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:

ON YOUR SIDE

David Schwimmer blew me away

For David Schwimmer making a name in feature films has, and will most likely continue to be a tall order, as it's tough to shed an image honed for over a decade. His first post- Friends feature is 2005's Duane Hopwood , a small film praised by critics that was only given a limited theatrical release.

Duane Hopwood is a man who once had it all, including a loving wife (Janeane Garofalo) and two daughters. Now that he's an alcoholic, all Duane has left is his cushy job as a pit boss at Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City. Now divorced, his downfall accelerates when he's stopped for drunk driving with his daughter in the car. A judge goes somewhat easy on Duane, only revoking his driver's license. He uses a bicycle to get to work until his friend and co-worker Anthony (Judah Friedlander) moves in with him and drives him to work. All that Duane wants is to spend time with his kids and get back with his wife, but numerous glasses of scotch and cans of beer always get in the way.

To say David Schwimmer has arrived as a serious actor is a major understatement. His portrayal of a man spiraling downward fast is more than Oscar worthy, as this character's problems only start with dependence. His is a straightforward, dramatic account, but Schwimmer levels things out by bringing a sly sense of humor to the proceedings when necessary. Simply, David Schwimmer blew me away in this film.

Duane Hopwood is tough at times to watch, as any man with children is bound to choke up watching the title character's hardships. Writer/director Matt Mulhern begins his film with a montage of Duane's good times, laughing with his wife and kids before making the pivotal decision of stopping at a bar one night—soon after, we have a front row seat to his demise. Mulhern's pacing is excellent; so much happens in the film that it's hard to believe the running time is a mere 80 minutes. Judah Friedlander, one of the great character actors, embodies Anthony, who gives Duane enough comedy in his life to keep him afloat. Dick Cavett also pops up as Duane's neighbor, and Janeane Garofalo gives her best performance in years as Duane's wife.

Ending a film like this can be difficult. Mulhern treads this carefully, and pulls off a satisfying and realistic conclusion. One comes away feeling truly sorry for this loving father who is crippled by addiction, as so many people are, and his resulting inability to make rational and intelligent decisions. Hopefully, more people will discover this film now that it's widely available, if only to find that David Schwimmer has the acting chops to potentially enjoy a lucrative movie career. Oh, and who is this Ross guy, anyway? I've already forgotten.