The Puffy Chair (2005)

Director:

Jay Duplass
(more)

Writers:

Mark Duplass (written by) &
Jay Duplass (written by)

Release Date:

27 April 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

Josh Sagers drives cross-country on a mission to deliver his father's birthday gift - a giant purple LazyBoy.

Plot Keywords:

Birthday | Motel | Gift | New York City | Upholsterer

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Mark Duplass	...	Josh
Katie Aselton	...	Emily (as Kathryn Aselton)
Rhett Wilkins	...	Rhett
Julie Fischer	...	Amber
Larry Duplass	...	Josh's Dad
Bari Hyman	...	Motel Manager
Gerald Finnegan	...	Furniture Salesman
Henry Barendse	...	Upholsterer
Cindy Duplass	...	Josh's Mom
David Parsons	...	Theater Owner
Jose Manuel Alvarado	...	Furniture Employee
Daniel Gonzalez	...	Furniture Employee (as Daniel Gonzales)
Ora Aselton	...	Furniture Customer
Bill Leighton	...	Fire Extinguisher (as Billy Leighton)
Jim Whalen	...	Doctor

Directed by
Jay Duplass
Mark Duplass		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Mark Duplass		(written by) &
Jay Duplass		(written by)

Produced by
Katie Aselton	....	co-producer (as Kathryn Aselton)
Cindy Duplass	....	executive producer
Larry Duplass	....	executive producer
Mark Duplass	....	producer
Jen Tracy	....	co-producer (as Jen Tracy Duplass)
Jay Duplass	....	producer (uncredited)
Julie Fischer	....	senior post-production producer (uncredited)

Film Editing by
Jay Deuby

Sound Department
Larry Blake	....	sound re-recording mixer
John E. Bryant	....	boom operator (as John Bryant)
Matt Coby	....	sound editor
Jay Gallagher	....	sound editor
Patricia Gorman	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
John E. Bryant	....	gaffer (as John Bryant)

Other crew
Mark David	....	film clips: "Sweet Thing" courtesy of

Thanks
Jeffrey Abramson	....	thanks (as Jeff Abramson)
Carl Aselton	....	special thanks
Ora Aselton	....	special thanks
Stefanie Azpiazu	....	thanks (as Stephanie Azpiazu)
Brad Barnes	....	thanks
Todd Barnes	....	thanks
Eric Besner	....	thanks
Will Blake	....	thanks
Anna Boden	....	thanks
Charles Budd	....	thanks
Mary Budd	....	thanks
Andrew Bujalski	....	thanks
Charles Burmeister	....	thanks
Ray Carney	....	thanks
Howard Cohen	....	thanks
Ozzie Coombs	....	thanks
Sharon Coombs	....	thanks
Liesl Copland	....	special thanks
Michael Costigan	....	thanks
Eric d'Arbeloff	....	thanks
Mark David	....	thanks
Craig A. Emanuel	....	thanks (as Craig Emanuel)
Eric Escobar	....	thanks
Warren Etheredge	....	thanks (as Warren Etheridge)
Ryan Fleck	....	thanks
Andy Gershenzon	....	thanks
Robert Hawk	....	thanks (as Bob Hawk)
Erin Heidenreich	....	thanks
Chris Henderson	....	thanks
Eugene Hernandez	....	thanks
Julie Howard	....	thanks
Amy Hubbard	....	thanks (as Amy MacLean)
Marc Isaacman	....	thanks (as Mark Isaacman)
Elisabeth Jamison	....	thanks
Dana Johnson	....	thanks
Chris Kannen	....	thanks
Douglas Katz	....	thanks
Willard Kelley	....	thanks
Geoff Kleinman	....	thanks
Shauna Larussa	....	thanks
Tamara Lecker	....	thanks
Ryan Long	....	thanks
Doug March	....	thanks
Anne McCabe	....	thanks
Megan O'Neill	....	thanks
Marguerite Phillips	....	thanks
Suzannah Phillips	....	thanks
Bryan Poyser	....	thanks
Frank Reynolds	....	thanks
James Rocchi	....	thanks
David Rubin	....	thanks
Ted Sarandos	....	thanks
Garret Savage	....	thanks
Peter Sawyer	....	thanks
John Schlegel	....	thanks
Lee-Lee Schlegel	....	thanks
Maya Singer	....	thanks
Dustin Smith	....	thanks (as Dusty Smith)
Ellen Strout	....	thanks
Joe Swanberg	....	thanks
Jake Vaughan	....	thanks
Amber Lea Voiles	....	thanks (as Amber Voiles)
Ryan Werner	....	thanks
Byron Westbrook	....	thanks
Joanne Wiles	....	thanks
Caveh Zahedi	....	thanks
David Zellner	....	thanks
Steve Zissis	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Duplass Brothers Productions (as Duplass Brothers)

Distributors

• Red Envelope Entertainment (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Roadside Attractions (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Netflix (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Videorama (2007) (Greece) (all media)

Other Companies

• Bluebird Motel, The  thank you
• Cinetic Media  distribution and advisory services
• Four Ears Music  music consultant (uncredited)
• H.F. Pinkham  thank you (as H.F. Pinkham's)
• JAM Pictures  film clips: "Sweet Thing" courtesy of
• Joshy's Place  thank you
• Milbridge Gulf Station  thank you
• Milbridge Movie Theater  thank you (as Mibridge Movie Theater)
• Postworks New York  thank you
• Red Barn Motel  thank you
• Red Barn Restaurant  thank you
• Swelltone Labs  post-production sound services provided by (as Swelltone Labs / New Orleans)
• Timkin Pike Tires  thank you (as Timkin Tires)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

USA:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R | UK:15 | Australia:MA

Company:

Duplass Brothers Productions

Movie Connections:

References The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Soundtrack:

Blanket of Love

Smart, funny, and ultimately affecting

I saw "The Puffy Chair" at South by Southwest, and it is an excellent film. It is genuine, thoughtful, and alternately hilarious and melancholy. It deserves to be the new "Garden State."

The movie's premise is simple: Josh and his girlfriend Emily go on a road-trip to pick up an old puffy recliner that Josh won on ebay and bring it to his dad for his birthday. Along the way, they stop to visit brother, a well-meaning but slightly insane lover of all things - especially nature and women - who ends up tagging along. One of the funniest scenes in the movie occurs when the three attempt to stay at a motel in Virginia but only pay for one person to save ten bucks; the ridiculous scheming (which of course backfires) to save a few bucks is on par with any of George Costanza's finest moments. The exchanges between brothers remind me of my banter with my own siblings, and the relationship that Josh and Emily have feels both unique and universal. The direction and and hand-held camera work give the film a documentary feel that really works well, and the music blends well with what is going on. The director and screenwriter used their low budget to great advantage, keeping things totally authentic; eliminating the documentary-style camera and getting rid of the improvisation would have ruined the mood of the movie.

Overall, the film moves seamlessly from comedy to melancholy and from jubilant romantic beginnings to bittersweet possible endings. If you get a chance to see this flick, give it a try: it's short and sweet, but it will stay with you for a while.