Trust the Man (2005)

Director:

Bart Freundlich

Writer (WGA):

Bart Freundlich (written by)

Release Date:

1 September 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

He's doing the best he can

Plot:

After all the drama, cheating, and trial separations, two men (Crudup, Duchovny) fight to save their respective relationships.

Plot Keywords:

Actress | Manhattan New York City | Cigarette Smoking | Christmas | Masturbation

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

David Duchovny	...	Tom Pollack
Julianne Moore	...	Rebecca Pollack
Sascha Gillen	...	Baby Maggie
Brianna Gillen	...	Baby Maggie
Liam Broggy	...	David
Scott Sowers	...	TerminEx Guy
Billy Crudup	...	Tobey
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Elaine
Garry Shandling	...	Dr. Beekman
Sarah Knowlton	...	Elaine's Boss
Brian Tarantina	...	Crazy Hair Driver
Justin Bartha	...	Jasper Bernard
David Greenspan	...	Francis, the Director
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Pamela
Caroline Schlobohm	...	Shannon
Eva Mendes	...	Faith Faison
Sterling K. Brown	...	Rand
Teresa Yenque	...	María, the Babysitter
Kiran Merchant	...	Newspaper Vendor
Tom Riis Farrell	...	Waiter
Caleb Freundlich	...	Cosmos
Ellen Barkin	...	Norah
Jayne Houdyshell	...	Sex Addicts Leader
Todd M. Hofacker	...	Misplaced Sex Addict
Peter S. Bencebi	...	Cynical New Yorker
Kate Jennings Grant	...	Woman Who Can't Get Enough
Frederick B. Owens	...	John, Preferably Coarse (as Frederick Owens)
Jim Gaffigan	...	Gordon, Bitter Sex Addict
James Le Gros	...	Dante
Steve Glenn	...	Rocker at the Bar
Glenn Fitzgerald	...	Goren
Paul Hecht	...	Amis
Steven Wargo	...	Dinner Guest
Sherry Ham-Bernard	...	Lincoln Center Fan (as Sherry Ham)
Gretchen Cleevely	...	Assistant Stage Manager
John Ellison Conlee	...	Usher
Sean Dugan	...	Stage Manager
Hollis Granville	...	Stage Actor
Jimmy King	...	Audience Member #1
Chris Champeau	...	Audience Member #2
Francine Beers	...	Old Lady
Liv Freundlich	...	Older Maggie
Noelle Beck	...	Flight Attendant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacqueline Lovell	...	Bar Girl (unconfirmed)
Chenoa Andon	...	Theatre Patron (uncredited)
Anya Avaeva	...	Spectator (uncredited)
Bob Balaban	...	Tobey's Therapist (uncredited)
Cheryl Cosenza	...	Cocktail waitress (uncredited)
Emrie Foster	...	Cousin (uncredited)
Bart Freundlich	...	Man on the street (uncredited)
Claudia Lopez	...	Club Goer (uncredited)
Cristina Marie	...	Theatre Patron (uncredited)
Josh Ruben	...	Elaine's Brother (uncredited)
Mario Simone	...	Skateboarder (uncredited)
Jen Strickland	...	Rachel (uncredited)
Boomer Tibbs	...	Sex Addict Group Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Bart Freundlich

Writing credits (WGA)
Bart Freundlich		(written by)

Produced by
Paul F. Bernard	....	associate producer
Bart Freundlich	....	producer
Marina Grasic	....	executive producer
Pamela Hirsch	....	line producer
Todd M. Hofacker	....	producer: additional production
Sidney Kimmel	....	producer
Evelyn O'Neill	....	executive producer
Tim Perell	....	producer
Bruce Toll	....	executive producer
Meredith Zamsky	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Clint Mansell

Cinematography by
Tim Orr		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Gilroy

Casting by
Douglas Aibel

Production Design by
Kevin Thompson

Art Direction by
John Nyomarkay

Set Decoration by
Mila Khalevich

Costume Design by
Michael Clancy

Makeup Department
Annemarie Bradley	....	key hair stylist
Maya Hardinge	....	makeup artist
Sherry Heart	....	hair department head
Jean Henry	....	hair stylist
Susan Reilly LeHane	....	makeup department head
Tania Ribalow	....	key makeup artist
Amanda Ross	....	makeup artist
Brian Sherratt	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jennifer Lane	....	post-production supervisor
Rose Viggiano	....	production supervisor
Meredith Zamsky	....	unit production manager

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

Art Department
Thomas Ahlers	....	set dresser
Julia Barraclough	....	charge scenic
Leni Calas	....	property master
Frank DeCurtis Jr.	....	set dresser
Guido DeCurtis	....	set dresser
Louise DeCurtis	....	set dresser
Peter DeCurtis	....	leadman
Thomas A. Delillo	....	on-set dreser
Shannon Finnerty	....	buyer
Adam Goodnoff-Cernese	....	assistant property master
Bradley Klipp	....	set dresser
Vanessa Merrill	....	art department production assistant
Richard Morris	....	set dresser
Joseph Proscia	....	set dresser
Kevin L. Raper	....	graphic designer
Kevin L. Raper	....	props
Cliff Schorr	....	camera scenic artist
Alyson Wellins	....	art department coordinator (as Alyson Wellins Lewin)

Sound Department
David Boulton	....	adr recordist (as Dave Boulton)
Rachel Chancey	....	foley editor
Krissopher Chevannes	....	adr recordist
Ryan Collison	....	foley recordist
Robert Fernandez	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Gallagher	....	adr recordist
Bobby Johanson	....	adr recordist
Thomas Kodros	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby Stereo (as Tom Kodros)
Andrew Kris	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Andy Kris)
Brian Langman	....	additional sound effects editor
Terrance Laudermilch	....	sound mix technician (as Terry Laudermich)
Tommy Louie	....	boom operator
Richard Murphy	....	utility sound
Dave Paterson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dave Paterson	....	supervising sound editor
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Mary Ellen Porto	....	adr & dialogue editor
William Sarokin	....	sound mixer
Shane Stoneback	....	sound mix technician

Visual Effects by
Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor/producer
Heather Ignarro	....	visual effects coordinator
Rich Kaplinski	....	film recording
Robert Lukacs	....	compositing artist
Edward Quirk	....	senior 3D artist
Aanand Shrestha	....	visual effects technician (as Aanand Shrostha)
Sharon Stetzel	....	visual effects coordinator
Tommy Tran	....	compositing artist

Stunts
Paul Bucossi	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt coordinator
John DeBlasio	....	stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunts
Carolyn Feldschuh	....	stunts
Michael Russo	....	stunt coordinator
Patrick M. Walsh	....	stunts
Anderson Jenkins	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Will Arnot	....	Steadicam operator (as William Arnot)
Ricco Austin	....	video playback operator
K.C. Bailey	....	still photographer
Steve Baker	....	additional grip (as Steven Baker)
Carlos Bible	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Hugo Bonilla	....	electrician
Gregory Cahill	....	dolly grip (as Greg Cahill)
Sung Rae Cho	....	assistant camera
Matthew Clark	....	camera operator: additional photography
Frank G. DeMarco	....	camera operator: additional photography (as Frank Demarco)
Jeffrey Dutemple	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
David Elwell	....	best boy electric
David Elwell	....	electrician
Jeffrey A. Eplett	....	rigging gaffer (as Jeff Eplett)
Glenn Fishel	....	grip
Ray Flynn	....	best boy electric (as Raymond Flynn)
Eric Gearity	....	key grip
Justin Scott Gravatt	....	electrician (as Justin Gravatt)
Dennis Green	....	video playback operator
Ian Grunke	....	grip
Lincoln Harrice	....	additional grip
Susan Heller	....	electrician
Laura Hudock	....	loader
Linda Kallerus	....	second assistant camera (as Linda Slater)
Keith Kalohelani	....	electrician
Doug Meils	....	additional rigging electric
Scott Miller	....	gaffer
Anna Novick	....	grip
Hernan Otaño	....	camera operator (as Hernan Michael Otaño)
Craig Pressgrove	....	first assistant camera
Darren Ryan	....	video playback operator
Daniel Salk	....	video playback operator
Chris Scarafile	....	additional grip
John Schwartz	....	rigging best boy
Mark Schwentner	....	lighting designer: stage lighting
Joshua Van Praag	....	generator operator
Dan Vranesich	....	best boy grip (as Daniel J. Vranesich)
Marc Vranesich	....	grip (as Marc F. Vranesich)

Casting Department
Stephanie Holbrook	....	casting associate
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting (as Meredith Jacobson Marciano)
Sondra James	....	adr voice casting
Barbara McNamara	....	extras casting associate
Laura Verbeke	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Valerie Bentley	....	costume production assistant
Amy R. Burt	....	costumer (as Amy Burt)
Victoria Davidov	....	costume production assistant
Sarah Goldstein	....	costume production assistant
Erika Goyzueta	....	wardrobe supervisor
Bernadette Jurkowski	....	additional costumer
Pilar Limosner	....	assistant costume designer
Lilly Rachles	....	costume production assistant
Holly Waterfield	....	costume production assistant
Courtney Williams	....	costume production assistant

Editorial Department
James Ahern	....	editor: DRS
Kenny Becker	....	color timer
Chi Yoon Chung	....	associate editor (as Chi-Yoon Chung)
Jessica Elvin	....	editor: DRS
Heather Goodwin	....	additional assistant editor
James W. Harrison III	....	post-production assistant
Chris Keighley	....	film scanner
Anthony Kounouklos	....	conforming editor
Ted Rodenborn	....	film scanner
Beatrice Sisul	....	assistant editor
Tim Stipan	....	colorist
Stan Sztaba	....	negative cutter
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor
Christian Zak	....	digital intermediate producer

Music Department
David Richard Campbell	....	orchestrator (as David Campbell)
Clint Mansell	....	score producer
Dave Paterson	....	music editor
Brian Ross	....	music consultant
Allen Sides	....	music scoring mixer
Joshua Winget	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Robert Bermudez	....	driver
Jim Buckman	....	transportation captain
Robert Buckman	....	driver
Salvatore Cicone	....	driver (as Salvatore Ciccone)
George Collins	....	driver
James Donnelly	....	driver
Mike Elliot	....	driver
Kenneth Garrison	....	driver

Other crew
Emery Anderson	....	engineer
Michael Balabuch	....	project manager (as Mike Balabuch)
Kathleen Beall	....	location scout
Mike Berlin	....	location assistant
Danielle Blumstein	....	assistant production coordinator
Vincent Burns	....	stand-in: David Duchovny
Blanca Camacho	....	additional voice artist
Jana Camacho	....	production assistant
Carmen Cardenas	....	production secretary (as Carmen Cárdenas)
Adam Carroll	....	location assistant
David Coburn	....	additional voice artist
Wendy Cohen	....	product placement
Wendy Cohen	....	rights and clearances
Ralph Costanza	....	print coordinator
Tony Cypres	....	first assistant accountant
Janna DeLury	....	script supervisor
Bryant Denny	....	set production assistant
Kelly Dorsey	....	assistant: Mr. Perell
Steve Faughnan	....	location assistant
Anthony Ficalora	....	accounting clerk
Howard Gertler	....	production executive
Dave Ginsberg	....	location coordinator (as David Ginsberg)
Mitchell Greenberg	....	additional voice artist
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative
Jennifer Hayman	....	assistant: Lisa Kussell
Todd M. Hofacker	....	assistant: Bart Freundlch
Todd M. Hofacker	....	producer: additional photography
Aaron Hurvitz	....	location assistant
Nick Jayanty	....	additional set production assistant
Rick Kain	....	stand-in: Billy Crudup and Justin Bartha
Suzie Katayama	....	contractor
Richard Keeshan	....	office production assistant (as Richard P. Keeshan)
Elizabeth Klenk	....	location scout
Annie Kuronyi	....	location scout (as Ann Kuronyi)
Lisa Kussell	....	unit publicist
Matthew Labyorteaux	....	additional voice artist (as Matt Labyorteaux)
Martin Leight	....	additional set production assistant
Pietro Lorino Jr.	....	post-production accountant (as Pietro Lorino)
Jack Lorino	....	assistant post-production accountant
Patrick Mahoney	....	craft service
Francisco Marcial	....	parking coordinator (as Cisco Marcial)
Marcus Maurice	....	additional voice artist
Ann McVey	....	additional set production assistant
Ross Miller	....	insurance
Christie Moreau	....	additional voice artist
Bo Morrison	....	assistant: Ms. O'Neill
Leda Nornang	....	production coordinator
Alison Norod	....	set production assistant (as Ali Norod)
Kyle O'Brien	....	production accountant
Peter Pastorelli	....	location manager
Jill K. Perno	....	set production assistant (as Jill Perno)
Angel Pina	....	assistant chef
Pam Prichard	....	stand-in: Julianne Moore
Brad Robinson	....	set production assistant
Kate Roe	....	stand-in: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Bettie Ross	....	supervising copyist
Deborah Ross	....	title designer
Daniel Silverman	....	film recorder
Noelle Simeon	....	copyist
Collin Smith	....	location scout
Thoma Thurau	....	engineer
Anthony Torre	....	caterer
Lateefah Torrence	....	production associate
Rob van de Laar	....	assistant craft service (as Rob Van de Laar)
Steven Wargo	....	stand-in: Billy Crudup
Doug Webster	....	key set production assistant
Zach Wigon	....	production intern
Liz Williams	....	production intern
Leslie E. Witt	....	set medic (as Leslie Witt)
Aaron Merrell	....	production finance: SKE (uncredited)
Howard R. Schuster	....	financing (uncredited)

Thanks
Ben Harper	....	special thanks
John Carroll Lynch	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Sidney Kimmel Entertainment (presents)
• Process Productions (as Process)
• Trust the Man LLC

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Delta Films (2007) (Peru) (theatrical)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Icon Film Distribution (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Pachamama Cine (2007) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Pandasia Entertainment (2006) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2009) (UK) (TV) (BBC1)
• Cinemax (2008) (Hungary) (TV)
• Film1 (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Moviemax (2006) (Italy) (all media)
• Oxygen Media (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Paradise Group (2005) (Russia) (all media)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Cybermotion (title animation)
• Digital Filmworks (visual effects) (as Digital FilmWorks)

Other Companies

• Baker Winokur Ryder Public Relations (BWR)  unit publicist
• Clear Lake Audio  score recording facilities
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance
• Deborah Ross Film Design  main title design
• Entertainment Partners  payroll services provided by
• Fintage House  collection account management by
• Gourmet To U  catering
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Mega Playground  editing facility
• Mega Playground  post-production facilities
• Mega Playground  video dailies
• O'Henry Sound Studios  score recording facilities
• Production Resources  consultant
• Schreck Rose and Dapello  production legal
• Sound One Corporation  adr recorded at (as Sound One Corp.)
• Sound One Corporation  re-recorded at
• Technicolor New York  digital intermediate
• Union Bank of California  production financing provided by
• World Cinevision Services  negative cutters (as World Cinevision)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual content

Runtime:

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

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:o.Al. | Finland:K-7 | Argentina:13 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Brazil:12 | Peru:14 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

Trivia:

The children of star Julianne Moore and writer/director Bart Freundlich make their movie debuts in "Trust the Man". Caleb Freundlich plays Cosmos, Pamela's son who punches David Duchovny and Liv Freundlich plays Moore's daughter Maggie in the final scenes.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene transitioning to the Christmas holidays, a shot of Central Park is shown with Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Gates, Central Park, New York City, 1979-2005 in the park. However, this display was unfurled on February 12, 2005 - after the holidays were over.

Quotes:

[first lines]
David:I need help!
Tom:I'll go.

Movie Connections:

References "Zorro" (1957)

Soundtrack:

My Way Home

Trust The Man

This film seems to seek only to be exactly what it seems to be on first viewing, and manages that superbly. And all this is is just one more 'relationship' movie, showing the problems faced in modern life by 'trendy' couples in New York.

The film portrays two couples living in New York, a brother and sister and their respective partners, who have the typical problems with each other. One couple has Julianne Moore and David Duchovny in a marriage gone stale (unimaginatively shown through the medium of having Moore's character repetitively refuse her husband sex), and the other has Maggie Gyllenhaal desperate to further both her career and relationship with a boyfriend who is terrified to commit, apparently because of a fear of dying.

Not exactly original is it. Throughout the movies I just found it to be simply leaning on the stable stereotypes and ideas of every other film of this genre before it, but with little or no effort to flesh out the characters to an interesting level, something vital in a film of this kind. None of the characters in this piece are interesting, and you just cannot bring yourself to care about them. I really expected more from Duchovny and Moore, who we know can do this sort of thing well if they try, and the only one here who vaguely manages to come out of this well is Gyllenhaal, who somehow manages to work through the material and give Elaine a level of naivety and a hope to improve on her lot to make us root for her.

This is where I felt the movie, like many others like it, missed the point; these characters have problems, they're not happy and their relationships are falling apart but they don't seem to want to bother doing anything about it. In fact 'helping yourself' is actively mocked. Tom and Rebecca go to marriage counselling once a year as a joke to wind up their guidance councillor. When Tom joins a sex addicts group (apparently if you're wife refuses to have sex with you ever, and tells you this to your face, if you still want sex yourself it means you're a sex addict. No one wants sex once you have children! What a freak!) we just get shown an amusing group of weirdos with stupid and amusing fetishes involving power tools.

What this shows to me is just one more love story of how New York (once again shown as a seeming example of the epitome of American society) drains people and makes them miserable and alone. How everyone is miserable, but trying to improve your lot is pointless and laughable, so just get over it and you'll get the inevitable happy ending where both couples get what they wanted from the start, not because they've actually changed or started liking each other, but because we've got the end of the film and need to wrap it up for that cathartic happy ending that the audience wants. The moral: don't bother trying to change your life if it's not working, it'll all work out in the end if you pretend your happy.