Fay Grim (2006)

Director:

Hal Hartley

Writer:

Hal Hartley (written by)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

Featuring the continuing adventures of Henry Fool

Plot:

A ten-years-later continuation of Hal Hartley's "Henry Fool", where Fay Grim (Posey) is coerced by a CIA agent (Goldblum) to try and locate notebooks that belonged to her fugitive ex-husband (Ryan). Published in them is information that could compromises the security of the U.S., causing Fay to first head to Paris to fetch them ... |

Plot Keywords:

Vibrating Cell Phone | CIA | Sequel | Character Name In Title

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Parker Posey	...	Fay Grim
D.J. Mendel	...	Father Lang (as DJ Mendel)
Liam Aiken	...	Ned Grim
Megan Gay	...	Principal
Jasmin Tabatabai	...	Milla
Chuck Montgomery	...	Angus James
James Urbaniak	...	Simon Grim
John Keogh	...	Prosecutor
Claudia Michelsen	...	Judge
Jeff Goldblum	...	Agent Fulbright
Leo Fitzpatrick	...	Carl Fogg
J.E. Heys	...	Herzog
Aminata Seck	...	Woman Visitor at Prison
David Scheller	...	Convict Husband
Aoibheann O'Hara	...	ER Nurse
Harald Schrott	...	Andre
Miho Nikaido	...	Gnoc Deng
Elina Löwensohn	...	Bebe
Peter Benedict	...	Raul Picard
Tim Seyfi	...	Rabbi Todorov
Hubert Mulzer	...	Minister of Security
Mehdi Nebbou	...	Islamic Cleric
Saffron Burrows	...	Juliet
Suzan Anbeh	...	Concierge Paris Hotel
Nikolai Kinski	...	Amin
Robert Seeliger	...	Agent Hogan
Thomas Jay Ryan	...	Henry Fool
Olga Kolb	...	Stewardess
Jef Bayonne	...	French Drug Dealer
Mohamed Makhtoumi	...	Beaten Man in Paris
René Ifrah	...	Technician in CIA Van (as Rene Ifrah)
Sibel Kekilli	...	Concierge First Istanbul Hotel
Erdal Yildiz	...	Concierge Second Istanbul Hotel
Adnan Maral	...	Hassan
Erkan Bektas	...	Gesham
Anatole Taubman	...	Jallal
Marko Lakobrija	...	Jallal's Bodyguard
Karim Cherif	...	Istanbul Cop in Office
Ercan Özcelik	...	Istanbul Detective
Yevgeni Sitokhin	...	Russian Spy (as Jewgenij Sitochin)
Mark Zak	...	Saudi Spy
Ian T. Dickinson	...	British Spy (as Ian Dickinson)
Korhan Onur	...	Istanbul Cop in Street
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Armin Sauer	...	Gang Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Hartley

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hal Hartley		written by

Produced by
Julien Berlan	....	line producer: Paris
Mark Cuban	....	executive producer
Martin Hagemann	....	producer
Hal Hartley	....	producer
Ted Hope	....	executive producer
Mike King	....	line producer: New York
Jason Kliot	....	producer
Mike S. Ryan	....	producer
Joana Vicente	....	producer
Todd Wagner	....	executive producer
Maren Wölk	....	line producer
Özlem Yurtsever	....	line producer: Istanbul

Original Music by
Hal Hartley

Cinematography by
Sarah Cawley		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Hal Hartley

Casting by
Anja Dihrberg

Production Design by
Richard Sylvarnes

Art Direction by
Susanne Hopf
Natalja Meier

Costume Design by
Anette Guther
Daniela Selig

Makeup Department
Kerstin Gaecklein	....	hair stylist
Kerstin Gaecklein	....	makeup artist
Nimet Inkaya	....	makeup artist: Istanbul
Theodora Katsoulogiannakis	....	hair stylist: New York (as Theodora Kastsoulogiannakis)
Theodora Katsoulogiannakis	....	makeup artist: New York (as Theodora Kastsoulogiannakis)
Helen Murphy	....	makeup artist: Paris
Barbara Ratke-Sieb	....	additional hair stylist (as Barbara Radke-Sieb)
Barbara Ratke-Sieb	....	additional makeup artist (as Barbara Radke-Sieb)
Heiko Schmidt	....	key hair stylist
Heiko Schmidt	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Christopher Edwards	....	post-production supervisor: HDNet Films
Gretchen McGowan	....	executive in charge of production
Birol Temizyer	....	production manager: Istanbul

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Böhringer	....	second assistant director
Scott Kirby	....	first assistant director
Damon Maulucci	....	first assistant director: New York

Art Department
Friederike Beckert	....	stand-by props
Anne Grumbrecht	....	art department trainee
Dennis Hahn	....	graphic artist
Christoph Heinecke	....	set dresser
Nicolas Lefèbvre	....	property master: Paris (as Nicholas Lefebvre)
Tolga Pakman	....	art director: Istanbul
Tolga Pakman	....	set dresser: Istanbul
Florian Speidel	....	set dresser
Sascha Strutz	....	property master

Sound Department
David Jung	....	sound trainee
Christian Lutz	....	boom operator
Paul Oberle	....	sound equipment representative: Kortwich Film-Ton-Technik
Paul Oberle	....	sound mixer
Matthias Schwab	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Adolf Wojtinek	....	special effects supervisor (as Adolf Woijtinek)
Bernd Wildau	....	special effects foreman: Germany (uncredited)

Stunts
Armin Sauer	....	stunt coordinator
Rainer Werner	....	stunt coordinator
Joseph Beddelem	....	assistant stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mustafa Aslan	....	dolly operator: Istanbul
Adnan Aydin	....	best boy grip: Istanbul
Tom D'Angelo	....	camera equipment representative: New York, AMV
Beate Ehrentraut	....	camera equipment representative: Cinegate GmbH
Sabrina Fiedler	....	camera trainee
Glenn Fishel	....	key grip: New York (as Glen Fishel)
Simon Frenzl	....	camera equipment representative: Cinegate GmbH
Andreas Frey	....	key grip
Dan Hersey	....	first assistant camera: New York
Bernd Huebner	....	camera equipment representative: Cinegate GmbH (as Bernd Hübner)
Patryk Hyrzyk	....	camera equipment representative: Cinegate GmbH
Alexander Jung	....	additional electrician
Oliver Kühne	....	additional electrician
Tina Künnemann	....	electrician
Volker Langholz	....	electrician
Alexandre Léglise	....	second assistant camera: Paris (as Alexandre Leglise)
Martin Ludwig	....	camera equipment representative: Ludwig Kameraverleih GmbH
Tommy Mann	....	first assistant camera
Florian Niedermeier	....	best boy
Pedram Noutash	....	second assistant camera
Lars Obelmann	....	additional first assistant camera
Bjoern Susen	....	gaffer (as Björn Susen)
Muharrem Tirmik	....	second assistant camera: Istanbul
John Woods	....	gaffer: New York
Lukasz Wyszowski	....	best boy grip
Abdullah Yazici	....	best boy electric: Istanbul

Casting Department
Youna De Peretti	....	extras casting: Paris
Bernhard Karl	....	casting
Antje Mibbach	....	extras casting
Christine Rennert	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Asli Altan	....	assistant costumer: Istanbul
Asli Altan	....	assistant wardrobe: Istanbul
Virginia Cook	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York
Diana Güven	....	on-set wardrobe
Lilli Heinemann	....	costume trainee
Cecile Maillot	....	wardrobe assistant: Paris
Ruby Riad	....	on-set wardrobe

Editorial Department
Kyle Gilman	....	assistant editor
Christopher Weser	....	editorial assistant

Music Department
Tracy McKnight	....	executive soundtrack producer

Transportation Department
Mark Gleisberg	....	driver: props
Tobias Gottschlich	....	driver
Robert Merlin Hocker	....	driver
Samuel Kupfer	....	driver: Paris
Zahiddin Polat	....	driver: motorhome, Istanbul
Franck Riet	....	driver: Paris
Jean-Francois Vendroux	....	driver: Paris
Benjamin Weidner	....	driver

Other crew
Courtney Andrialis	....	assistant: Mr. Kliot and Ms. Vicente, HDNet Films
Maria Bergeaud	....	set runner: Paris
Tara Blanchard	....	assistant: Mr. Hope
Maxime Brun	....	set runner: Paris
Nathan Bush	....	production intern
Ilker Çatak	....	set runner (as Ilker Catak)
Frank Daura	....	set production assistant: New York
Anne Duncker	....	translator: Turkish
Gisela Emberger	....	set manager
Kathy England	....	insurance representative: England Insurance Brokerage Ltd
Stephan Eppinger	....	car rental representative: Car Motion Service GmbH
Can Eskinazi	....	set production assistant: Istanbul
Sylke Ferber	....	production secretary
Roland Gerhardt	....	location scout: Location Network
Kyle Gilman	....	title designer
Nicholas Goldfarb	....	production auditor: New York (as Nick Goldfarb)
Jennifer Guillarmain	....	production accountant
Dirk Hannemann	....	set runner
Juliane Heicken	....	production coordinator
Josh Herrig	....	assistant: Mr. Hope
Ruth Hetzer	....	continuity
Ruth Hetzer	....	script supervisor
Steve Holmgren	....	office manager: HDNet Films
Juliane Hoppe	....	assistant to actors
Felix Kastner	....	set runner
Louis Katz	....	production physician (as Louis A. Katz)
Sebastian Kentner	....	assistant location manager
Ireen Kirsch	....	assistant: Ms. Posey
Guillaume Lefrançois	....	assistant location manager: Paris
Reisebüro Gisela Lenthin	....	travel agent
Jean Pierre Leroc	....	set production assistant: New York
Quentin Little	....	development executive: HDNet Films
Margot Luneau	....	location manager: Paris
Christopher Matson	....	head of business affairs: HDNet Films (as Chris Matson)
Jordana Maurer	....	production coordinator: Istanbul
Laura Maxfield	....	assistant: Ms. McGowan, HDNet Films
Laura Maxfield	....	production coordinator: New York
André Morell	....	utility stand-in
Lilia Nentwig	....	set runner
Melissa Ottaviano	....	production intern: Paris
Miguel Angelo Pate	....	assistant set manager
Thomas Paturel	....	production coordinator: Paris
Sina Rasim Pekcanatti	....	production assistant: Istanbul
Kristina Redick	....	office manager: HDNet Films
Mailis Riim-Lesch	....	assistant production accountant
Mustafa Saygin	....	production assistant: Istanbul
Lutz Schönwald	....	stand-in: Jeff Goldblum
Elke Seiler	....	subtitles representative: German, Film- und Video-Untertitelung
Gernot Sprenger	....	location manager
Frank Stuart	....	legal
Tyler Swing	....	tutor: Liam Aiken
Justin Thomas	....	set intern: New York
Stanley Thomas	....	set production assistant: New York (as Stan Thomas)
Stefan Thomsen	....	insurance representative: Marsh GmbH
Huseyin Torunoglu	....	accountant: Istanbul
Diana Victor	....	business affairs: This is That
Anne Waak	....	stand-in: Parker Posey
Christopher Weser	....	electronic press kit
Moritz Wessendorff	....	assistant production coordinator
Matt Whitman	....	set production assistant: New York
Virginia A. Williams	....	assistant: Ms. McGowan
Michael Wollitz	....	freight representative: Multi Logistics GmbH
Eric Papa	....	assistant: Ted Hope (uncredited)

Thanks
Morgan Blackmore	....	thanks
Victoria Cook	....	thanks
Frank Frattaroli	....	thanks
Steve Hamilton	....	thanks
Ted Hope	....	thanks
Marlene McCarty	....	thanks
Lisa Porter	....	thanks
Adam Rackoff	....	thanks

Production Companies

• HDNet Films
• Neon Productions
• Possible Films
• This Is That Productions
• Zero Fiction Film

Distributors

• Brunbro Entertainment Group (2006) (Belgium) (all media)
• Magnolia Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Premium Film (2007) (Russia) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• AMV  camera equipment rental: New York
• Anja Dihrberg Casting  casting
• Bloc inc Filmservice  blocking (as Bloc-Inc. Filmservice GmbH)
• Car Motion Service (CMS)  car rental (as Car Motion Service GmbH)
• Cinegate  camera equipment rental
• Cineplus Media Service Co  camera equipment rental
• Elektrofilm  high-definition dailies
• Elektrofilm  sound re-recording
• Film- und Video-Untertitlung  subtitles: German
• Floris' Filmcatering  catering (as Floris' Catering)
• Guzel Turizm  transportation: Istanbul
• Kortwich  sound equipment rental
• Location Network  location scouting
• Ludwig Kameraverleih  camera equipment rental
• Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg  funding
• Multi Logistics  freight
• Orion  electric equipment rental: Istanbul
• Pille Filmgeräteverleih  camera equipment rental
• Sogen  casting agency: Istanbul
• Swiss Effects  on-line editing: color grading and film recording
• Turkuaz Catering  catering: Istanbul
• Watergate Casting  extras casting

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

118 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

HDNet Films

Quotes:

[first lines]
Father Lang: Fay? You OK?
Fay Grim: I'm afraid.
Father Lang: Why? Has something happened?
Fay Grim: I'm afraid for my son... He's fourteen.
Father Lang: Boys have been known to survive that, Fay.
Fay Grim: I'm afraid he'll grow up to be... well, like his father.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Fay Grim' or: How Do You Spell Espionage? (2007) (V)

Hit and miss

Perhaps I would have liked this film more if I wasn't so attached to the characters in Henry Fool. To those who've never seen Henry Fool, I wouldn't worry. As Hartley jokingly said in his introduction to the film at TIFF, the film has lots of exposition and explanations.

This film is very heavy in plot, which keeps the film moving. There are many humorous moments and the film certainly has Hartley's trademark humour and rhythm of dialogue. Over all, a technically well made film and sure to satisfy new fans of Hartley who are just beginning explore his work. As for the older fans who loved his earlier works like Trust and Amateur, this film could go either way. I have mixed feelings about the film and Hartley's later films in general. What Hartley does best is setting his stories in small situations, focusing on the intimate and idiosyncratic ways in which his characters interact with each other. Since his late 90s and onward, his films have widened in scope in terms of subject matter. Mass media in No Such Thing, Religion in the Book of Life and now Terrorism in Fay Grim. I don't know if Hartley's talents are suited to such big subject matter or if he's able to do it justice.

Strangely enough, the film can still be reduced to intimate relationships, a simple love story about a woman who goes to seek out the husband she loves. The only problem is, I've seen Henry Fool and everyone seems incredibly out of character in this film. You can tell this film was written long after Henry Fool was finished without any intention of a sequel. Somehow, the terrorist plot feels conveniently tacked on through the use of Henry's books of confessions as a macguffin (in the hitchcockian sense). Fay's motivations for finding Henry seemed motivated purely by the needs of the plot rather than what being faithful to who fay was as person in Henry Fool.

I guess I'm slightly disappointed in the film because it's not true to the characters in the Henry Fool and it doesn't exactly work as a straight ahead thriller. There's too much irony and wryness in Hartley's approach to such as big topic as terrorism. It somehow works and doesn't work at the same time. All I could say, you would either love or hate the film depending on your take on Hartley's work and how well you know Hartley's work. Fans of Henry Fool, be severely warned for a disappointment. For the rest, welcome to the world of Hal Hartley and enjoy the ride.