Lonesome Jim (2005)

Failing to make it on his own, 27-year-old Jim moves back in with his parents and deals with crippling family obligations.

Director:

Steve Buscemi

Writer:

James C. Strouse

Stars:

Casey Affleck, Kevin Corrigan, Mary Kay Place

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Casey Affleck	...	Jim
Kevin Corrigan	...	Tim
Mary Kay Place	...	Sally
Seymour Cassel	...	Don
Rachel Strouse	...	Rachel
Sarah Strouse	...	Sarah
Rick Duplissie	...	Bar Patron
Liv Tyler	...	Anika
Mark Boone Junior	...	Evil
Jake La Botz	...	Phillip
Jack Rovello	...	Ben
Don Strouse	...	Neighbor
Doug Liechty Caskey	...	Doug the preacher
Pam Angell	...	Stacy - Prostitute

Storyline

Jim is a young man who, after deciding he can't make it on his own, moves back to his hometown in Indiana -- under his parents' roof. He's saved from his family's dysfunction by a local woman and her son, who sees him as a father figure.

---

Plot Keywords:

indiana | factory | ladder factory | money | ladder | 

---

Taglines:

Change your outlook. Change your life.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality and drug content

Details

Official Sites:

MK2 [fr]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 November 2005 (France)

Also Known As:

Conociendo a Jim

Filming Locations:

Cromwell, Indiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$13,798 (USA) (24 March 2006)

Gross:

$154,077 (USA) (9 June 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

InDigEnt (Independent Digital Entertainment), Plum Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When the original studio financing the film backed off and InDigEnt, a New York-based, Mini-DV movie company, came on board, the budget was reduced from $3 million to $500,000. The shoot also became much shorter. It was 30 days originally.

---

Quotes

Jim: What's your problem Anika?
Anika: Nothing JIm.
Anika: Just, you can't ask a girl to move one thousand and eighty-two miles with you unless you're really going to follow through.
Jim: Why wouldn't I follow through?
Anika: Because, you don't know what it would be like.
Jim: What would it be like?
Anika: Difficult. Very Difficult.
Jim: Well, great. I'm used to challenges.
Anika: You're used to avoiding them.

---

Connections

References Arthur (1996)

---

Soundtracks

"Chase Him"
Written by Geoff Levin and Bruce Chianese
performed by Geoff Levin
Courtesy of Kid Gloves Music

User Reviews

Poignant Realism, with Jokes

Annika (Liv Tyler) doesn't like the photo of a dour Ernest Hemingway that Jim (Casey Affleck) has on his bedroom wall. Jim says it's real life. She says it's depressing, and he replies, "Isn't that the same thing?" It's a funny line, but it's also much more. It describes the heart of this terrific new picture directed by Steve Buscemi. He's made a wonderful "small" film about the sadness and disappointment that is so much a part of life, and about how we each must choose to respond. Do we wallow in despair, or can we find hope, joy, and purpose? In "Lonesome Jim," we meet a range of genuine people who exhibit a range of choices -- sometimes conflicting responses within the same character. The casting is superb, and between Buscemi's measured pace and first-time screenwriter Jim Strouse's unpredictable (and semi-autobiographical) story turns, we get to know and care about these people...even though they each exhibit traits we definitely do not like. That's real life.