Slingshot (2005)

Director:

Jay Alaimo

Writers:

Jay Alaimo (screenplay)
Matt Fiorello (screenplay)
(more)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Two cunning and manipulative drifters venture into Farifield County, Connecticut looking to seduce wealthy and lonely housewives.

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Conneticut | Lie | Grifter | Thirty Something

Cast

David Arquette	...	Ash
Thora Birch	...	April
Balthazar Getty	...	Taylor
Julianna Margulies	...	Karen
Joely Fisher	...	Emma
Michael Janik	...	Dickson
Svetlana Metkina	...	Fast Bobby
Lillo Brancato	...	DJ
Katie Chonacas	...	Ruby
Sara Colton	...	Constance
Kat Coiro	...	Tina (as Katherine Cunningham-Eves)
Spencer Diamond	...	Tracey
Patrick Dizney	...	Gerry
Rachel Konstantin	...	Candice
Andrea Leigh	...	Joy
Eric Rath	...	Banker
Krysten Ritter	...	Beth
Irene Walsh	...	Suzanne
Jordan Burt	...	Young Ash
Miles Chandler	...	Young Taylor
Taylor Patterson	...	Young Girl
Donna Carey	...	Background Extra
Matthew DeLong	...	Background Extra
Elizabeth Halstead	...	Background Extra
Lindsay Mann	...	Background Extra
Theresa Pappa	...	Background Extra
Stacey Petta	...	Background Extra
Jacqueline Rowland	...	Background Extra
Leesa Risco	...	Background Extrra
Al Scala	...	Background Extra
Gerry Scala	...	Background Extra
James Sitar	...	Background Extra
Sebastian Sosnobsky	...	Background Extra
Tia Swarbrick	...	Background Extra
Michael Kevin Walker	...	Bar Patron
Kelsey Zarella	...	Background Extra
Krysta Brielle Zeiset	...	Background Extra (as Krysta Zeiset)
Tricia Zucco	...	Background Extra

Directed by
Jay Alaimo

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jay Alaimo		screenplay
Matt Fiorello		screenplay
Matthew Martin		screenplay (as Matthew Q. Martin)

Produced by
Jay Alaimo	....	producer
Bruce Ashkinos	....	co-executive producer: main title sequence, Pure
Stephen Ashkinos	....	co-executive producer
Edward Bass	....	producer
Jack Birch	....	producer
Matt Fiorello	....	producer (as Matthew Fiorello)
Brendan Garst	....	co-producer
Daniel Grodnik	....	consulting producer (as Dan Grodnik)
Kathleen Hebert	....	co-producer
Robert H. Hultzen	....	co-executive producer (as Robert Hultzen)
Michel Litvak	....	executive producer
Jeff Rice	....	executive producer
Anne Rokahr	....	associate producer (as Anne Rainey Rokahr)
David Schulenburg	....	producer: main title sequence, Pure
Steve Tozzi	....	creative producer: main title sequence, Pure
Gary Michael Walters	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jeffrey C.J. Vanston		(as CJ Vanston)

Cinematography by
Paul Daley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jim Rubino

Casting by
Kelli Lerner

Production Design by
Kate Duffy

Art Direction by
Kate Duffy
Beth Mickle		(as Elizabeth Mickle)

Costume Design by
Jennifer James

Makeup Department
Fabian Garcia	....	key hair stylist
Judy Lewin	....	hair stylist: additional photography, Los Angeles
Judy Lewin	....	makeup artist: additional photography, Los Angeles
Ryan McKnight	....	additional makeup artist
Johnny Mooi	....	additional hair stylist
Lauren Velez	....	additional makeup artist
Leo Won	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Brendan Garst	....	unit production manager
Harvey Greenberg	....	post-production supervisor
Christina Mathena	....	unit production manager
Maureen Norton	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joseph Aspromonti	....	first assistant director (as Joe Espo)
James Feldman	....	second assistant director
Matt Fiorello	....	second unit director (as Matthew Fiorello)
Bruno Michels	....	assistant director: second unit
Milos Milicevic	....	first assistant director: additional photography, Los Angeles
Nick Prevas	....	second assistant director: additional photography, Los Angeles

Art Department
Brianna Schweizer	....	art director: additional photography, Los Angeles

Sound Department
Kevin Bowe	....	boom operator
Michael Brown	....	foley mixer
Gary Coppola	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary J. Coppola)
Andrew Edelman	....	sound mixer: additional photography, Los Angeles (as Andy Edelman)
Jack Hutson	....	additional sound mixer: second unit
Rob Jacobs	....	foley editor
Yagmur Kaplan	....	sound effects editor
Tim LeBlanc	....	foley editor
Tim H. Lee	....	adr mixer
Tim H. Lee	....	first assistant engineer
Tim H. Lee	....	sound editor
Shannon Potter	....	foley supervisor
Greg Shear	....	sound intern: Departure Studios
Christopher Sheldon	....	supervising sound editor
Jose Torres	....	sound mixer
Jeremiah Turits	....	sound intern: Departure Studios
David Warburton	....	post facility coordinator
Andrew J. Wright	....	field recordist (as Andy Wright)
Mike Guarino	....	additional sound mixer (uncredited)
Yagmur Kaplan	....	pre-dub mixer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ajit Menon	....	title sequence animator

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Baney	....	grip
Maceo Bishop	....	Steadicam operator
René Crout	....	first assistant camera (as Rene Crout)
Michele De Lorimier	....	assistant camera: additional photography, Los Angeles (as Michelle De Lorimier)
Rudy Diaz	....	electrician
Marcello Dupont	....	additional assistant camera: second unit
Daniel Feighery	....	camera loader (as Danny Feighery)
T.J. Hellmuth	....	assistant camera
T.J. Helmuth	....	additional camera loader: second unit
Bob Izzo	....	key grip
Nina Kuhn	....	electrician
Jim Mickle	....	best boy grip
Saade Mustafa	....	Steadicam operator: additional photography, New York (as Saadd Mustaffa)
David Navarro	....	gaffer: additional photography, Los Angeles
Christopher T. Paul	....	Steadicam operator (as Chris Paul)
R. Samul	....	dolly grip
Shane Sauer	....	camera operator: second unit
Shane Sauer	....	still photographer
Steve Siddell	....	best boy electric
Josh Silfen	....	second assistant camera
Jason Velez	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Daria Maneche	....	additional stylist
Sandra Peinado	....	wardrobe supervisor
Xandra Mercedez	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Townsley Balak	....	assistant editor: Chemistry Editorial
Lauren Basile	....	assistant editor: Chemistry Editorial
Allison Grace	....	additional editor
Cam Newlin	....	post-production assistant
Aaron Rottinghaus	....	additional editor
Sue Wladar	....	executive producer: Chemistry Editorial
Paul Salamoff	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Tony Brock	....	composer: additional music
Gordon Fordyce	....	music editor
Bruce Gaitsch	....	musician: guitar (as Bruce R. Gaitsch)
Jerry Goodman	....	musician: violin
Tom Halm	....	music preparation
Logan Raskin	....	composer: theme music
Roger Raskin	....	composer: theme music
Jeffrey C.J. Vanston	....	music producer (as CJ Vanston)
Richard Walters	....	music supervisor
Nick Weston	....	music scoring mixer
Stephen Viens	....	composer: additional score (uncredited)

Other crew
Arianne Apicelli	....	production assistant (as Arriane Apicelli)
Joel Beckman	....	legal services: Nystrom, Beckman & Paris
Joanne Calvanese-Lipton	....	chef assistant
Craig DiBiase	....	production assistant
Julie Grace	....	production assistant
Douglas Haddad	....	stand-in
Berry Hatfield	....	production assistant (as Berry 'Baz' Hatfield)
Steve Levin	....	production assistant
April Lyn	....	stand-in
Versa Manos	....	publicist
Christina Mathena	....	location manager
Grant McFadden	....	assistant: Gary Michael Walters
David Michaels	....	stand-in
Bruno Michels	....	key set production assistant
Wendy Kay Moore	....	assistant: Dan Grodnik (as Wendy Moore)
Colleen Pelletier	....	assistant production coordinator (as Colleen Sturtevant)
Anthony Perry	....	production assistant
Curtis Reynolds	....	assistant: Mercer Films
Curtis Reynolds	....	key assistant location manager
Freddie Santaniello	....	catering chef
Gwen Schroeder	....	production coordinator (as Gwen Laura Schmitt)
Barbara Seretan	....	assistant: Ed Bass
Howard Steeves	....	script supervisor
Lora Marie Taylor	....	assistant accountant: wrap
Josh Timonen	....	technical supporter
Kevin Turner	....	production assistant: additional photography, New York
Steven Walters	....	production runner
Russell Weakland	....	production assistant (as Russ Weakland)
Ian M. Stratford	....	production counsel (uncredited)

Thanks
David 'Kam' Coyner	....	dedicatee
Robert H. Hultzen	....	special thanks (as Bobby Hultzen)
Robert Kashian	....	special thanks
Rhonda Price	....	very special thanks
Lilla Staab	....	special thanks
Gary Michael Walters	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Bold Films
• Coquette Productions
• Mercer Films

Distributors

• Scanbox Entertainment (2009) (Finland) (DVD)
• Slingshot LLC (2004) (USA)
• Weinstein Company, The

Other Companies

• Creative Talent Source  extras casting
• Departure Studios  post-production audio services
• Du Art Film and Video  processing
• Film Emporium  production insurance services
• Giorgio Armani  special thanks
• Gray Krauss Des Rochers  legal services
• Hart Murmurs  voice casting
• Joanna's Restaurant & Banquet  catering
• Kelli Lerner Casting  casting associate
• Kelli Lerner Casting  casting
• L'Oreal Professional Redken  hair products
• MAC  make-up
• Magic Film and Video  negative re-transfer
• Matchframe Video  high-definition digital processing
• Media Services  payroll services
• Movie Mobile  camera cranes and dollies
• Nystrom, Beckman & Paris  legal services
• Pure  main title sequence design
• The Eastman Kodak Company  printed on (as Eastman Kodak Film)
• Treehouse Studios  score recorded at (as Tree House Studio)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, drug use, some sexuality and violence

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-13

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Company:

Bold Films

Quotes:

Tracey:You're not some kind of child molester, are you?
Ash:If I was a child molester, would I tell you about it?
Tracey:[ponders a beat] Good point.

Movie Connections:

Features Where the Day Takes You (1991)

Soundtrack:

Hold Me Now

The Rewards and Perils of Bonded Kids Who Never Grow Up

SLINGSHOT explores the ups and downs of the lives of two boys, close friends since childhood, both from homes where they were unwanted, who made it through reform school and remain as a unit into an adult life as petty scam artists - living on the edge of crime and a life of desperate need for belonging. The script by Jay Alaimo (who also directs), Matt Fiorello, Matthew Martin is gritty, full of humor and fine interchanges between the characters that manage to lift the story to a higher level of social statement than the usual 'crime buddies tales'.

Ashley (David Arquette) and Taylor (Balthazar Getty) are the borderline 'bad guy duo' who have decided to move their scam of charming lonely housewives while robbing them to Fairfield County, Connecticut: the scam is that Taylor seduces the women while Ashley robs the preoccupied women. One of Taylor's hits is bored and married Karen (Julianna Margulies) whose second marriage is passionless making her an easy target for Taylor's charms. All goes according to plan until Taylor realizes he cares for Karen and Karen (with a lot of encouragement from girlfriend Emma - Joely Fisher - for an affair) falls for Taylor. The nightly signal from Karen that the coast is clear for Taylor to join her in bed is a light from her bedroom, yet when that goes on one evening, Taylor meets Karen's young daughter April (Thora Birch) in her mother's bedroom and barely escapes discovery when Karen and husband come home early. April at first mocks Taylor's attraction to her mother, but gradually the two bond - the first time that Taylor has been close to anyone except Ashley.

While Taylor is 'prepping' Karen for robbery Ashley is mixing with their 'crime bosses' Dickson (Michael Janik) and Fast Bobby (Svetlana Metkina) and feels the threat to perform. Several incidents lead to the final confrontation between Taylor, now enamored with April, and Ashley, who finally comes to grips with the fact that he is love with Taylor. The long-standing duo hits a schism and how that resolves provides a disturbing ending.

The four leads - Arquette, Getty, Margulies, and Birch - offer performances that are more than simple outlines of disconsolate characters: they inhabit their roles, finding cores of credibility that allow the viewer to understand the needs and fears of these isolated people. The cinematography by Paul Daley is appropriately grimy and the film editing by Jim Rubino takes Jay Alaimo's direction to a more cohesive whole. While not a great movie by any means, it is a touching character study of what happens to unwanted kids whose lives are dependent on each other in a world that rejects them. Grady Harp