Nobel Son (2007)

Director:

Randall Miller

Writers (WGA):

Jody Savin (written by) &
Randall Miller (written by)

Release Date:

5 December 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Keep your eyes on the prize.

Plot:

Barkley Michaelson is in a deep life rut. He's struggling to finish his PhD thesis when his father, the learned Eli Michaelson...

Plot Keywords:

Nobel Prize | Revenge | Phd | Thesis | Ransom

Cast

Alan Rickman	...	Eli Michaelson
Bryan Greenberg	...	Barkley Michaelson
Shawn Hatosy	...	Thaddeus James
Mary Steenburgen	...	Sarah Michaelson
Bill Pullman	...	Max Mariner
Eliza Dushku	...	City Hall
Danny DeVito	...	George Gastner
Lindy Booth	...	Beth Chapman
Tracey Walter	...	Simon Ahrens
Ted Danson	...	Harvey Parrish
Ernie Hudson	...	Bill Canepa
Hal B. Klein	...	Tully's Guy
Matt Winston	...	Book Store Manager
Kirk Baily	...	Wil Cavalere
Joyce Guy	...	Eileen Moses
Kevin West	...	Jaundice Guy
Wayne Lopez	...	Cabbie
Dawn Balkin	...	Stewardess
Johanna Torell	...	Analea Sigvatsson
Mark Famiglietti	...	Officer Relyea
Valerie Long	...	Excrement Woman
Juliette Jeffers	...	Claire
Greg Collins	...	Foreman
Danika Quinn	...	Opera Singer (as Danika Osterman)
Kelly Lange	...	Herself
Sam Rubin	...	Himself
Mary Pat Gleason	...	Ruby
Matthew Kimbrough	...	Deacon
Reid Collums	...	Delivery Guy
Larry Hankin	...	Dr. Polaczek
Lucy DeVito	...	Devotee
Dean Rader-Duval	...	Ernie
Stuart Silverman	...	Salesman
Marina Black	...	Female Student
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Battle	...	College Student (uncredited)
Mark Charran	...	Party Goer (uncredited)
Tiffany Downey	...	Model (uncredited)
Bennett Dunn	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Joseph Falasca	...	Detective (uncredited)
Brendon Graham	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Joe Koons	...	Poet (uncredited)
Avis Wrentmore	...	Model (uncredited)

Directed by
Randall Miller

Writing credits (WGA)
Jody Savin		(written by) &
Randall Miller		(written by)

Produced by
Jane Baum	....	co-producer
Bridget Fonger	....	associate producer
Jeffery Goddard	....	executive producer
Jon Faiz Kayyem	....	co-producer
Art Klein	....	executive producer
Randall Miller	....	producer
J.P. O'Neill	....	co-producer
Michael Ravine	....	executive producer
Jody Savin	....	producer
Ronald Savin	....	co-producer
Tom Soulanille	....	executive producer
Terry Spazek	....	line producer
Henry Suarez	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Mark Adler
Paul Oakenfold

Cinematography by
Mike Ozier

Film Editing by
Randall Miller

Casting by
Richard Pagano

Production Design by
Craig Stearns

Set Decoration by
Laura Evans

Costume Design by
Kathryn Morrison

Makeup Department
Alexi	....	key hair stylist
Lynn Barber	....	department head makeup
Marie Larkin	....	department head hair
Annalisa V. Levin	....	key makeup artist (as Annalisa Levin)

Production Management
Terry Spazek	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Crotty	....	second second assistant director (as Michael Walter Crotty)
John Pontrelli	....	second assistant director (as John 'Ponch' Pontrelli)
Brian Relyea	....	first assistant director (as Brian F. Relyea)

Art Department
Phil Brandes	....	painter
Susan Cho	....	buyer
Michael Cudlitz	....	propmaker
David Dickinson	....	painter
James Diggs	....	lead painter (as James N. Diggs)
Matthew D. Egan	....	propmaker foreman (as Matthew Egan)
George Galicia	....	laborer
Mitchell Hammer	....	painter
David E. Harshbarger	....	property master (as David Harshbarger)
Brandon Le Doux	....	propmaker
Staci Mallett	....	set dresser (as Stacy Mallet)
James Mize	....	propmaker
Scott Ramey	....	co-lead painter
Willy Roberts	....	on-set dresser
Rebekah Schultz	....	assistant property master
F. Andrew Scott	....	signwriter
John L. Sullivan	....	propmaker (as John Sullivan)
Nandor Szilagy	....	set dresser (as Nandor Szilagyi)
Anatonio Vasquez	....	laborer
Steven C. Voll	....	construction coordinator
Lynny Warner	....	leadman
Chris Withrow	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Christopher Assells	....	sound effects editor
James Bailey	....	foley artist
Kevin Patrick Burns	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennis Carlin	....	sound utility
Verna Mandel	....	sound recordist
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Kelly Oxford	....	supervising sound editor
Damien Smith	....	foley artist
Dean Thomas	....	boom operator
Steve Weiss	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Nikki Amoriasino	....	special effects foreman (as Nikki Amorosino)
Josh Hakian	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Brian Beard	....	digital intermediate editor
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging supervisor: iO FILM
Robert Beebe	....	digital effects technician: iO FILM (uncredited)

Stunts
J.J. Dashnaw	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt coordinator (as Jeff Dashnaw)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Atkins	....	grip
Richard Avalon	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
John Betancourt	....	loader
Ira Boyd	....	chief lighting technician
Tina Casey	....	additional still photographer
Michael Druez	....	grip (as Michael Patrick Druez)
Tim Dunbar	....	grip
Ann Elliot Cutting	....	additional still photographer (as Ann Cutting)
Camilo Figueroa	....	electrician
Lawrence Gund	....	still photographer
Timothy S. Hale	....	dolly grip: "b"
Chris Hamala	....	grip
Johnny Madison	....	electrician
Niran Martin	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Niranjan Martin)
David Fred Masselink	....	digital imaging technician
Shawn Meyer	....	dolly grip: "a"
Phil Miller	....	key grip
Thom Owens	....	Steadicam operator
Thom Owens	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Michael Perry	....	electrician
Joey Brighton Reynolds	....	camera trainee
Mario Signore	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Grant Smith	....	grip
James 'Biff' Thomsen	....	best boy electric (as Biff Thomsen)
Martin Torner	....	grip (as Martin K. Torner)
Nicholas Tredway	....	grip (as Nick Tredway)
Matthew Tucker Korte	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Mira Velasco	....	best boy grip
Nirant Vora	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Mario Signore	....	camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
John Hope	....	animator (opening animation)
John Hope	....	contributing animator (opening animation)

Casting Department
Michele Berumen	....	casting assistant
Leanna Sheldon	....	casting associate
Pete Sutton	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Olga Ishkhanova	....	fitter
Olga Ishkhanova	....	tailor
Hailey Palla	....	set costumer (as Hailey Pahoa)
Julie Thompson	....	key costumer
Laura Wolford	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Michael Mintz	....	digital film colorist
Dan O'Brien	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jonathan McHugh	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Fred Bishop	....	driver (as Fred Bishop)
Al Boone	....	driver
Steve Butler	....	driver
Glenn Carter	....	transportation coordinator (as Glenn A. Carter)
Johnny Davis	....	driver (as Johnny T.J. Davis)
John Dixon	....	driver
James M. Downs	....	driver (as Jimmy Downs)
Dan Drews	....	driver
Chris Gallegos	....	driver
David Guilbeau	....	driver (as David 'Cajun' Guilbeau)
Scott Howard	....	driver
Jim Martell	....	driver
Kenneth Newland	....	driver (as Kenny Newland)
John Suttles	....	driver (as John R. Suttles)
Scott Tibbetts	....	driver
Chuck Visconte	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Mitchell Almarez	....	assistant craft service (as Mitch Almarez)
Russell Chadwick	....	set production assistant
Rhonda DeVictor	....	production coordinator
Claire Doré	....	cat trainer
Aaron Ezolt	....	assistant accountant
Lauren M. Higgs	....	production assistant
Annie U. Jacobsen	....	assistant master chef (as Annie Jacobsen)
Nadine Jolson	....	publicist
Christine LaFountaine	....	key set production assistant (as Christine LaFontaine)
Michelle Marzahn	....	production legal
Mauricio Montal	....	advisor: single molecule spectroscopy
Scott Mosher	....	location scout
John Ortbals	....	cat trainer
Michael Percival	....	location manager
Kirsten Robinson	....	script supervisor (as Kirsten Pope)
Christina Romney-Glotzer	....	assistant production coordinator (as Christina Romney)
Christiana Rubin	....	additional production assistant
Takao Shibuya	....	master chef
Siri Sirishambhand	....	craft service (as Siri Sirisambhand)
Tony J. Solorzano	....	first aid
Phil Spazek	....	production assistant
Robert W. Sterrett III	....	assistant location manager (as Robert Sterrett)
Elisabeth Stone	....	production assistant
Melanie Tolbert	....	stand-in
Carrie Tyson	....	production coordinator (as Carrie A. Tyson)
Laura Warner	....	production accountant
Helen Alexis Yonov	....	set production assistant
Lauren M. Higgs	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Thanks
Jon Avnet	....	the producers wish to thank
Ward Larsen	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Eli's Son Production
• Gimme Five Films
• Prama
• Unclaimed Freight Productions

Distributors

• W2 Media (2009) (Non-USA) (all media) (Non-USA)
• Freestyle Releasing (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pyramid (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Eagle Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (DVD)
• Film1 (2010) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Thailand) (DVD)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2009) (Vietnam) (DVD)
• Multivision (2009) (Italy) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Jolson Creative Image PR  publicity

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some violent gruesome images, language and sexuality

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:R | UK:15 (cut) | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA (2010) | Portugal:M/12 | UK:18 (uncut) (re-release)

Filming Locations:

City of Industry, California, USA

Company:

Eli's Son Production

Trivia:

The first American Nobel Prize winner in sciences was Michelson (without a) his first name was Albert.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: A studio boom mic is clearly visible when the reporter is giving a report from the families' front yard, even though the reporter is speaking into a microphone.

Quotes:

City Hall:Crazy's just a choice, Barkley.

Movie Connections:

References Scarface (1932)

Soundtrack:

My City Love

Darkly comedic psychological thriller which delights

I attended the World Premiere of Nobel Son at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. That's Nobel as in Nobel Prize, and it takes the festival prize in my book. This winning film, from writer/director/producer/editor Randall Miller (did he make lunch too?), is on my list of Top 10 Picks from among the 30 I saw at this year's festival.

Professor Eli Michaelson (Alan Rickman) is about to win the Nobel Prize. His son Barkley (Bryan Greenberg) is a promising Ph.D. candidate wanting little to do with his father's pomposity. A scheme is hatched which is sure to pit father against son in a way to maximize their inherent rivalry. Let the madness and mayhem begin. In addition to Greenberg and Rickman, Nobel Son stars a troupe of talented veterans including Bill Pullman, Shawn Hatosy, Danny DeVito, Mary Steenburgen, Ted Danson, Ernie Hudson, and Eliza Dushku.

It's always hard to single anyone out in such an amazing ensemble cast. Greenberg, the titular son, is a worthy protagonist. The roller coaster ride on which he is taken is chilling, yet his upper crust background and bravado veneer cannot hide his childlike innocence. It is that vulnerability which sucks us in and compels us to look even when we would rather look away.

Shawn Hatosy is one of the most prolific and versatile young actors in the business, and he is frighteningly brilliant here. The intensity he brings to this role never lets up from start to finish. Nobody is better at psycho-scary. Many will be blown away by his performance. If he wasn't on your radar before he will be after you see Nobel Son.

Alan Rickman provides most of the comic relief in a film that is much more dark than comedic. A lesser actor could have turned in an over-the-top performance which might have tipped the scales in favor of the lighter side of this film. That would have spoiled the intensity of the violent escapades these young men partake in. But he manages to play the buffoon as only a legend can.

I was quite surprised by the look and feel of this film. It's much more stylized than one might expect. Digital effects and clever camera work help take what could have been a standard caper movie (a la Oceans 11) and turn it into a psychological thriller, emphasis on the thrills. It is such a fascinating story and an amazing script, and kudos to Randall Miller for being able to create a work which defies categorization. Gasps and laughs are traded back and forth, yet it manages to toe the line between comedy and tragedy without losing its focus.

If Kubrick inhaled nitrous oxide while making A Clockwork Orange, it might look something like Nobel Son. It will keep you on the edge of your seat, literally. Nobel Son is a breathtaking, refreshing escape from convention.