scott Baker	....	set designer
Diana Burton	....	property master: New York (as Diana E. Burton)
Rick Butler	....	art director: Asheville
Paul Cheponis	....	set dresser
Glen R. Feldman	....	assistant property master (as Glen Feldman)
Geoffrey S. Grimsman	....	set designer
Robert Guerra	....	art director: New York
Alan Hook	....	assistant art director
Tom Jones Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Ed Jones	....	greensman: Asheville
Bill King	....	set designer
Paul Oliver	....	lead scenic (as Paul W. Oliver)
Marthe Pineau	....	set dresser
Robert Butch Samarzich	....	greensman
'Polar Bear' Shaw	....	leadman (as Polar Bear Shaw)
Andrea 'Drew' Sywanyk	....	on-set dresser (as Andrea Sywanyk)
Margot Therre	....	charge scenic: New York
Dick Tice	....	leadman: New York (as Richard Tice)
Dean Wilson	....	property master
Kenneth Bryant	....	set dresser: North Carolina (uncredited)
Elisabeth Clay	....	assistant art department coordinator (uncredited)
Danielle Couture	....	painter (uncredited)
Chris Crowder	....	gang boss (uncredited)
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter (uncredited)
Thurston Edwards	....	construction auditor (uncredited)
Patrick Fuhrman	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Robert L. Girard	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Vincent Guarriello	....	key construction grip (uncredited)
Michael J. Hall	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
George W. Harding III	....	greensman: Columbia (uncredited)
Randy Kenan	....	mill foreman (uncredited)
Brian Kontz	....	scenic painter (uncredited)
Janet Kusnick	....	concept artist (uncredited)
Alicia Lowe	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Lee Nesbitt	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
James F. Oñate	....	scenic gang boss (uncredited)
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Roger Scruggs	....	general foreman (uncredited)
Michael Shapiro	....	set dresser (uncredited)
John Weeks	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael J. Benavente	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffree Bloomer	....	boom operator
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	re-recording mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist (as Michael Broomberg)
Ali Derakhshan	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Tricia Linklater	....	first assistant sound editor
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound mixer
Josephine Nericcio	....	assistant sound editor (as Josie Nericcio)
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Pappas	....	foley editor (as Mark Papas)
Jeena M. Phelps	....	dialogue editor
Michael Scott	....	boom operator (as Mike Scott)
George Simpson	....	sound effects editor
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound effects editor
Hugo Weng	....	adr editor
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer (uncredited)
Mark DeSimone	....	adr engineer (uncredited)
Alison Sanford	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Connie Brink	....	special effects coordinator
David Hill	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Walter Kiesling	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Daniel W. Barringer	....	stunt coordinator
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts (as Sandra Berumen)
Vic Bucossi	....	stunts (as Victor Bucossi)
Donna Evans	....	stunts (as Donna Evans Merlo)
Don Hewitt	....	stunts
Cal Johnson	....	stunts
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunts
Steve Mack	....	stunts
Dean Mumford	....	stunts
Don Picard	....	stunts
Jodi Michelle Pynn	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunts
Jim Stephan	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (as Richard Warlock)
Amy Yanagisawa	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
K.C. Bailey	....	still photographer
Patrick Capone	....	camera operator: "a" camera
John Choi	....	second assistant camera: New York
Thomas Ford	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Tommy Ford)
Harry K. Garvin	....	camera operator: New York (as Harry Garvin)
Harry K. Garvin	....	steadicam: New York (as Harry Garvin)
Carlos Omar Guerra	....	first assistant camera: New York (as Carlos Guerra)
Charles Laughon	....	video assist
Michael Maloney	....	rigging grip
David Noble	....	second grip
Mark O'Kane	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Mark O'Kane	....	steadicam operator
Patrick Quinn	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Gerard Sava	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Robert Sciretta	....	chief lighting technician
Derek Smith	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Kevin Smyth	....	key grip
Van Starling	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
John Verardi	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Troy N. Wade	....	dolly grip
Eddie Bowlin	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Chris Dambra	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Tom Dean	....	electrician (uncredited)
Ben D. Griffith Jr.	....	rigging grip best boy: Asheville (uncredited)
Eric Jones	....	rigging key grip (uncredited)
Ben Noble	....	electrician (uncredited)
Cristiano Palermi	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Art Schultz	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Art Shultz	....	electrician (uncredited)
Sean Yaple	....	video assist assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Marty Cherrix	....	extras casting
Kathy Driscoll	....	casting associate (as Kathleen Driscoll-Mohler)
Shay Griffin	....	regional casting (as Shay Bentley Griffin)
Jon Scott Strotheide	....	casting associate
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting: New York (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lisa R. Frucht	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Lisa Frucht)
John Glaser	....	assistant costume designer
Vanessa Jenik	....	costumer (as Vanessa Carin Jenik)
Jessica S. Smith	....	costumer (as Jessica Smith)
Joel Voorhies	....	wardrobe
Pauline White-Kassulke	....	wardrobe supervisor
Deirdre N. Williams	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York (as Deirdre Williams)
Kate Sawyer	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Matt Friedman	....	digital assistant editor (as Matthew Friedman)
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Nina Kawasaki	....	first assistant editor
Tamara McDonough	....	second assistant editor
Carrie Puchkoff	....	assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Kelly Reese	....	dailies colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Randall Poster	....	musical supervisor
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
Nick South	....	music editor
Jeff Vaughn	....	score mixer
Jeff Vaughn	....	score recordist
Brian Bulman	....	assistant music editor: temp tracking (uncredited)
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)
Jim Dunbar	....	music consultant (uncredited)
James Raymond	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steven Baldwin	....	transportation captain: Asheville (as Steven A. Baldwin)
Robert Gillis	....	transportation co-captain
Neil Hyman	....	transportation captain (as Neil A. Hyman)
Brian Maxwell	....	transportation captain: New York
Stacy Barnhill	....	driver (uncredited)
John McLaughlin	....	driver (uncredited)
Robert Van Apeldoorn	....	transportation (uncredited)
Charlie Wright	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Declan Baldwin	....	location manager
Jason Behrman	....	assistant: Ms. Thomas
Kurt Bonney	....	production assistant
Robert Boyd	....	production assistant
Amanda Brand	....	unit publicist
Benita Brazier	....	script supervisor
Stephen M. Corbin	....	craft service (as Stephen Corbin)
Sundy Corbin	....	craft service (as Sundy)
David Curtis	....	production assistant
John DeSimone	....	production coordinator: New York (as John De Simone)
Carrie Durose	....	production coordinator (as Carrie DuRose)
Rachel Fish	....	production assistant
Laura Franses	....	assistant location manager: New York
Jason Frederick	....	assistant: Mr. Gibbs
Ariana Garfinkel	....	production assistant
John B. Griffin	....	location manager (as John B. Griffin Jr.)
J. Bradley Hennegan	....	production assistant (as John Hennegan)
Krista Jacobsen Hoey	....	assistant production coordinator: Asheville (as Krista Jacobsen-Hoey)
Lance Holland	....	assistant location manager: Asheville
Steven C. Kavovit	....	medic
Steven R. Klem	....	production assistant
Johanna Klingenberger	....	first assistant accountant
Lara Leonard	....	assistant: Ms. Bullock (as Lara L. Leonard)
Jesse Lutz	....	production secretary
Jen Roskind	....	assistant location manager: Asheville
Erin Stam	....	assistant: Mr. Topping
Anita Sum	....	assistant production coordinator: New York
Hank Troscianiec	....	production assistant
Pamela Williamson	....	first assistant accountant
Gregor Wilson	....	production accountant
Caleb Womble	....	assistant production coordinator (as J. Caleb Womble)
Heather P. Woods	....	production assistant
Beth Bargas	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Dar Billingham	....	stand-in: Sandra Bullock (uncredited)
Bass Hampton	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Sean Ilnseher	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Meg MacRae	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Les McDonough	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Frank McKenna	....	craft service (uncredited)
Thomas Parris	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Brent Ponder	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Olimpia T. Rinaldi	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Ryan Schaetzle	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Ben Selkow	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chad Slagle	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Rozanne Stark	....	set tutor (uncredited)
Gail Thomas	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Jodi Tripi	....	clearance coordinator (uncredited)
Rae Umsted	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (as Columbia Pictures)
• Tall Trees Productions (as a Tall Trees production)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (2000) (USA) (theatrical) (a Sony Pictures Entertainment company)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2000-2001) (worldwide) (all media)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2003) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Film (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2000) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Columbia TriStar (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (200?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (200?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Net5 (2003) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Video (200?) (Japan) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Alterian (prosthetics) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Betty Ford Center, The  advisor: drug and alcohol rehab
• County of Nassau Department of Recreation and Parks, The  special thanks to
• Imaginary Forces  title design
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment (uncredited)
• Loop Troop  adr group voice casting
• Major League Baseball Properties  acknowledgement: the major league baseball trademarks depicted in this motion picture were licensed by (as Major League Properties, Inc.)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks (as The New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Thertre and Broadcasting)
• North Carolina Film Office  special thanks (as The North Carolina Film Office)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  opticals
• Ribbsrec  score recorded at
• Sierra Tucson  advisor: drug and alcohol rehab (as Sierra Tucson, LLC)
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services (as Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California)
• Sylvia Fay Casting  extras casting: New York
• Todd-AO Studios  score recorded at
• Tomkats Catering  catering (as Tomkats)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack published by (uncredited)
• Western North Carolina Film Commission  special thanks (as The Western North Carolina Film Office)
• Wilmington Regional Film Commission  special thanks (as The Wilmington Regional Film Office)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving substance abuse, language and some sensuality

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #36735) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The medical condition that Santa Cruz's character Falcon (Jack Armstrong) suffers from is meligiona astrocytoma. An astrocytoma is a malignant tumor of nervous tissue composed of astrocytes.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the wedding reception, when Gwen and Jasper are dancing, they begin spinning in circles while holding hands. In most of the shots Gwen is holding onto the bow from the back of her dress. But in one shot it magically appears on the back of her dress again.

Quotes:

Gwen Cummings:Andrea, does the phrase "in confidence" mean anything to you?
Andrea:You never said not to tell.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Jeopardy!: Episode #26.191" (2010)

Soundtrack:

The Drinking Song

Accurate and smart; great performance by Sandra Bullock. *** out of ****.

28 DAYS / (2000) ***

"28 Days" is one of the most accurate movies about alcoholism and drug addiction I can remember. The film does not glamorize or poke fun at its thematic content, but instead shimmers in truth depicting the problems in which a nowhere life can lead. Why would anyone want to see a movie about someone spending time in rehab, regardless of how well crafted it is? Because "28 Days" is an interesting, sometimes funny, and involving tale with empathetic, down to earth characters. Do not let this production pass by you without a watch.

The film's main character is named Gwen Cummings and is played by the talented Sandra Bullock. She lives a wild, crazy life with her boyfriend, Jasper (Dominic West). Gwen is an alcoholic and a drug addict, and does not get much support from her similar love interest. As the movie opens, the two get drunk at a club, come home, have sex, and put out a fire with wine. The next day, Gwen arrives late to her sister's wedding, only to destroy an expensive dessert and crash a limousine into a house.

The Gwen Cummings character is developed clearly and effectively. We learn about her lifestyle, recognize faults, and are shown a dark history through painfully real flashbacks. This is one of the things that make "28 Days" so involving. We discover elements about the character and notice inner changes as she learns of them herself. I really cared about this character.

Gwen is given a choice, she can serve jail time for her wrongdoing or can waive that and spend 28 days in a rehab clinic. She chooses rehab. The head counselor is Cornell (Steve Buscemi), who shows empathy but also coyness. Also present at his heath clinic is an assortment of characters who sing sappy melodies and share group love, including Daniel (Reni Santoni), with thick glasses and medical capabilities, Andrea (Azura Skye), Gwen's young roommate, and Eddie Boone (Viggo Mortensen), a famous baseball pitcher with a drinking problem.

Gwen's experiences in rehab seem truthful and accurate. Her withdrawals and agonies are realistic and knowledgeable. It is obvious the filmmakers and Sandra Bullock thoroughly researched the stresses and details of rehab.

Sandra Bullock performs with the right amount of immaturity and charisma. This wonderful actress is set free in this kind of heart filled role; she is best when the main character. Here, Gwen is free to tread the surface of the movie and still allows other characters to contribute to her defining.

About half way through, the movie losses its much needed focus on Gwen and drifts into detailing relationships, friendships, and other characters. While most of the events that take place surround Gwen, the movie was on the right track with its first half. "28 Days" is smart enough to recognize its blunder, however, and by the final scenes it regains the emotionally correct material and concludes with high standards.

The filmmakers are advertising it as a comedy, but only an isolation of sequences offer hilarity or slapstick. This movie teaches us lessons through its characters. And the lessons are well taught.