Ball in the House (2001)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Tanya Wexler

Writer:

Matthew Swan (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

Home Sweet Home Is Murder.

Plot:

A troubled 17-year-old struggles to adjust to life after rehab. |

Plot Keywords:

Stepfather Stepson Relationship | Drugs | Childhood Friend | Drug Dealer | Incest

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jonathan Tucker	...	JJ
Jennifer Tilly	...	Dot
Dan Moran	...	Bull
David Strathairn	...	Dr. Charlie
Larry Neumann Jr.	...	Ernie
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Phyllis
Ethan Embry	...	Bobby
Aleksa Palladino	...	Lizzie
Amy Zimmerman	...	Anchorwomen Cindy
Nathan Kiley	...	Benji
Greg Sandquist	...	Officer Waters
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.	...	Soldier
Larry Nash	...	Anchorman Bob
Jonah Marsh	...	Young Mother
Stephen J. Rose	...	School Bus Driver
Frank Caridi	...	Delivery guy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Currie	...	Friend At Bar
Mark Finney	...	Chet
Roderick Peeples	...	Bartender
Chris Burnett	...	AA Member (uncredited)
David C. Hayes	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Tanya Wexler

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Matthew Swan		writer

Produced by
Melissa Chesman	....	executive producer
John Cosgrove	....	producer
Ira Deutchman	....	producer
Stephen Dyer	....	producer
Greg Johnson	....	executive producer
Jo Levi	....	associate producer
Terry Dunn Meurer	....	producer
Peter Newman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Robbie Kondor

Cinematography by
Gero Steffen

Film Editing by
Meg Reticker

Casting by
Mickie Paskal
Susan Shopmaker
Rachel Tenner

Production Design by
Diane Hughes

Set Decoration by
Martha Ring

Costume Design by
Emmy Taylor

Makeup Department
Karen Brody	....	key hair stylist
Karen Brody	....	key makeup artist
Stefanie Cook	....	assistant hair stylist
Stefanie Cook	....	assistant makeup artist
Suzanne Rodier	....	hair stylist: Jennifer Tilly
Suzanne Rodier	....	makeup artist: Jennifer Tilly

Production Management
Christina Varotsis	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Frank Caridi	....	second second assistant director
Marie Frick	....	second assistant director
Bruce Terris	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Michelle Caplan	....	scenic artist
Ann Davis	....	scenic artist
Judy Kropsch	....	lead man
Kelly D. Lewis	....	set dresser
Andy Mason	....	set dresser
Marc Miller	....	property master
Ed Raza	....	storyboard artist
John V. Thoeming	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Rita M. Arce	....	additional boom operator
Shelley Batista	....	foley editor
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Jake Collins	....	sound recordist
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Ronald L. Wright	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
John D. Milinac	....	special effects coordinator
Dieter Sturm	....	snow effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Luke DiTommaso	....	visual effects
Jennifer Russomanno	....	digital effects artist
Keith Yurevitz	....	digital effects artist

Stunts
James Fierro	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator (as Rick LeFevour)
Linda Perlin	....	stunts
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Fernando M. Briones	....	key grip
Armin Buerkle	....	gaffer
Jeff Conrad	....	grip
Dawn Copeland	....	best boy electric
Chad Erickson	....	second assistant camera
Chris Fedunok	....	crane technician
Keleigh Ferguson	....	camera production assistant
Christopher Glasgow	....	dolly grip
Michael Kohnhorst	....	director of photography: second unit
Anthony J. Lullo	....	electrician
William R. Nielsen Jr.	....	Steadicam operator (as Bill Nielsen Jr.)
June Park	....	camera production assistant
Ryan Puckett	....	gaffer
Christopher Rejano	....	electrician
James Richardson III	....	electrician
Rick Rios	....	key grip
Jeff Roberts	....	director of photography: second unit
Chris Ryerson	....	grip
John Soria	....	electrician
J.B. Spector	....	still photographer
David Stephenson	....	electrician
Chris Stloukal	....	electrician
Scott Thiele	....	electrician
Eric Wheeler	....	grip
Dave Wightman	....	first assistant camera
David Williamson	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tanja Deshida	....	wardrobe assistant
Jessica Lezak	....	wardrobe production assistant (as Jesse Lezack)
Rebekah Wiest	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Rachel Goodlett	....	assistant editor
Jeff Marcello	....	assistant editor
Jason Watkins	....	trailer editor

Music Department
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Jedd Katrancha	....	assistant to music supervisor
Anne Pope	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Thaddeus E. Larkowski	....	picture cars (as Ted Larkowski)

Other crew
Eric Armstrong	....	dialect coach
John Baxter	....	assistant location manager
John Baxter	....	location scout
Benjamin T. Brammeier	....	production assistant
Jennifer Byrne	....	production office coordinator
Melanie Cassidy	....	location scout
Amy Clark	....	location manager
Claire Connelly	....	assistant to producer and director
James Currie	....	production assistant
Annette D'Ariano	....	production assistant
Larry Donahue	....	caterer
David Frausto	....	additional generator operator
Tara Genske	....	craft service
Justin Hayward	....	production assistant
Landon Hosto	....	production assistant
Desiree Killian	....	production accountant
Linda Leifer	....	script supervisor
Christine Lenig	....	assistant to producers
Tim Longwell	....	assistant production coordinator
Roger McGuin	....	production assistant
Daniel R. Merchan	....	production assistant
Devin O'Neal	....	production assistant
Adam Payne	....	production assistant
Terrie Quinlan	....	studio teacher
Jay Rea	....	production assistant
Ashley Smith	....	production assistant
Shawn Socoloff	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Chimera Films LLC
• Cosgrove/Meurer Productions
• Fair Ball Productions Inc.
• Redeemable Features

Distributors

• Screen Media Films (2004) (USA) (video)
• Screen Media Ventures

Also Known As:

Relative Evil (Australia) (DVD title) (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, drug and alcohol content, and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

95 min | Canada:98 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Chimera Films LLC

Quotes:

Dr. Charlie: JJ, they're your family.
JJ: My family is the best reason I can think to drink myself into a coma.

Away from the audience...But still alive

When we first meet JJ (Jonathan Tucker), he has just got out of a rehab center. His doctor drives him home and JJ asks him to drive in circles around the corner; the doctor refuses. JJ is scared to see his mom, brother and stepfather. "It was the center or jail", he explains later to a friend. It actually seems like he's returning from jail.

Mother Phyllis (Deirdre O'Connell), brother Benji (Nathan Kiley), stepfather Bull (Dan Moran) are ready to welcome the boy home, joined by uncle Ernie (Larry Neumann, Jr.) and his spicy wife Dot (Jennifer Tilly). In the welcome scene, as in every other scene, there's a mysterious environment that involves looks between the characters; looks of anger and unsaid things. The family seems like a graveyard of secrets, that once they're hidden, they never get to see the light again, unless someone opens them. This is not as weird as it sounds; it's all real when JJ arrives, as it is real what happened to him that led to the rehab center. But it's not about what happened, it's about the reasons that made it possible and about one person who has never known a place in the world and has probably lived a fantasy.

The movie is shown in time changes; one is the present (or "the moment", as JJ lives it), with JJ adjusting to his life again, working and trying to stay sober; and the other one is the past, with periodical showings of session in the rehab center, where JJ traps all the attention and we get to see why he is the guy he is when he hasn't even turned eighteen. A key character in these aspects is Dr. Charlie (David Strathairn), who makes JJ realize about the important things in life. But Dr. Charlie could also be conspiring, as many of the others are.

As JJ moves on with things, we meet two characters of his age; Bobby (Ethan Embry) and Lizzie (Aleksa Palladino). The first one is a friend from childhood that had too much fun with him as they were growing up and now there are debts between them. JJ owes Bobby $3500 and starts working so he can earn them. Lizzie was his girlfriend, but left him for Tommy after he went to the rehab center. Did she write him? No. Did she visit him? No. The script presents test for all the characters, and we really want them to pass them. We could think that JJ went to the rehab center as a strategy; to get away from everything. But how can we know? We could think the doctor wants the best for him, that Lizzie cares for him, that Bull and Phyllis are supporting him…We're never really sure and JJ isn't even, because he is beginning to discover his own self.

The only thing we know for sure is Dot's ambitions; she wants everything, and she's married to a man who thinks she loves him when you can tell she doesn't. We have to make all of our deductions from there, if we want to predict or something, but if not, we can sit and experience. The movie is a nice experience to witness. It has nice but simple visuals, achieved by a respectable team lead by director Tanya Wexler, who darkens things a little bit so we don't have to see them entirely. Together with a simple but adequate music, the feeling is clear.

Then it took Matthew Swan to create the story and write, so casting directors Mickie Paskal, Susan Shopmaker and Rachel Tenner looked for the right people that would give life to the material; all this resulting in powerful and moving performances, in higher levels than these films usually bring. Jonathan Tucker and Dan Moran become the movie's highlights. I've read (don't remember where) that Tucker is inexpressive, and I disagree. He is owner of a dramatic complexity that takes over him and makes him shine (it happened in the heart-whelming "Stateside"). Dan Moran is one of those always familiar faces that you can't tell if you've really seen or not before. He plays the most difficult role of the film, and he's stunning. In the best scene of the movie, Bull and JJ have a talk. Just watch Moran's look and Tucker's reaction in a father-son talk between a stepfather and his stepson, where the step father proves to be more a father than anything else. One of the best moving scenes about deep talks I've seen in quite a while.

Jennifer Tilly has been doing the same for years and she can't help it anymore, so we forgive her, even when she's not that great now. A totally unrecognizable Ethan Embry (although I was sure it was him) gives the best performance of his career since "White Squall"; a thing many people won't be able to see. All of his expressions are proof of the gifted actor he is. Deirdre O'Connell and Larry Neumann, Jr. are a little unnoticeable in their roles, as is Aleksa Palladino; however they all deliver correctly.

"Ball in the house" has many positive elements, but it doesn't succeed completely. Still, it deserves a watch from many people, but that couldn't happen in cinema. Another of those good movies that never reach the movie theaters.