Leo (2002)

Director:

Mehdi Norowzian

Writers:

Massy Tadjedin (written by) &
Amir Tadjedin (written by)

Release Date:

12 March 2004 (Ireland)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The boy you were is not the man you are.

Plot Keywords:

Prologue | Premature Birth | Bridge | Stairwell | College Campus

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joseph Fiennes	...	Stephen
Elisabeth Shue	...	Mary Bloom
Justin Chambers	...	Ryan Eames
Sam Shepard	...	Vic
Dennis Hopper	...	Horace
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Caroline
Mary Stuart Masterson	...	Brynne
Jake Weber	...	Ben Bloom
Davis Sweatt	...	Leopold - age 11
James Middleton	...	Louis
Don Henderson Baker	...	Jack (as Don Baker)
David Burke	...	Thomas Kingsley
Amie Quigley	...	Ruth Livingston
Andrew Ruse	...	Mark
Zac Epstein	...	Kid #1
Gil Johnson	...	Gil
Terry Loughlin	...	Policeman
Emma Rogerson	...	Isabelle
Traci Dinwiddie	...	Diane
Alex Van	...	Mr. Jenkins
Robert C. Treveiler	...	Paul Livingston
Danny Nelson	...	Judge
Wilbur Fitzgerald	...	Prosecution
Cody Newton	...	Charles
Jordan Lamb	...	Leopold (age 4)
Paulette Todd	...	Joanne
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Burke	...	Thomas Kingsley
Michael Harding	...	Angry Neighbor
Brian Lafontaine	...	Ned Gray
Sandra W. Van Natta	...	Funeral Mourner
Taylor Wentworth	...	Boy in classroom
Sylvia Jefferies	...	College Girl (uncredited)
Richard Jennings	...	Doctor (uncredited)
Jim Lynch	...	Professor (uncredited)
Rachel Nau	...	Student (uncredited)
Caroline Pires	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Mehdi Norowzian

Writing credits
Massy Tadjedin		(written by) &
Amir Tadjedin		(written by)

Produced by
Erica August	....	producer
Paul F. Bernard	....	associate producer (as Paul Bernard)
Sara Giles	....	executive producer
Sara Giles	....	producer
Jonathan Karlsen	....	producer
Nik Powell	....	executive producer
Louise Rosner	....	line producer
Derek Roy	....	executive producer
Massy Tadjedin	....	producer
Ken Tuohy	....	line producer: UK
J. David Williams	....	co-executive producer
Amir Yazdi	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Mark Adler

Cinematography by
Zubin Mistry		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tariq Anwar

Casting by
Lina Todd

Production Design by
Stefania Cella

Set Decoration by
Eric Weiler

Costume Design by
Jacqueline West

Makeup Department
Wendy Bell	....	makeup artist
Felicity Bowring	....	makeup department head
Gunnar Swanson	....	hair stylist
Kathe Swanson	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Polly Duval	....	post-production supervisor
Louise Rosner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul F. Bernard	....	first assistant director (as Paul Bernard)
Greg Hale	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nelson Alicea	....	laborer
Jack Ballance	....	assistant to production designer
Robert Beck	....	property master (as Robbie Beck)
Sean Bernard	....	scenic artist
Sara Bettinger	....	construction foreperson
Kristen Bunting	....	set dresser
Richard M. Cole	....	propmaker (as Richard Cole)
Geoff Cormier	....	set dresser (as Geoffrey Cormier)
Kristen Donaldson	....	art department production assistant
Sonya Duvall	....	art department coordinator
Greg Eddins	....	propmaker
Frank M. Fleming	....	leadman (as Frank Fleming)
Timothy Fox	....	on-set dresser
John Gilchrist Jr.	....	propmaker (as John Gilchrist)
Joe Golz	....	propmaker (as Joseph Golz)
Frank J. Hart	....	propmaker (as Frank Hart)
Richard Hill	....	propmaker
Randall H. Jones	....	lead greensman (as Randall Jones)
Steven Kerlagon	....	lead scenic artist
Christopher Kuder	....	set dresser
Bryan Lee	....	propmaker
Rodney Malone	....	laborer
Thomas A. Morris Jr.	....	construction coordinator (as Tom Morris)
William Scot Noonan	....	propmaker (as William Noonan)
William Rampey	....	propmaker
Gregory Schmitz	....	scenic artist
Ben T. Sineath Jr.	....	laborer
Ben Sineath	....	propmaker
Bob Smith	....	assistant property master (as Robert Smith)
Stephanie Waldron	....	sculptor
Scott D. Warner	....	propmaker (as Scott Warner)
Michael J. Wheeler	....	leadman (as Michael Wheeler)
Duane Williamson	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
C. Douglas Cameron	....	boom operator (as Doug Cameron)
Jean-Raphaël Dedieu	....	sound designer (as Jean-Raphael Dedieu)
Ross Gregory	....	sound designer
Alex Hudd	....	sound consultant: dolby
Craig Irving	....	sound re-recording mixer
André Jacquemin	....	supervising sound designer
Bill Jones	....	foley recordist
Mark Lafbery	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Simon Price	....	adr editor
Michael Rayle	....	cable person
Jerry Richards	....	foley artist
Jerry Richards	....	foley editor
Carl Rudisill	....	sound mixer
Matt Connolly	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Heath Hood	....	special effects technician
Walter Kiesling	....	special effects foreman
Michael Schorr	....	special effects supervisor (as Mike Schorr)

Visual Effects by
Andy Burrow	....	visual effects scanning supervisor: Framestore CFC
Michael Deming	....	visual effects recroding supervisor: Framestore CFC
Tim Hey	....	digital paint artist: Framestore CFC
Drew Jones	....	visual effects executive producer: Framestore CFC
Alasdair MacCuish	....	digital lab producer: Framestore CFC
Steve Parsons	....	visual effects operator: Framestore CGC
Tom Partridge	....	visual effects editorial: Framestore CFC
Chad Rogers	....	visual effects operator: Framestore CGC
Maria Stroka	....	visual effects operator: Framestore CGC
Steve Tizzard	....	compositing artist: Framestore CFC (as Stephen Tizzard)
Gavin Toomey	....	compositing artist: Framestore CFC
Tara Walker	....	visual effects operator: Fr

Stunts
Cal Johnson	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Aldridge	....	first assistant camera
William 'Bill' Allanson II	....	electrician (as William Allanson)
Brad Banks	....	electrician
Monica Barrios-Smith	....	assistant camera
Michael Bonsignore	....	dolly grip
Kelly Curry	....	grip: second company
Lee Donaldson	....	grip
Marcello Garofal	....	assistant to director of photography
Mark Graves	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Michael Green	....	camera operator
Gerald D. Hatchell	....	grip (as Dwayne Hatchell)
Stephen Mills	....	electrician
Christian Satrazemis	....	film loader
Dave Spencer	....	grip
Michael Tackett	....	still photographer
Jordan Valenti	....	chief lighting technician
Mark Vogel	....	electrician
Bo Webb	....	second assistant camera
Dennis Zoppe	....	grip: first company

Casting Department
Richard Futch	....	location casting
Margaret Mullins	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Winnie D. Brown	....	costume supervisor (as Winnie Brown-Willis)
Keva Keyes	....	additional costumer
Joyce Marling	....	costumer
Jude Christian Orlando	....	costume illustrator

Editorial Department
John Ensby	....	laboratory liaison: UK
Sacha Guttenstein	....	post-production coordinator
Saska Simpson	....	assistant editor
John Stanborough	....	color timer

Music Department
Mark Adler	....	conductor
Mark Adler	....	orchestrator
Mark Adler	....	score mixer
Joanie Diener	....	music editor
Stephen Hart	....	score recordist
Daryn Roven	....	score mixer
James T. Sale	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Elio Acanfora	....	driver
Kenneth Bennett	....	driver
Jeff Corbett	....	driver (as Jeffrey Corbett)
Doug Floyd	....	driver (as Douglas Floyd)
Wayne Jones	....	transportation captain
Skip Long	....	driver
Tonny Meckelvaney	....	driver (as Tony Meckelvaney)
Joey Ricker	....	driver
Lee Siler	....	transportation coordinator
Russell Scott Siler	....	driver
Robert W. Simpson	....	driver (as Rob Simpson)
Dean Stephens	....	driver (as Stanley Dean Stephens)
William H. Sylvester	....	driver (as William Sylvester)
Duncan Toney	....	driver
Ken Wilson	....	driver

Other crew
Stephanie Adams	....	studio teacher
Doug Ayers	....	stand-in
Brooks Baldwin	....	dialect coach: Joseph Fiennes
Styephen Baloga	....	salad chef
Robert S. Basha	....	location assistant (as Robert Basha)
Brooke Brunson	....	production assistant
Anders Bundgaard	....	title designer
Harmony Cadien	....	production intern
Julie Cummings	....	production assistant (as Julie Elder)
D. Tobias Denney	....	production intern
Anthony Dillion	....	assistant to cook (as Tony Dillion)
Marc Grimes	....	production assistant
Brian Hilburn	....	location manager
Todd Hill	....	chef
Art Hoover	....	chef
Jason Ivey	....	production assistant
Sylvia Jefferies	....	stand-in
Eddie Long	....	production intern
Alicia Lowe	....	assistant accountant
Erica Morgan	....	production assistant
John Morgan	....	post-production accountant
Jack Munn	....	medic
Claire Norowzian	....	production assistant
Darush Norowzian	....	production assistant
Jennifer Opresnick	....	script supervisor
Tarah Phillippi	....	office production assistant
Matt Power	....	production assistant
Ian Prior	....	production assistant: Scala Productions
Kathy Rayle	....	assistant production coordinator
Tim Reeves	....	production assistant
Blanche Sypher	....	craft service
Birdie Talanca	....	payroll accountant
Kelly R. Tenney	....	production coordinator
Ozgur Uyanik	....	development executive
Liz Valentine	....	production intern
Laerke Vindahl	....	assistant: Nik Powell, Scala Productions
Pamela Williamson	....	production accountant (as Pamela S. Williamson)
Anna Wulff	....	head of development: Scala Productions
Stephen Yetman	....	location manager (as Stephen J. Yetman)

Production Companies

• Freewheel Productions
• Joy Films
• Scala Productions

Distributors

• GAGA (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• First Look International (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Pyramid (Russia)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Framestore CFC (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Cine Image Film Opticals  titles and opticals (as Cineimage)
• CinePartners  grip equipment (as Cinepartners)
• Du Art Film and Video  film processing (as Duart Films & Video New York)
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Joe Dunton Cameras America  cameras and dollies (as Joe Dunton Cameras)
• Ken and Art's Catering  catering (as Ken and Arts Catering)
• Laurence Brown, Davenport Lyons, Robert Darwell, Kmz Rozenman, Josh Grode, Liner Yankelevitz Sunchine & Reigenstaff  legal service
• London Editing Machines Ltd.  editing equipment (as London Editing Machines)
• Marsh Risk Insurance Services  insurance (as Marsh Risk Insurances)
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment
• Redwood Recording Studios  sound post-production (as Redwood Studios London)
• Reel Skill Film Cutting  negative cutting
• Technicolor  color
• The Creative Partnership  title design
• Twickenham Studios  sound re-recorded at (as Twickenham Film Studios)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality and violent content

Runtime:

Canada:103 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | Argentina:104 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Norway:15 | USA:R | Australia:MA | Argentina:16 | UK:15 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Freewheel Productions

Goofs:

Factual errors: A letter addressed to Oxford, Mississippi, clearly has the ZIP Code 64933. The ZIP Code for Oxford, Mississippi, is 38655. There is no city with the ZIP shown in the film; ZIP's beginning with "649" would be near Kansas City, Missouri.

Worth the wait.

Leo is a film made up of two story strands, one detailing the experiences of a newly released prisoner and another tells the tragic tale of a bored 50's housewife whose life takes a downward spiral. Gradually, these two story strands weave together in a predictable fashion, but the film loses none of it's power despite this rather obvious 'twist'.

Leo had been sitting on the shelf for a couple of years untill it's recent release in the U.K. and in my opinion it's difficult to see why. From the stunning cinematography employed, to the universally excellent performances, it's a small winner all round. Obviously not a commercial film but so much rubbish is dumped into cinemas nowadays there is a lot of room for films like this.

As stated above, the film has two plotlines running together. The way in which the director takes us to one, and then the other is done cleverly and in no way detracts from the flow of the picture. The cinematography is a times breathtaking. In the scene in which the character of Steven is released from prison, the barbed wire fences behind him look almost beautiful in the sunlight's reflection. Combined with quick edits of his character running against a clear blue sky, the sequence is quite exhilirating.

The performances in Leo also deserve praise. Joseph Fiennes as Steven is excellent, watch out for the scene in which he confronts Dennis Hoppers character in the back room of a diner.

Elisabeth Shue is as good as in Leaving Las Vegas, if not better. Her descent into alcoholism from straight laced housewife is acted perfectly, her reaction to some devastating news delivered by two policemen is heartbreakingly delivered.

Even if the final revelation is painfully predictable, (though there is a quite unexpected plot point revealed late on) and some of the supporting characters are drawn in very broad strokes, Leo ultimately delivers. It's well directed, well acted, looks gorgeous and is quietly moving in it's own way. And you'll still be thinking about it as you walk away from the theater.

How many films can you say that about these days?