25th Hour (2002)

Director:

Spike Lee

Writers (WGA):

David Benioff (novel)
David Benioff (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 January 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

This life was so close to never happening

Plot:

Cornered by the DEA, convicted New York drug dealer Montgomery Brogan reevaluates his life in the 24 remaining hours before facing a seven-year jail term.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Drug Dealing | Teacher | Dream | Bar

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Edward Norton	...	Monty Brogan
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Jacob Elinsky
Barry Pepper	...	Frank Slaughtery
Rosario Dawson	...	Naturelle Riviera
Anna Paquin	...	Mary D'Annunzio
Brian Cox	...	James Brogan
Tony Siragusa	...	Kostya Novotny
Levan Uchaneishvili	...	Uncle Nikolai (as Levani)
Tony Devon	...	Agent Allen
Misha Kuznetsov	...	Senka Valghobek
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	Agent Flood
Michael Genet	...	Agent Cunningham
Patrice O'Neal	...	Khari
Al Palagonia	...	Salvatore Dominick
Aaron Stanford	...	Marcuse
Marc H. Simon	...	Schultz
Armando Riesco	...	Phelan
Brad Williams	...	Trader #1
Rodney 'Bear' Jackson	...	Trader #2 (as Bear Jackson)
Keith Nobbs	...	Luke
Felicia Finley	...	Jody
Radu Spinghel	...	Zakharov
Dania Ramirez	...	Daphne (as Dania)
Oleg Aleksandrovich Prudius	...	Russian Hood #1
Igor Zhivotovsky	...	Russian Hood #2
Paul Diomede	...	Simon
Cynthia Darlow	...	Ruth
Michole Briana White	...	Coventry Administrator
Vanessa Ferlito	...	Lindsay Jamison
Coati Mundi	...	Louis Volandes
Larissa Drekonja	...	Dasha
Christine Pepe	...	Female Jogger
Lawrence Bullock	...	Chelsea Man #1
Patrick Illig	...	Chelsea Man #2
Maja Niles	...	Woman on Park Avenue
Daniel Reton	...	Wall Street Guy #1 (as Daniel R. Reton)
Ed Rubeo	...	Hasidic Jeweler
Peter James Kelsch	...	Panhandler
A.J. McCoy	...	Squeegee Man
R.L. Brazil	...	Bouncer
Howard Crowns	...	Tattoo Parlor Worker
DJ Cipha Sounds	...	DJ Dusk
Jamil Mullen	...	Lady with Baby
Louis Modafferi	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Alan Taraseiwicz	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Nicholas Rossomodo	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Jeffrey Palazzo	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Douglas Miller	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Mike Fiore	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Andre Fletcher	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Carl Bini	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
Joseph Mascall	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
John Bergen	...	Brogan's Bar Patron
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Alan	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Keith Bright	...	Bar Patron / Truck Driver (uncredited)
Gabe Castillo	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Sal Cecere	...	Trader #3 (uncredited)
Tonya Cornelisse	...	Prep Student (uncredited)
Vinny DeGennaro	...	Fireman (uncredited)
Korey Duke	...	Club Person (uncredited)
Alexander Emmert	...	Russian Gangster (uncredited)
Guy A. Fortt	...	Bouncer (uncredited)
Brent Gorcie	...	Bartender 1 (uncredited)
Jason Horton	...	Co-Worker (uncredited)
Frank Matthews	...	Bar Customer (uncredited)
Karen Nazarov	...	Prep Student (uncredited)
King Orba	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Greg Orvis	...	Stock Broker (uncredited)
Jason Pierce	...	Head Stockbroker (uncredited)
Rumaisa Rahman	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Arloa Reston	...	Prep Student (uncredited)
Stacy Lynn Spierer	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Spike Lee

Writing credits (WGA)
David Benioff		(novel)
David Benioff		(screenplay)

Produced by
Julia Chasman	....	producer
Jon Kilik	....	producer
Spike Lee	....	producer
Tobey Maguire	....	producer
Jeff Sommerville	....	associate producer
Nick Wechsler	....	executive producer
Edward Norton	....	co-producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Terence Blanchard

Cinematography by
Rodrigo Prieto		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Barry Alexander Brown

Casting by
Aisha Coley

Production Design by
James Chinlund

Art Direction by
Nicholas Lundy

Set Decoration by
Ondine Karady

Costume Design by
Sandra Hernandez

Makeup Department
Fríða Aradóttir	....	hair stylist: Edward Norton (as Frida Aradóttir)
Mary Cooke	....	key hair stylist (as Mary Cook)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	makeup artist: special old age makeup
Julie Pearce	....	makeup artist: Edward Norton
Cassandra Saulter	....	key makeup artist
Ellie Winslow	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Colin Cumberbatch	....	post-production supervisor
Jon Kilik	....	unit production manager
Paul Leonardo Jr.	....	post-production supervisor
David Pomier	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Ellis	....	first assistant director
Tracey Hinds	....	second assistant director
Paul Hogan	....	second second assistant director
Jeanine Hunter	....	assistant director intern
Michael A. Pinckney	....	second second assistant director (as Michael 'Boogie' Pinckney)

Art Department
Amy Bell	....	assistant property master: Texas
Roland Brooks	....	charge scenic artist
Garf Brown	....	scenic artist
Ben Conable	....	graphic designer
April Crump	....	set dresser
James Donahue	....	scenic artist
John Frick	....	art director: Texas
Alison Froling	....	assistant set decorator
Gerard J. Furey	....	shop craftsman
Emily Gaunt	....	scenic
Barbara Haberecht	....	set decorator: Texas
Chris M. Jackson	....	art department coordinator: Texas
Dan Kuchar	....	assistant art director
Henry B. Lee	....	art department assistant (as Henry Lee)
Victor Littlejohn	....	on-set dresser
Jean-Paul Morselli	....	art department assistant
Tim Oravetz	....	property master
King Orba	....	property master (as Mark Wallace)
John Parker	....	on-set dresser
John Ralbovsky	....	scenic foreman
Jeffrey Rollins	....	on-set dresser
Carly Sorscher	....	art department assistant
Sylvia Trapanese	....	scenic artist
Alexander Wei	....	art department coordinator
Robert K. Weinberger	....	construction coordinator
Michael E. Wilks	....	lead man (as Michael Wilks)
Jeffery D. Woodrel	....	set dresser
Jeri Woodward	....	scenic foreman
Randal Woodward	....	lead scenic
Cher Young	....	painter
Peter Regnier	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Leslie Bloom	....	foley artist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer
Stuart Deutsch	....	boom operator
Jesse Ehredt	....	sound editor
Chris Fielder	....	assistant sound editor
Sean Garnhart	....	sound effects editor
Sean Garnhart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Hoff	....	playback operator
Frank Kern	....	supervising foley editor
George A. Lara	....	foley recordist
Lawrence Loewinger	....	playback operator
Cate Montana	....	assistant sound editor
Igor Nikolic	....	first assistant sound editor
Rolf Pardula	....	sound mixer
Alex Raspa	....	adr recordist
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Philip Stockton	....	supervising sound editor
David Warzynski	....	foley artist
Karl Wasserman	....	sound utility
Matthew Haasch	....	foley predub (uncredited)
Larry Wineland	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jesse Moorefield	....	special effects assistant: Texas
Steve Wolf	....	special effects coordinator: Texas
Louie Zakarian	....	tattoo designer

Visual Effects by
J. John Corbett	....	visual effects
Daniel Rubin	....	digital compositor: Big Film Design
Hilda Saffari	....	digital intermediate assistant producer
John R. Ellis	....	digital cleanup artist (uncredited)
Manuel Rey Gonzalez	....	digital effects compositor (uncredited)
Thomas Mathai	....	digital cleanup artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ilya Akiyoshi	....	camera production assistant
Godofredo Astudillo	....	camera intern
Alison Barton	....	rigging grip
Robby Baumgartner	....	gaffer (as Robert Baumgartner)
Bob Becchio	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Braden Belmonte	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit
Kelly Britt	....	lighting console operator
Lamont Crawford	....	key grip
Chris Drechsler	....	electrician
Kris Enos	....	key second assistant camera
Samuel G. Friedman	....	rigging electrician
Charlie Grubbs	....	best boy electric
Willow Jenkins	....	video assist operator
Ellen Kuras	....	director of photography: second unit
Rafael Latorre	....	electrician
David Lee	....	still photographer
Eric Lin	....	camera intern
James Marks	....	remote camera technician
Rick Marroquin	....	dolly grip
Mark McDevitt	....	clapper loader
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
John Panuccio	....	key rigging grip
Lowell Schulman	....	rigging electric best boy
Tom Shinn	....	electrician
Peter Simonite	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, El Paso/Austin
John Trapman	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Lee Vickery	....	additional assistant camera
Peter Walts	....	rigging gaffer
Joe 'Jody' Williams	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Alfonso Zarate	....	camera intern
Malcolm A. Purnell	....	b-camera second assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Wayne Marc Godfrey	....	extras casting
Matthew Lessall	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles
Alison Marek	....	casting assistant
Ali Merhi	....	extras casting assistant
Tuffy Questell	....	extras casting
Winsome Sinclair	....	extras casting
Ra-Ra Taylor	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joanna Brett	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sandi Figueroa	....	costumer: Edward Norton
Rhonney Greene	....	costume intern
Carmia Marshall	....	additional set costumer
Michelle Martini	....	assistant costume designer
Sukari McGill	....	co-costume supervisor
Yleana Nunez	....	costume intern

Editorial Department
Terra Bliss-Alvarez	....	digital intermediate producer
Steve Bowen	....	digital colorist
Janelle Connor	....	post-production assistant
Rafael Del Toro	....	intern assistant editor
David Dresher	....	post-production executive
Ben Estrada	....	digital colorist assistant
Ulysses Guidotti	....	apprentice editor
K.A. Miille	....	first assistant editor (as K.A. Chisholm)
Noëlle Penraat	....	negative cutter
Samuel D. Pollard	....	additional editor
Jeff Smithwick	....	film timer
Greg Speed	....	assistant film editor
Amy Tompkins	....	digital intermediate editor
Alexandra Torterotot	....	editorial intern

Music Department
Todd Bozung	....	music editor
Peter Davies	....	musician
Howard Drossin	....	orchestrator
Geoff Foster	....	score recordist
Robert Garcia	....	music consultant
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Steve Juliani	....	music preparation
Alison LaCourse	....	additional music editor

Transportation Department
David Beard	....	driver
Sam Craytor	....	driver: set dressing truck: TX Unit
George Grenier	....	driver
Willow Jenkins	....	driver: Spike Lee
Eugene O'Neill	....	transportation captain
Steven Willhoite	....	driver: actor

Other crew
Thomas Ahlers	....	office assistant
Alexis Arnold	....	production coordinator: Texas
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer
William Barclay	....	assistant: Nick Wechsler
Jana Camacho	....	production assistant
Brian Cantaldi	....	second assistant accountant
Shari L. Carpenter	....	script supervisor
Kathryn Castellanos	....	production assistant
Mia Cevallos	....	liaison: Chapman
Betty Chin	....	production coordinator
Logan Cooper	....	assistant locations manager: Texas
Jan Cosby	....	first assistant accountant
Tainesa Davis	....	production assistant
Ana de Souza Dantas	....	office production assistant
Joan Devilla	....	payroll accountant
Drew Dillard	....	location manager: Texas unit
Rebecca Edelson	....	script clearance administrator
Stefan Morris Hogan	....	production assistant
Marshall Hopkins	....	production assistant
Charlynne J. Hopson	....	location scout
Willow Jenkins	....	assistant: Spike Lee
Cathy Kanavy	....	assistant location manager
Laura King	....	key set medic
Robyn L. Kreger	....	assistant: Edward Norton
Cinqué Lee	....	video archivist
Dan Mackler	....	consultant: Russia
LeRoy McCarthy	....	location assistant
Jonna McLaughlin	....	office intern
David McLinn	....	assistant: Nick Wechsler
Alex Nikolic	....	media producer: Yugoslavia, Macedonia
George Norfleet	....	location manager
Rafael Osorio	....	background production assistant
Stephanie Pecuch	....	assistant production coordinator: Texas
Jason Perez	....	production assistant
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	location assistant
Angela Quiles	....	production coordinator
Guillaume Renberg	....	remote head technician
Michael K. Reynolds	....	chef
Emily Rosdeitcher	....	production office intern
Evelyn Santana	....	publicist
Christopher Scull	....	production assistant: Texas
Jodi Shapera	....	post-production accountant
Gary Vander Meer	....	location coordinator
Karen Wacker	....	production secretary: Texas
Elizabeth Wade	....	production secretary
Betty Weaver	....	craft service
Andy Wheeler	....	production accountant
Joseph White	....	assistant location manager
Nils Widboom	....	location scout
Jaime Wilson	....	assistant production coordinator
Annie Young Frisbie	....	product placement coordinator (as Annie Young)
Renetta G. Amador	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Vondecarlo Brown	....	additional voice talent (uncredited)
Joanna Lu	....	adr artist: Mandarin (uncredited)
K. Todd Lytle	....	stand-in: Monty (uncredited)
Coati Mundi	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Jannett Roberts	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jon Maichel Thomas	....	title compositor (uncredited)
Emily Ziff	....	assistant: Philip Seymour Hoffman (uncredited)

Thanks
Bandar Albuliwi	....	special thanks
Bruce Springsteen	....	special thanks (as Bruce 'Da Boss' Springsteen)

Production Companies

• 25th Hour Productions
• 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks (as 40 Acres And A Mule Filmworks)
• Gamut Films
• Industry Entertainment
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2003) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Bandur Film (2003) (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Finland (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Studios (2003) (Republic of Macedonia) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Buena Vista Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• Gativideo (200?) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (200?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Touchstone Pictures

Special Effects

• Wolf Stuntworks
• Big Film Design
• Temptu (tattoos)

Other Companies

• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recording studio
• C5  post-production sound services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Film Effects  optical effects
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Global Music Service  music copyist
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Studios  media production (Yugoslavia) (Macedonia)
• White Sands Production Services  catering: Texas

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and some violence

Runtime:

135 min | Turkey:108 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Iceland:12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:R | Malaysia:18SG | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Spain:13 | Singapore:M18 (edited TV version)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

25th Hour Productions

Trivia:

Brittany Murphy was originally lined up to play Mary D'Annunzio but left the project.

Goofs:

Continuity: The style of Monty's goatee changes between his conversation at the trophy case and arriving in Jake's classroom.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Monty Brogan:Look at this. He's alive.
Kostya Novotny:This dog, how you call it? Bull pit?
Monty Brogan:No, Pit-Bull. But that's not a pit bull. I don't know, I don't know what he is. I bet he lost somebody some money though. Give me your gun.
Kostya Novotny:Shooting him?
Monty Brogan:Yeah.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Happy Endings: Dave of the Dead (#1.7)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Bra

Absolute perfection. It's as great as the book.

I read the novel 'The 25th Hour' before I even knew it was going to be adapted into a movie and I absolutely loved it. I thought it was one of the best books written in the last ten years. Being a huge fan of Spike Lee and Edward Norton, I was extremely excited when I found they were making it into a film.

However I will admit I was a bit skeptical to whether Spike Lee could pull the film off, but when I saw the trailer I had a new found faith in it and I'm sorry to of doubted him. I saw the film yesterday and was just amazed. It's nearly flawless and is almost exactly like the novel which was written by David Benioff (who also wrote the screenplay).

The characters in the film are great. You got Monty Brogan (Norton) who's looking at seven years for drug dealing charges. It's his last day of freedom and he's just trying to tie up any loose ends before he goes. Then you got his two friends, Frank Slaughtery (Barry Pepper) and Jakob Elinsky (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who each have to deal with the fact that their best friend is going away for seven years, but also have their own demons to deal with. You also have his girlfriend, Naturelle Rivera (Rosario Dawson) who must deal with it as well and must also deal with the fact that she's suspect on who could have sold Monty out to the DEA. And finally you have James Brogan (Brian Cox), Monty's father. He's a hard working guy who obviously wished that things didn't turn out the way they did. One last night for Monty to set things straight and also make decisions.

The film sticks almost exactly to the novel, but there are slight differences. Since the novel was written in 2000 and the movie was filmed during 2002, Spike Lee and David Benioff included the mentioning of the attacks on New York and the aftermath, which I applaud Lee for. He didn't cop out and try to ignore it like others. It was necessary to capture the emotion of what New Yorkers are facing and among that, what the characters have to face with Monty going to prison. There are also slight differences and cut outs from the book to make the film flow easier, but I was disappointed with only one thing that the film didn't include. In the novel, Monty constantly thinks of how he always wanted to be a fireman. While firemen references and his father was a fireman are all mentioned in the film, it didn't really tackle Monty's regret of never becoming a fireman, like it did in the book. But the film makes up for that one thing by being terrific all around.

There are some stellar performances here. Edward Norton is always great in everything he plays, but in this film he is just excellent. The 'F**k You' scene he has when he's staring in the mirror is just excellent and I hope he gets an Oscar nomination for this role (he was robbed from one for American History X). Barry Pepper is in his greatest performance yet as the tough guy stockbroker. Philip Seymour Hoffman was great as Jakob, the high school teacher. Dealing with his attraction to his student, Mary (Anna Paquin). Rosario Dawson really made me feel for her and it was great to see more of her in a film. Brian Cox doesn't have a huge role, but he's great as Monty's father. I would also like to give praise to Tony Siragusa for his performance as Kostya. He was dead on with the accent.

So without going on any further, I just have to say that '25th Hour' was really great and is now one of my favorite films of all time.

SCORE: 9 out of 10 (excellent)