Killing Me Softly (2002)

Popularity:

Down 5% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Chen Kaige

Writers (WGA):

Sean French (novel)
Kara Lindstrom (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 June 2002 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

How can you escape... what you can't resist? (US DVD)

Plot:

A woman faces deadly consequences for abandoning her loving relationship with her boyfriend to pursue exciting sexual scenarios with a mysterious celebrity mountaineer.

Plot Keywords:

Mountaineer | Love | Sex | Love At First Sight | Black Pantyhose

Cast

Heather Graham	...	Alice
Joseph Fiennes	...	Adam Tallis
Natascha McElhone	...	Deborah
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Klaus
Ian Hart	...	Senior Police Officer
Jason Hughes	...	Jake
Kika Markham	...	Mrs. Blanchard
Amy Robbins	...	Sylvie
Yasmin Bannerman	...	Joanna Noble
Rebecca Palmer	...	Michelle Stowe
Ronan Vibert	...	Alice's Boss
Olivia Poulet	...	Alice's Secretary
Ian Aspinall	...	Alice's Work Colleague
Helen Grace	...	Alice's Work Colleague
Oliver Ryan	...	Bookshop Assistant
Donald Gee	...	Vicar
Tim Faraday	...	Police Officer in Street
Richard Green	...	Police Officer in Interview
Lee Boswell	...	Police Officer in Interview
Patrick Field	...	Bartender
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ray Donn	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Joe Gunn	...	School Student (uncredited)
Neil Roberts	...	Philip (uncredited)
Scott Samain	...	Party guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Chen Kaige

Writing credits (WGA)
Sean French		(novel) (as Nicci French)
Kara Lindstrom		(screenplay)

Produced by
Anna Chi	....	associate producer
Michael Chinich	....	producer
Daniel Goldberg	....	executive producer
Donna Grey	....	line producer
Joe Medjuck	....	producer
Lynda Myles	....	producer
Tom Pollock	....	executive producer
Ivan Reitman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle

Cinematography by
Michael Coulter		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jon Gregory

Casting by
Susie Figgis

Production Design by
Gemma Jackson

Art Direction by
Rod McLean		(supervising art director)
Christina Moore

Set Decoration by
Trisha Edwards

Costume Design by
Phoebe De Gaye

Makeup Department
Ann Buchanan	....	hair stylist: Joseph Fiennes
Ann Buchanan	....	makeup artist: Joseph Fiennes
Paul Gooch	....	chief hair stylist
Paul Gooch	....	key makeup artist
Jamal Hammadi	....	hair stylist: Heather Graham
Jane Lumb	....	assistant hair stylist (as Jane Oakley)
Jane Lumb	....	assistant makeup artist (as Jane Oakley)
Molly Stern	....	makeup artist: Heather Graham (as Molly R. Stern)
Rita Pacitto	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Terry Bamber	....	production manager: additional photography
Stephen Barker	....	post-production supervisor
David Cain	....	unit manager: additional photography
Victoria Goodall	....	unit production manager
Rachel Neale	....	production manager: second unit
David Seaton	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jamie Christopher	....	second assistant director
Simon Downes	....	first assistant director: second unit
Cliff Lanning	....	first assistant director
Adam Badrawy	....	additional third assistant director (uncredited)
Nick Simmonds	....	third assistant director: second unit (uncredited)

Art Department
Harry Alley	....	painter
John Bohan	....	construction manager
Peter N. Brown	....	chargehand carpenter
Rob Cameron	....	stand-by props
Roy Chapman	....	chargehand dressing props
Charlie Cobb	....	art department runner
Clive Drinkall	....	stagehand
Peter Duffy	....	carpenter (as Peter Duffey)
Michael Finlay	....	supervising painter
Gavin Fitch	....	assistant art director
Barry Gibbs	....	property master
Mark Goodman	....	stand-by stagehand
Gavin Gordon	....	carpenter
Alan Grenham	....	painter
Bill Hargreaves	....	chargehand stand-by props
Peter Hawkins	....	head rigger
Terry Howard	....	dressing props
Paul Inglis	....	assistant art director
David Jones	....	stand-by stagehand
George King	....	supervising stagehand
Richard Kinsella	....	carpenter
Cathal MacIlwaine	....	stand-by carpenter
Meike Maher	....	graphics designer (as Meike Meng)
Tom Martin	....	assistant construction manager (as Thomas Martin)
John O'Regan	....	carpenter
Darryl Paterson	....	props storeman
Edward Pearce	....	stand-by rigger
Pat Roberts	....	stand-by painter
Nina Ross	....	art department assistant
Ron Ross	....	carpenter (as Ronnie Ross)
Richard Shackleton	....	carpenter
John Shergold	....	painter
Clive Ward	....	head painter
Howard Weaver	....	scenic artist
Paul Webb	....	carpenter
Kenneth Welland	....	painter (as Ken Welland)
Stephen Weston	....	chargehand wood machinist (as Steve Weston)
Krissi Williamson	....	production buyer
Ian Young	....	dressing props
David Youngs	....	carpenter
Robert J. Dugdale	....	assistant scenic artist (uncredited)
Warren Greenham	....	painter (uncredited)
Bill Lowe	....	laborer's laborer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ed Colyer	....	foley mixer
Peter Eusebe	....	sound maintenance
Richard Fettes	....	dialogue editor
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Holding	....	production sound mixer
Jacques Leroide	....	foley editor
Gerard Loret	....	assistant sound editor
Colin Miller	....	supervising sound editor
Richard Pryke	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Kevin Tayler	....	adr mixer
David Tyler	....	assistant foley mixer
Sandy Buchanan	....	assistant adr mixer (uncredited)
Andrew Caller	....	sound technician (uncredited)
Richard Street	....	preview re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Richard Welsh	....	dolby sound consultant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Clive Beard	....	special effects supervisor
Steven Warner	....	special effects technician
Martin 'Marty' McLaughlin	....	snow effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Simon Carr	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Christopher Otto Gallagher	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Daniel Pettipher	....	2D digital supervisor: Mill Film (uncredited)
David Sewell	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
David Smith	....	digital film controller: Mill Film (uncredited)

Stunts
Nicola Berwick	....	stunts (as Nikki Berwick)
Glenn Foster	....	stunts
Carly Harrup	....	stunts (as Carly Harrop)
Rowley Irlam	....	stunts (as Rowley Earlham)
Lee Millham	....	stunts
Gary Powell	....	stunt coordinator
Buster Reeves	....	stunts
Susan Christie	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Blackmore	....	generator operator
James Bloom	....	clapper loader
Richard Broome	....	camera grip
Julian Bucknall	....	focus puller
Steve Casey	....	electrician
Frederick Crawford	....	chargehand rigger
Dax Debice	....	camera trainee
Leo Dickinson	....	camera operator: mountaineering sequences
Terry Edland	....	gaffer
Paul Edwards	....	Steadicam operator
Warren Evans	....	rigging gaffer
Andrew Haddock	....	video playback operator
Tony Hannington	....	practical electrician
Mark Hatchwell	....	assistant grip
Tony Hayes	....	best boy electric
Rob McGregor	....	assistant camera: mountaineering sequences
Kenny Monger	....	electrician (as Ken Monger)
Neil Munro	....	rigging electrician (as Neil Monroe)
Patrick O'Flynn	....	electrician
Philip Sindall	....	camera operator
Jim Smart	....	rigging electrician
Laurie Sparham	....	still photographer
Alf Tramontin	....	Steadicam operator
Dennis Watson	....	electrical rigger
Shu Yang	....	director of photography: second unit (as Yang Shu)
Leon Buckley	....	video playback operator: second unit (uncredited)
Michael Green	....	focus puller: "b" camera (uncredited)
Dean Thompson	....	focus puller: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Anthony Brookman	....	wardrobe assistant
Samantha Crouch	....	wardrobe assistant
Hannah Hoyle	....	wardrobe assistant
Michael O'Connor	....	assistant costume designer
Suzi Turnbull	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Rachel Dison	....	post-production coordinator
Alec Gibson	....	color grader
Tamsin Jeffrey	....	assistant editor
Katya Jezzard	....	assistant editor
Mark Neale	....	assistant film editor
Ian Seymour	....	associate editor
Louise Seymour	....	post-production coordinator
Rob Woiwod	....	editor trainee

Music Department
Lawrence Ashmore	....	orchestrator
Chris Barrett	....	assistant: music recordist
Tonia Davall	....	musicians contractor
Patrick Doyle	....	orchestrator
Brian Gascoigne	....	musician: keyboards
Jake Jackson	....	assistant: music recordist
Abbie Lister	....	assistant: music recordist
Ion Metsovitis	....	assistant: music recordist
Maggie Rodford	....	music producer
James Shearman	....	conductor
James Shearman	....	orchestrator
Tony Stanton	....	music preparation
Graham Sutton	....	music editor
Nick Wollage	....	music mixer
Nick Wollage	....	music recordist
Mark Berrow	....	musician: violin (uncredited)
Celia Weiner	....	music editor (uncredited)
Bruce White	....	viola (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dennis Altree	....	driver: facility
Mick Boddy	....	driver: props stand-by truck
John Botton	....	driver: props runaround
Matt Byrne	....	driver: camera car
David Denyer	....	driver: minibus
Gerry Floyd	....	unit driver
Steven Griggs	....	driver: H.O.D. facilities
Mark Hatchwell	....	driver: grip truck
David Lloyd	....	unit driver
Richard Magennis	....	driver: construction runaround
Mick Moran	....	driver: minibus
Enyo Mortty	....	driver: director
Stephen Pike	....	driver: wardrobe truck
Ken Price	....	driver: construction stand-by truck
Terry Reece	....	driver: Joseph Finnes
Stanley Sirkin	....	unit driver
John Smith	....	driver: producer
Darren Thackeray	....	driver: Heather Graham
Gerry Turner	....	transportation coordinator
Mark White	....	transportation
Paul Whybra	....	driver: facility
Ian Clarke	....	vehicle coordinator (uncredited)
Sean Thornton	....	picture vehicle coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Chris Allies	....	title designer
Indira Ashton	....	assistant: Susie Figgis
Lucy Bowring	....	production runner
Rob Burgess	....	key set production assistant (as Robert Burgess)
Paige Chaytor	....	production coordinator (as Paige Wingrove)
Philip Clark	....	location scout
Felicity Cockram	....	assistant: Tom Pollock
Sarah Critchley	....	script clearance
Matt Dalton	....	first assistant accountant
Mandy Dickinson	....	sky-diver: mountaineering sequences
Rachel Dison	....	assistant to producers
Hilary Fagg	....	script supervisor
Tina Falcone	....	accounting assistant
Jeff Ferrette	....	location runner
Poppy Field	....	set production assistant
Christel Franken	....	assistant production coordinator
Linda Gamble	....	unit publicist
Brian Gascoigne	....	synthesizer programmer
Laurence Gouault	....	climber: mountaineering sequences
Andy Guest	....	sky-diver: mountaineering sequences
Steve Hart	....	location manager
Stevie Haston	....	climber: mountaineering sequences
Nikki Inwood	....	stand-in: Heather Graham
Vivien Jordan	....	production coordinator
Alex Kaye-Besley	....	assistant: Heather Graham
Nick Komornicki	....	armorer
Ben Lanning	....	set production assistant
Alice Lim	....	assistant: Chen Kaige
Jodi Macaulay	....	assistant: Daniel Goldberg (as Jodi Macauly)
Mac Mackenzie	....	assistant: Chen Kaige and Joseph Fiennes
Karl Mefford	....	assistant: Joe Medjuck
Brian Molyneux	....	climber: mountaineering sequences
Andy Montriou	....	sky-diver: mountaineering sequences
Steve Morphew	....	stand-in: Joseph Fiennes
Stephen Naulls	....	assistant accountant (as Steven Naulls)
Clive Noakes	....	laboratory contact
Frances Patterson	....	coordinator: Cambria
James Penny	....	legal services
Richard Philipps	....	legal services
David Pinnington	....	supervising location manager
Darren Price	....	production runner
Rob Rudolph	....	assistant: Tom Pollock
Jocky Sanderson	....	assistant location manager
Arno Seagrim	....	assistant accountant
Susan Seferian	....	assistant: Michael Chinich
Trevor Stanley	....	production accountant
Marolyn Turk	....	stand-in: Natascha McElhone
Juliet Ward	....	assistant: Ivan Reitman
Morag Webster	....	unit nurse
Azzedine 'Dean' Ziedna	....	set production assistant
Wayne Docksey	....	animal master (uncredited)
Alex Fenn	....	floor runner: aditional photography (uncredited)
Neil Morphew	....	stand-in: Ulrich Thomsen (uncredited)
Freesia Pearson	....	production office intern (uncredited)
Lee Robertson	....	location manager: second unit (uncredited)
Paul Sacks	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Derek Warman	....	fire officer (uncredited)
Aidan Williams	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Lucy Williams	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Charles Fox	....	special thanks
Norman Gimbel	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures) (presents)
• Montecito Picture Company, The (presents)
• Noelle Entertainment Limited

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2002) (worldwide) (all media)
• TriPictures (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (2002) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Pathé Distribution (2002) (UK) (theatrical)
• Amuse Pictures (2002) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Amuse Pictures (200?) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Filmauro (200?) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Forever Films (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Sunny Films (2003) (Bulgaria) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Hollydan Works (2003) (Serbia and Montenegro) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• PlayArte Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• PlayArte Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• RTL Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• Shout! Factory (2013) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sunny Films (2004) (Bulgaria) (VHS)
• Teleview International (2002) (Lebanon) (TV) (Middle East)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Snow Business International (snow effects)

Other Companies

• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• Air-Edel Associates  music services
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• KO Creative  poster design (uncredited)
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Mediacom 24-7  travel agent
• Movietech  camera equipment provided by
• Movitech Camera Rentals  camera equipment provided by
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Sound Design Company, The  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, some violence and language (cut)

Runtime:

100 min | Spain:104 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:R18+ | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Japan:R-18 | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Malaysia:18SX (uncut version) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | USA:R (cut)

Filming Locations:

Adelphi Building, John Adam Street, Strand, London, England, UK

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

In the picture of a naked Adele you can see a statue in the background. This is a reference to the Dutch translation of 'Nicci French''s novel "Killing me Softly" ("Bezeten van mij" in Dutch), as those certain statues are always used as covers in Dutch translations of Nicci French.

Goofs:

Continuity: Alice's bra is alternately on/off between shots during the love-making scene in the library.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Indie Sex: Censored (2007) (TV)

A good movie, unjustly prosecuted by the critics...

I fail to understand why all the critics are coming down on this film with such vicious fury. Granted, this is not a Hitchcockian masterpiece, but please, give the movie a break. The same critics give decent marks for movies which are really way below this one, and sometimes even to pure trash, as long as they have a good Hollywood pedigree. Well, this one may not have the proper pedigree, but I nevertheless found it to be a very decent thriller, one that kept me interested and on edge most of the time, had a plausible story, and one whose ending was not totally predictable (which is more than you can say for most thrillers nowadays).

All in all, a good evenings entertainment for adults, well worth watching.