The Parole Officer (2001)

Director:

John Duigan

Writers:

Steve Coogan (written by) and
Henry Normal (written by)

Release Date:

10 August 2001 (Ireland)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Steve Coogan Is....[The Parole Officer]

Plot:

A failed parole officer framed for murder must enlist the help of his former clients to clear his name.

Plot Keywords:

Parole Officer | Bank | Murder | Evidence | Police

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Steve Coogan	...	Simon Garden
Emma Gilmour	...	Secretary
Susan Jane Tanner	...	Stern Woman
Iain Mitchell	...	Tribunal Chairman
James Smith	...	Tribunal Man
Om Puri	...	George
Steven Waddington	...	Jeff
Ben Miller	...	Colin
Emma Williams	...	Kirsty
Stephen Dillane	...	Inspector Burton
Bruce McGregor	...	First Policeman
Lena Headey	...	Emma
Justin Burrows	...	Mills
Marc Goodhall	...	Death / Student (as Marc Goodall)
Clive Kneller	...	Deacon
John Henshaw	...	Cochran
Buster Reeves	...	First Hardman
Brian Nickels	...	Second Hardman (as Brian 'Sonny' Nickels)
Terence Mann	...	Desk Sergeant
Jake Abraham	...	Seedy Bloke
Jo-Anne Knowles	...	TV Interviewer (as Jo Anne Knowles)
Eiji Kusuhara	...	Japanese Businessman
Togo Igawa	...	Japanese Businessman
Kate Deakin	...	Club Receptionist
David Nicholls	...	Bill (as Dave Nicholls)
Francesca Hall	...	Club Manageress
Olga Grahame	...	Jeff's Mam
Jenny Agutter	...	Victor's Wife
Hazel Douglas	...	Old Lady in Art Gallery
Victoria Gould	...	First Security Guard
Natasha Alexander	...	Second Security Guard
Simon Pegg	...	Deflated Husband
Julia Davis	...	Insinuating Wife
Bernard Wrigley	...	Bike Group Leader
Alan Clarke	...	Lycra Crusty
Kevin Malloy	...	Alarm Company Operator
Richard Sinnott	...	Bank Manager
Iain McKee	...	Second Policeman
Peter Rylands	...	Third Policeman
Donna Henry	...	WPC at Service Station
Sue McCormick	...	Customer
Elaine Barnett	...	Sales Assistant
June Broughton	...	Old Lady
Amy Shaw	...	Old Lady
Geoff Oldham	...	Mayor
Peter Armitage	...	Chief Constable
Andrew Norris	...	Fourth Policeman
Nayef Rashed	...	Victor in Disguise
Will Tacey	...	Fifth Policeman
Omar Sharif	...	Victor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sarah Desmond	...	Zoe (uncredited)
Steve Farrell	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
John Duigan

Writing credits
Steve Coogan		(written by) and
Henry Normal		(written by)

Produced by
Duncan Kenworthy	....	producer
Andrew Macdonald	....	producer
Callum McDougall	....	producer

Original Music by
Alex Heffes

Cinematography by
John Daly		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Freeman

Casting by
Michelle Guish

Production Design by
Tom Brown

Art Direction by
Sue Booth
Ricky Eyres

Set Decoration by
Shelly Pond

Costume Design by
Alexandra Caulfield		(as Alex Caulfield)

Makeup Department
Janita Doyle	....	makeup artist
Emma Ferguson	....	makeup artist
Jill Sweeney	....	hair designer
Jill Sweeney	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Robert How	....	production supervisor
Clare St. John	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jane Burgess	....	third assistant director
Sean Guest	....	first assistant director
James Andrew Haven	....	second assistant director (as James Haven)

Art Department
Stuart Hudson	....	chargehand
Tony Rycyk	....	stand-by propman

Sound Department
Sandy Buchanan	....	adr mixer
Sandy Buchanan	....	foley mixer
Rudi Buckle	....	additional sound
Gillian Dodders	....	adr editor
Gillian Dodders	....	dialogue editor
Glenn Freemantle	....	supervising sound editor
Susan French	....	adr editor
Susan French	....	dialogue editor
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alex Hudd	....	sound consultant: dolby
John Midgley	....	sound
Richard Pryke	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Rodda	....	sound mixer
Tom Sayers	....	sound effects editor
Sven Taits	....	sound effects editor
Kevin Tayler	....	adr recordist
Andrew Caller	....	sound technician (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Neal Champion	....	special effects supervisor
James Francis Jr.	....	special effects technician
Jim Francis	....	special effects supervisor
Nick P. Phillips	....	special effects technician (as Nick Phillips)
Ed Smith	....	senior special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Tabitha Dean	....	visual effects editorial: CFC
Robert Duncan	....	visual effects supervisor: CFC
Julia Egerton	....	digital lab operator: CFC
Ian Fellows	....	digital paint artist: CFC
Ruth Greenberg	....	visual effects line producer: CFC
Darrel Griffin	....	data wrangler: CFC
Jan Hogevold	....	digital lab producer: CFC
Adam Inglis	....	digital lab operator: CFC
Merrin Jensen	....	digital lab coordinator: CFC
Drew Jones	....	visual effects executive producer: CFC
Penny Leyton	....	CG animator: CFC
Scott Marriott	....	digital paint artist: CFC
Jolene McCaffrey	....	digital compositor: CFC
Chad Rogers	....	data wrangler: CFC
Jennifer Simonds	....	digital lab operator: CFC
Maria Stroka	....	digital lab operator
Maria Stroka-Robinson	....	digital lab operator: CFC
Matthew Twyford	....	digital compositor: CFC
Victor Wade	....	digital paint artist: CFC
Corrina Wilson	....	digital paint artist: CFC
Ziggy Zigouras	....	flame artist

Stunts
Joss Gower	....	stunt double
Rowley Irlam	....	stunt driver
Gareth Milne	....	stunt coordinator
Peter Pedrero	....	stunt driver
Andreas Petrides	....	stunt driver
Buster Reeves	....	stunts
William Willoughby	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Phil Brookes	....	rigging gaffer
Dave Fowler	....	electrician
Graham Frake	....	additional camera operator
Lee Howarth	....	stand-by rigger
Gary Hymns	....	grip
Gary Hymns	....	key grip
Dominic Hyndman	....	camera car: driver
Howard Smith	....	Steadicam operator
Roger Tooley	....	Steadicam operator
Steve Wallace	....	first assistant camera
Ken Westbury	....	additional camera operator
Vince McGahon	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Louis Elman	....	adr voice casting
Gaby Kester	....	casting assistant

Editorial Department
Marcus Alexander	....	assistant conforming editor
Steve Farman	....	negative cutter
Steve Harrow	....	post-production consultant
Anthony Houghton	....	assistant editor
Angelica Landry	....	first assistant editor
Andrew Melhuish	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Michael Higham	....	music editor
Andy Richards	....	score mixer
Adam Tudhope	....	music clearances

Other crew
Candice Fonseca	....	production coordinator
Jane Houston	....	script supervisor
Sarada McDermott	....	production secretary
Joanne Smith	....	general manager
Adam Tudhope	....	assistant to producer
Dean Williamson	....	floor runner

Production Companies

• DNA Films (presents)
• Figment Films (as A Figment / Toledo Production)
• Toledo Pictures (as A Figment / Toledo Production)
• UK Film Council (in association with) (made with the support of the Lottery through)
• Universal Pictures (in association with) (as Universal Pictures International)

Distributors

• United International Pictures (UIP) (2001) (UK) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2002) (Argentina) (all media)
• Universal Focus (USA)
• Universal Pictures (2003) (Germany) (video)

Other Companies

• EuroKids & Adults International Casting and Model Agency  extras casting
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• International Stunt Company, The  stunt services and rentals
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• Vehicles in Vision  action vehicles supplier

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexual content/nudity and language

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Australia:PG | Sweden:7 | UK:15 (original rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Spain:T | UK:12 (re-rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, Lancashire, England, UK

Company:

DNA Films

Trivia:

Steve Coogan has said that while working in South Asian communities in northern England, that the names of Jenny Agutter and Omar Sharif cut no ice, but that that of Om Puri opened many doors to them.

Goofs:

Plot holes: It is never explained how the conspirators have such detailed knowledge about the lay out of the bank.

Quotes:

[demonstrating a remote-controlled toy fire-engine with a camera on the ladder]
Kirsty:What is it?
George:It's a GOTLER.
Kirsty:A what?
Colin:A George-operated time-lock equalising robot.

Movie Connections:

Features "Trumpton" (1967)

Soundtrack:

Ain't Got No - I Got Life

Funny little British movie

"The Parole Officer" is a funny little comedy gem from the UK that has its share of flaws. Occasionally the jokes are just a bit too silly and the movie has a few lengths in the middle. Also, the score seems completely out of place more often than not.

On the plus side, though, the film has got a great cast. Most jokes work because the actors deliver them with such great timing. Nothing needs to be said about Steve Coogan anymore. Everybody knows his talent by now and the man is rightfully on his way to a career in Hollywood. Ben Miller can be seen here, too, before he came to bigger fame with "The Worst Week Of My Life". He's great, just like Om Puri, George Steven Waddington and Emma Williams, all of which play a group of ex-criminals who plan to break into a bank to steal evidence that will clear the name of the wrong-fully accused title character (played by Coogan). Lena Headey is another face you might recognize from "300" or the new "Terminator" TV-series. She's just gorgeous, beautiful and very charming. Omar Sharif makes a prominent cameo and there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance by Simon Pegg - probably the best moment of the entire movie.

So, yeah, "The Parole Officer" is a very enjoyable movie. Not all jokes hit the bullseye, but you'll laugh more than a few times. I really recommend this movie to everyone who likes classic Heist flicks and/or comedies like "Fletch".