Duane Hopwood (2005)

Director:

Matt Mulhern

Writer:

Matt Mulhern (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

When the odds are against you, your best bet is a second chance...

Plot:

A down-on-his-luck divorced father struggles to get his life and family back together before it's too late.

Plot Keywords:

Casino | Boardwalk | Old Woman | Friend | Death

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Daisy Ang	...	Frank
Bill Buell	...	Wally
Dick Cavett	...	Fred
Rachel Covey	...	Kate
Mia Dillon	...	Female Judge
Marty Dunn	...	Beefy Bartender
Josh Flitter	...	Jake
Judah Friedlander	...	Anthony
Jim Fyfe	...	Linda's Lawyer
Janeane Garofalo	...	Linda
Jerry Grayson	...	Carl
Joan Griffith	...	Mrs. Wakely
Chance Kelly	...	Tommy
John Krasinski	...	Bob Flynn
Susan Lynch	...	Gina
Bernie McInerney	...	Male Judge
Sayra Player	...	Kate's Teacher
Ramya Pratt	...	Mary
Vincent Riviezzo	...	Aldo
Steve Schirripa	...	Steve (as Steven R. Schirripa)
David Schwimmer	...	Duane Hopwood
Irma St. Paule	...	Mrs. Fillipi
Brian Tarantina	...	Mr. Alonso
Jeffery V. Thompson	...	Rahmn
Pauline Tully	...	Jogger #2
Lenny Venito	...	Cop
Isiah Whitlock Jr.	...	William
Jama Williamson	...	Jogger #1
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nicole Sapello	...	Jogger #3
Louis Bottino	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Peggy Friend	...	Defendant (uncredited)
Joseph J. Greenberg	...	Garage Extra (uncredited)
Maire Ni Rochain	...	Pilgrim Waitress (uncredited)

Directed by
Matt Mulhern

Writing credits
Matt Mulhern		(written by)

Produced by
David T. Friendly	....	producer (as david Friendly)
Andrew Lang	....	co-producer
Melissa Marr	....	producer
Ethan Smith	....	line producer
Lemore Syvan	....	producer
Marc Turtletaub	....	producer
John M. Tyson	....	associate producer
Ben Waisbren	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Michael Rohatyn

Cinematography by
Mauricio Rubinstein		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom McArdle

Casting by
Cindy Tolan

Production Design by
Ben Conable		(as Benjamin Conable)

Set Decoration by
Mila Khalevich

Costume Design by
Lynn Falconer

Makeup Department
Angela Gallagher	....	additional key makeup artist
Donna Battersby Greene	....	key hair stylist
Kabuki	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Rachel Barrett	....	post-production supervisor
David Blazina	....	production supervisor
Lemore Syvan	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jane Ferguson	....	second assistant director
John M. Tyson	....	first assistant director
Jason Rody	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Thomas Ahlers	....	art department assistant (as Thomas J. Ahlers)
Janet Clevland	....	camera scenic artist
Frank DeCurtis Jr.	....	leadman (as Frank DeCurtis)
Michael Frechette	....	additional props
Tom Groody	....	assistant property master
Steve Paul	....	additional on-set dresser
Chris Potter	....	art department assistant
Sharon Potts	....	property master
Albert J. Prudente	....	art department intern (as Albert J. Prudente III)
Adam Roffman	....	on-set dresser (as Adam J. Roffman)

Sound Department
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Ryan Collison	....	foley recordist
Stuart Deutsch	....	additional sound mixer
Robert Fernandez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mariusz Glabinski	....	sound effects editor
Marlena Grzaslewicz	....	co-supervising sound editor
Jack Hutson	....	additional boom operator
T.J. O'Mara	....	sound mixer
Dan Paikin	....	boom operator
Ira Spiegel	....	co-supervising sound editor
Shane Stoneback	....	sound re-recordist
Andrew Turner	....	sound consultant: Dolby

Stunts
Douglas Crosby	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin Baskerville	....	additional electrician
Axel Baumann	....	additional camera operator
Axel Baumann	....	camera operator
Nicola Benizzi	....	second assistant camera
Shaka Brookes	....	company grip
Daniel Casey	....	additional camera assistant (as Dan Casey)
John Clifford	....	still photographer
Divine Cox	....	key grip
Christopher DeBlau	....	additional electrician
Gerald Gloster	....	best boy grip
James Harker	....	additional electrician
Douglas C. Hart	....	additional camera assistant (as Doug Hart)
Mai Iskander	....	additional camera assistant
Gary Jackiewicz	....	company grip
Ludovic Littee	....	camera loader
Sean McCardell	....	gaffer
Beth O'Brien	....	electrician
Alfred Padilla	....	best boy electric (as Al Padilla)
Christopher T. Paul	....	additional first assistant camera (as Chris Paul)
Anthony Santos	....	company grip
Sandor Temlock	....	first assistant camera
James Thorne	....	generator operator (as Jim Thorne)
Christopher Vaccaro	....	additional grip
Daniel Wiener	....	additional second assistant camera
Daniel Wiener	....	camera loader
Doug Foote	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Laura Cass	....	casting assistant
Alissa Dirato	....	extras casting
Matt Schreiber	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rachel Greene	....	wardrobe supervisor
Nina Schelich	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Aaron Dorn	....	digital intermediate producer: EFilm
Lloyd Forcellini	....	digital intermediate supervisor: Rhino Post Inc.
Craig Gordon	....	digital intermediate editor: Rhino Post Inc.
Walter Lefler	....	digital intermediate colorist: Rhino Post Inc.
Mike Nuget	....	additional digital intermediate editor: Rhino Post Inc.
Christine Park	....	associate editor
Joaquin Perez	....	editorial assistant (as Jaoquin Perez)
Loan Phan	....	digital intermediate producer: EFilm
Stan Sztaba	....	negative cutter: Match Cut
Joe Violante	....	dailies supervisor (as Joey Violante)
Rachelle Way	....	digital intermediate producer: Rhino Post Inc.
Steve Calalang	....	dailies timer (uncredited)
Perry M. Kimura	....	digital scanning and recording (uncredited)

Music Department
Doug Bernheim	....	music supervisor
Lawrence Feldman	....	musician: clarinet and flute
Mariusz Glabinski	....	music editor
David Hofstra	....	musician: bass
Dan Hopler	....	score engineer
Jamie Lawrence	....	musician: piano and drums
Mike Levine	....	musician: dobro and pedal steel
Alex Polonsky	....	musician: trumpet
Michael Rohatyn	....	score producer

Transportation Department
Paul Kane	....	driver
Mike Preston	....	driver

Other crew
Nicholas R. Bell	....	production assistant (as Nick Bell)
Patty Covarrubias	....	assistant: Mr. Schwimmer
Kristen Dirato	....	production secretary
Tim Downs	....	location manager
Cindy Garforth	....	production intern
Maryanne Garrity	....	production intern
Mike Giletto	....	caterer: Cater 2 U
Brian Goetz	....	production assistant
Joey Gothelf	....	catering production assistant: Cater 2 U
Eli Gurevich	....	financial controller: Elevation Filmworks
Erin Heidenreich	....	sales agent
Anne Johnson	....	production accountant (as Anne K. Johnson)
Lori La Frennie	....	production intern
Stephanie A. Marquardt	....	script supervisor
Maire Ni Rochain	....	production coordinator
Chad Nicholson	....	production assistant (as Chad R. Nicholson)
Ali Norad	....	production assistant (as Ali M. Norad)
Angelique A. Pesce	....	development assistant
Justin Ritson	....	production assistant
Jason Rody	....	key set production assistant (as Jason 'Rowdy' Rody)
Clint Scott	....	production assistant
Tim Susco	....	location assistant
Jesse Toledano	....	production assistant
Lilly Tuttle	....	assistant: Lemore Syvan
Nick Vanderpool	....	key set production assistant
Cara White	....	unit publicist
Rob Williams	....	catering assistant: Cater 2 U

Thanks
Rowena Arguelles	....	special thanks
Julie Durk	....	special thanks
Michael McGahey	....	special thanks
Mary Mulhern	....	dedicatee
Peter Saraf	....	special thanks
Leslie Siebert	....	special thanks
Art Smith Jr.	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Elevation Filmworks
• Deep River Productions
• Big Beach Films
• Virtual Studios

Distributors

• IFC Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bangladesh) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Bhutan) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (India) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Maldives) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Nepal) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Pakistan) (TV)
• Tanweer Films (2011) (Sri Lanka) (TV)

Other Companies

• 701 Sound  sound design services
• Axium  payroll services
• Cater 2 U  catering
• Cinetic Media  distribution advisory services
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance
• DitlevFilms  end title sequence
• EFilm  laser film recording
• Hand Held Films  camera equipment provided by
• Hand Held Films  grip and lighting equipment
• Law Offices of George Sheanshang  legal services
• Manhattan Beach Studios  original score recorded at
• Match Cut  negative cutting
• Radical Avid  avid editing facilities
• Rhinoceros Post  digital intermediate post-production services (as Rhino Post Inc.)
• Sloss Law Office  legal services
• Sound One Corporation  adr recording
• Technicolor Creative Services  dailies lab services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

84 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Elevation Filmworks

Trivia:

Filming took only 21 days, and was shot entirely in Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate, Longport and Ocean City, New Jersey.

Movie Connections:

References Alien (1979)

Soundtrack:

LET'S TALK DIRTY IN HAWAIIAN

Divorce, Addiction, and Other Obstacles in the Path to Happiness

Matt Mulhern is an actor turned writer/director in this amazingly fine first feature film. If DUANE HOPWOOD is any indication of the storehouse of creative and gently profound films housed in Mulhern's mind, we have a major artist being birthed.

Duane Hopwood (David Schwimmer) is a loser: despite the fact that he is one of the most loving beings around, he is plagued by the realities of life - working a testy night job as a pit boss in Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City, failing to be present for a wife and two girls he loves but neglects due to his working hours and that has resulted in divorce, alcoholism, and failure to repair - he just can't make his life work. After a DUI arrest in which Duane has inadvertently jeopardized the life of one of his passenger daughters, is ex-wife Linda (Janeane Garofalo) is driven to prevent visitation rights to a man she recognizes is in truth a loving father who simply can't cope. Duane lives alone until his casino friend Anthony (Judah Friedlander), a would be stand up comic, asks to share Duane's home. Duane's bad luck follows him even when he is trying to give despicable people a fair break at the casino and hence loses his job. He attempts to date a kind Irish bartender Gina (Susan Lynch) but fails that role when he confesses that he still loves his wife. The ultimate blow comes when Linda and her new boyfriend Bob (John Krasinski) decide to move to North Carolina, a fact that means Duane will rarely see his beloved daughters. And his life continues to pall-mall despite all the loving hands offered by the good people around him.

The story has no beginning and no end. It is a slice of life about an Everyman racked by bad decisions, good at heart but unable to control his propensities, and the effects of addiction, divorce, and loneliness on a kind but bumbling soul. David Schwimmer gives a deeply moving performance, one that is so sensitively rendered that it holds mirrors to us all, making us love him as much as the people around him who stand by helplessly by as he spirals down the hole of self-destructive behavior. Janeane Garofalo likewise steps out of her usual silly chubby mouthy roles and gives us an injured but wholly understandable bruised woman: her acting is the finest she has ever given us. The entire cast (with some surprise appearances by some fine actors) is top notch, but in the end the kudos go to Matt Mulhern for offering us one of the best examinations of divorce and modern marriage with an eye that clearly sees both sides of trauma. This is an underrated, superb film that deserves a wide audience. Grady Harp