While I Was Gone (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Mike Robe

Writers (WGA):

Alan Sharp (teleplay)
Sue Miller (novel)

Release Date:

10 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A veterinarian, unhappy in her life and in her marriage to a minister, treats a dog whose condition is so bad it may have to be euthanized...

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Kirstie Alley	...	Jo Beckett
Bill Smitrovich	...	Reverend Daniel Beckett
Janaya Stephens	...	Cass Beckett
Peter Horton	...	Eli Mayhew
Deborah Odell	...	Sylvia Mayhew
Sandra Caldwell	...	Betty
Rebecca Benson	...	Young Jo Beckett
Jeff Topping	...	Young Eli Mayhew
Kim Poirier	...	Dana Jablonski
Ryan Kennedy	...	Duncan
Adam Smoluk	...	Larry
Tyler Hynes	...	Malky McDowell
River Ferreira	...	Jesus Martinez
Kevin Williams	...	Byron Hall
Shauna MacDonald	...	Detective Geary
Bill Lake	...	Sergeant Eberhart
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cory Cassidy	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Aaron Hannem	...	Night Club Patron (uncredited)
Brooke Palsson	...	Jo Beckett's Daughter (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Robe

Writing credits (WGA)
Alan Sharp		(teleplay)
Sue Miller		(novel)

Produced by
Ted Babcock	....	co-producer
Richard Fischoff	....	producer
Peter Sadowski	....	producer
Robert M. Sertner	....	executive producer
Randy Sutter	....	co-executive producer
Frank von Zerneck	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Lawrence Shragge

Cinematography by
Derick V. Underschultz		(director of photography) (as Derick Underschultz)

Film Editing by
Neil Mandelberg

Production Design by
Deanne Rohde

Set Decoration by
Norma Jean Sanders

Costume Design by
Tina Fiorda

Makeup Department
Amanda Kuryk	....	first assistant makeup artist
Barry Olafson	....	key hair stylist
Joyce Wold	....	key makeup artist
Frances Hans	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Anastasia Geras	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Danielle Dumesnil	....	second assistant director
Kevin Thomson	....	first assistant director
Charles Crossin	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Brent Deere	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Emily Drake	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jason Gibbs	....	property master
Holly Moore	....	art department coordinator
Brian Smith	....	construction coordinator
Lawrence Van Went	....	key scenic artist
Ricardo Alms	....	props buyer (uncredited)
Jonathan Van Winkle	....	graphic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Kevin Fisher	....	sound effects editor
G. Michael Graham	....	supervising sound editor (as Michael Graham)
Robert L. Harman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Allen Hurd	....	sound re-recordist
Barbara Issak	....	adr supervisor
Anita Lubosch	....	production sound mixer
Dean Okrand	....	sound re-recording mixer
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Stan Mak	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Paul Morrow	....	second boom operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Rick Skene	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
François Balcaen	....	key grip (as Francois Balcaen)
Laurence Mardon	....	gaffer
Arlea Ashcroft	....	lead lamp operator (uncredited)
John Durica	....	daily electrician (uncredited)
Allen Fraser	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Matthew Hannam	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Joao Holowka	....	best boy electric (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susan Glicksman	....	casting: Los Angeles
Jim Heber	....	casting: Winnipeg
Coral Legault	....	casting: Toronto
Alex Wald	....	casting: Los Angeles
Clare Walker	....	casting: Toronto
Eleanor Erum	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)
Kari Rieger	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paula Dunfield	....	costume set supervisor (uncredited)
Amy Sztulwark	....	costume intern (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jacqueline F. Bisbano	....	assistant editor (as Jackie Bisbano)

Music Department
Terri Fricon	....	music supervisor
Chris Ledesma	....	music editor
Michael Stern	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Garry 'Diesel' Trosky	....	transportation coordinator (as Garry Trosky)
Dave Perich	....	cast driver: Ms Alley (uncredited)

Other crew
Sarah Jane Cundell	....	location manager
Adeline Elias	....	production accountant (as Adeline A. Elias)
Tanya Mazur	....	script supervisor
Kimberly Mikoluff	....	production coordinator
Jason Campbell	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Paul Courchaine	....	second assistant accountant (uncredited)
Martin Ellis	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Becky Harland	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Jordan Heppner	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Andrea Hutchison	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Robb Inniss	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Georgette Nairn	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Government of Manitoba, The (with the participation of) (as the Government of Manitoba)
• Manitoba Film & Sound (with the participation of) (as Manitoba Film and Sound)
• Manitoba Film and Video Production Tax Credit (with the participation of)
• Von Zerneck Sertner Films (as von Zerneck-Sertner Films)

Distributors

• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2004) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Other Companies

• 2BK9 Acting Animals  animals supplied by (uncredited)
• City of Winnipeg  film training Manitoba
• Encore  post-production services
• Entertainment Partners Canada  payroll services
• Frank & Bob Films II  author: Berne Convention
• J.R. Post  negative cutting (as JR Post)
• Panavision  camera systems by
• Technicolor Sound Services  post-production sound
• Toybox  laboratory/dailies
• VZS: Winnipeg Pictures No. 8  production services (as VZS: Winnipeg Pictures No. 8 Inc., A Comweb Film Capital Corporation Company)

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Government of Manitoba, The

Quotes:

Young Jo Beckett: You slept with them all?
Dana Jablonski: Yep. It was nothing heavy, I mean we're all still friends. Do you think that makes me a slut?
Young Jo Beckett: No! I mean if it's all cool then that's great!
Dana Jablonski: Yeah, you know I kinda just look at it like dancing. You have different partners for difference dances. Some like to waltz and some like to do the tango and some like to foxtrot.
[she laughs]
Young Jo Beckett: Let me guess, Duncan tango's?
Dana Jablonski: Yeah and the dance of narcissism.
Young Jo Beckett: And Larry, he does rock'n'roll?
Dana Jablonski: Yeah, that's just like 'cut to the chase, let's get it on!'
[they laugh]
[...]

I didn't like it that much, but probably well done

Jo is a veterinarian in the Boston area and the wife of Daniel, a minister. One of Jo's patients is a dog in such bad shape he may need to be put down. The dog's owner turns out to be Eli, one of the group Jo used to share a house with during her hippie days. Through flashbacks, we see the young people from their time in the house.

Jo is unhappy in her marriage and tempted to cheat. Not only that, but Eli has a deep dark secret. Jo is not particularly religious despite who her husband is, but she does have moral dilemmas to face.

This was probably a well-done movie, but I didn't like it that much. There was a violent incident which was probably necessary to the plot, but we didn't actually need to see the blood. One good thing about this movie: it didn't hide religious faith, though most of Jo's friends didn't practice 'mainstream' religion, if they were religious at all. The best thing was probably the moral struggle Jo had to go through.