Reservation Road (2007)

Director:

Terry George

Writers (WGA):

John Burnham Schwartz (screenplay) and
Terry George (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 November 2007 (Israel)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

To find the truth, you have to find who's hiding it.

Plot:

On a warm September evening, college professor Ethan Learner, his wife Grace, and their daughter Emma are attending a recital...

Plot Keywords:

Red Sox | Baseball | Accident | Investigation | Grief

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Joaquin Phoenix	...	Ethan Learner
Elle Fanning	...	Emma
Jennifer Connelly	...	Grace Learner
Sean Curley	...	Josh
Samuel Ryan Finn	...	Cello Player
Eddie Alderson	...	Lucas
Mark Ruffalo	...	Dwight Arno
Susan Powell	...	Elegant Parent
Cordell Clyde	...	Jimmy McBride (as Cordell Clyde Lochin)
Antoni Corone	...	Sergeant Burke
Kevin Herbst	...	Driving Trooper
Mira Sorvino	...	Ruth Wheldon
Gary Kohn	...	Norris Wheldon
John Slattery	...	Steve Cutter
Nora Ferrari	...	Nora Fannelli
Linda Dano	...	Grandmother
John Rothman	...	Minister
Geisha Otero	...	Blanca
Brett Haley	...	Brett
Sinead Daly	...	American Girl
Armin Amiri	...	Rashid
Johnathan Tchaikovsky	...	Jock (as Johnny Tchaikovsky)
Lee Goffin-Bonenfant	...	Student
Americk Lewis	...	African American Student
Danny Johnson	...	Investigating Trooper
Bill Camp	...	Desk Trooper
Stephanie Weyman	...	Cheryl
Raum-Aron	...	Gerry
Debra Robinson	...	Parent
Michael Anzalone	...	Dwight's Neighbor
David Anzuelo	...	Raul
Julián Rebolledo	...	News Announcer (voice)
Peter Pamela Rose	...	News Announcer (voice)
Kathryn Markey	...	News Announcer (voice)
Ross Klavan	...	News Announcer (voice) (as Ross Klaven)
Sean Oliver	...	Podcast (voice)
Blanca Camacho	...	Podcast (voice)
Jason Harris	...	Podcast (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dennis Albanese	...	Father (uncredited)
David Boston	...	Motorist (uncredited)
Mary Kate Malat	...	Child in Recital (uncredited)
Eric Minor	...	Amusement Park Worker (uncredited)
Robert Nardi	...	Amusement Park Parent (uncredited)

Directed by
Terry George

Writing credits (WGA)
John Burnham Schwartz		(screenplay) and
Terry George		(screenplay)
John Burnham Schwartz		(novel)

Produced by
A. Kitman Ho	....	producer
Dean M. Leavitt	....	executive producer
Gina Resnick	....	executive producer
Nick Wechsler	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
John Lindley

Film Editing by
Naomi Geraghty

Casting by
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich

Production Design by
Ford Wheeler

Art Direction by
Kim Jennings

Set Decoration by
Chryss Hionis

Costume Design by
Catherine George

Makeup Department
Jerry DeCarlo	....	department head hair (as Jerrold DeCarlo)
Lori Hicks	....	department head makeup
Sandra Linn Koepper	....	key makeup artist
Jackie Payne	....	key hair stylist (as Jacqueline Payne)
Joseph Whitmeyer	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Kelley Cribben	....	post-production supervisor
David Gerson	....	executive in charge of production
Lori Johnson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris DeAngelis	....	second second assistant director
Eric Henriquez	....	first assistant director: second unit
A. Kitman Ho	....	second unit director
Eddie Micallef	....	second assistant director
Glen Trotiner	....	first assistant director
Xanthus Valan	....	second assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Robert Antalocy	....	carpenter
Stephen Caldwell	....	scenic artist
Shannon Canfield	....	set dresser
William J. Canfield	....	set dresser
Sarah Chase	....	set dresser: additonal photography
Ray Fisher	....	leadman
Yolan Fisher	....	assistant props
Shelly Goldhar	....	graphic artist
Theresa Gonzalez	....	scenic industrial
Deborah Greene	....	assistant set decorator
Mario Herrera	....	charge scenic artist
Philip Kennedy	....	camera scenic
David Kleinstein	....	set dresser
Eric M. Metzger	....	assistant property master
Marcus Migliore	....	set dresser
John Millard	....	on-set dresser
Dan Pemberton	....	construction coordinator: additional photography
Ronnie Petagna	....	carpenter
Ruben Rodas	....	assistant property master
Jeffrey Rollins	....	property master
Sam Rosedietcher	....	set dresser
Kimberly Slosek	....	assistant props
Richard Tenewitz	....	construction coordinator
Robert Zorella	....	art department coordinator
Flo Frintzilas	....	lead scenic (uncredited)
Saviel Rivera	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gary Alper	....	sound
Scott Cannizzaro	....	adr engineer
Bob Chefalas	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Rick Chefalas	....	first assistant sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Fox	....	adr mixer
Suzanne Goldish	....	sound intern
Lewis Goldstein	....	supervising sound editor
Lawrence Herman	....	sound re-recordist
Bret Johnson	....	sound re-recordist
Craig Kyllonen	....	adr recordist
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Allen Lau	....	apprentice sound editor
Paloma Mele	....	assistant adr editor
Tyler Parkinson	....	pre-record engineer
Lenny Rabinowitz	....	adr recording engineer
Bobby Roelofs	....	additional sound utility
Jac Rubenstein	....	dialogue editor
Wyatt Sprague	....	sound effects editor
Jason Stasium	....	ProTools playback mixer
Jason Stasium	....	sound utility
Paul Urmson	....	sound
Steven Utt	....	adr recordist
Steven Visscher	....	supervising foley editor
Deborah Wallach	....	adr editor
Rusty Dunn	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Doug Coleman	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Title
Christopher Ian Hayes	....	digital effects artist
Ted Markovic	....	digital effects artist
Robert Pik	....	Flame operator
Bob Wiatr	....	digital effects compositor: Pacific Title
Tony Noel	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator (as George Aquilar)
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Paul Marini	....	stunts
Eddie Micallef	....	stunts
Stephen A. Pope	....	stunt coordinator (as Stephen Pope)
Bryan Farrell Wilson	....	stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Anthony Molinari	....	stunt double: Mark Ruffalo (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Wesley Battle	....	grip
James R. Belletier	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Jim Belletier)
Fred Cohen	....	electrician
Stephen Consentino	....	Steadicam operator
Stephen Consentino	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Craig DiBona	....	camera operator: second unit
Craig DiBona	....	director of photography: second unit
Glen Engels	....	best boy grip
Richard Guinness Jr.	....	key grip
Chris Henry	....	electrician
Marc Hirschfeld	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Petr Hlinomaz	....	gaffer: second unit
Billy Kerwick	....	key rigging grip
Christopher Koch	....	grip
Sal Lanza	....	key grip: second unit
Gus Limberis	....	camera loader (as Constantine Limberis)
Manuel Agusto Lopez	....	electrician
Brian C. Mackey	....	loader: second unit (as Brian Mackey)
Chuck Maloney	....	lamp operator
John Marcotte	....	grip
Robert McGavin	....	rigging gaffer (as Robert J. McGavin)
Tim Metivier	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Timothy Metivier)
Derek Murphy	....	best boy electric
Macall B. Polay	....	still photographer
Brent Poleski	....	dolly grip
Lance Rieck	....	remote camera technician
Daniel D. Sariano	....	second assistant camera: second unit (as Danny Sariano)
John Schwartz	....	first assistant camera
Joseph Sciretta	....	gaffer
Pierson Silver	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Mark Stetz	....	Genny operator
John Tanzer	....	gaffer: second unit
Alexis van Kersen Li	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Adam Hall	....	set grip (uncredited)
Chris Henry	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Jarrod Kloiber	....	set electrician (uncredited)
Dennis A. Livesey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Roy Nowlin	....	electrician (uncredited)
Steven Search	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)
Craig Striano	....	crane operator: Technocrane (uncredited)
Vance Tucker	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sophia M. Costas	....	extras casting
Lee Genick	....	extras casting
Jocelyn E. Thomas	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Anzalone	....	costume supervisor
Cameron Folan	....	costume production assistant
Erica Furey	....	additional wardrobe (as Erika Furey)
Rebecca Hofherr	....	assistant costume designer
Kathy Karbowski	....	costume supervisor (as Katherine Karbowski)
Kate Quinlan	....	key costumer
Lauren Valentine	....	costume production assistant

Editorial Department
Gilbert Carreras	....	film color timer
Chris Gennarelli	....	dailies colorist
Gardner Gould	....	post-production intern
Jennifer Lame	....	apprentice editor
Jennifer Lilly	....	assistant editor
Arturo Sosa	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Constance E. Barrett	....	cello tutor: Sean Curley
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
Budd Carr	....	music supervisor
Joseph S. DeBeasi	....	music editor
Nora Felder	....	music supervisor
Andrew Findon	....	musician: clarinet solos (as Andy Findon)
Matt Franko	....	music preparation
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Mark Isham	....	musician: piano solos
Cindy O'Connor	....	orchestrator
John Orford	....	musician: bassoon solos
Michael Perfitt	....	producer: additional music
Michael Perfitt	....	writer and performer: original song
Victor Pesavento	....	music preparation
Simon Rhodes	....	music scoring mixer
D'Anne Rygg	....	piano instructor: Elle Fanning
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer
James Shearman	....	conductor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Kathleen Theisen	....	piano instructor: Elle Fanning
Jonathan Williams	....	musician: cello
Jonathan Williams	....	musician: principal cello

Transportation Department
Edward Devereaux II	....	transportation co-captain
Amber R. Kirsch	....	transportation
Charles Spillane	....	transportation captain
Timothy Stephens	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Mara Alcaly	....	location production assistant
Taylor Black	....	production secretary
Harrison Bohrman	....	accounting clerk
Fallon Brooking	....	adr loop group
Ellen Athena Catsikeas	....	assistant location manager
James Crispino	....	production assistant
David Crommett	....	adr loop group
Connor Driscoll	....	office production assistant
T.J. Federico	....	set production assistant
Erica Fishman	....	production assistant
Sarah Follett	....	set location assistant
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant
Steve Gilbaud	....	production accountant
Orit Greenberg	....	location scout
Matt Grimm	....	assistant to producer
Gretely Hailyn	....	photo-double: Elle Fanning
Gretely Hailyn	....	stand-in: Elle Fanning
Brett Haley	....	assistant to director
Kevin Holland	....	adr loop group
Jonathan Hova	....	adr loop group
Ashley Kravitz	....	legal clearances
Antony Langdon	....	assistant: Mr. Phoenix
Yana Collins Lehman	....	post-production accountant
Jessica Lichtner	....	script supervisor
Jennifer Madeloff	....	assistant production office coordinator
Ernie Malik	....	publicist
Sarah Manowitz	....	production assistant
Rosa Mayer	....	asset manager
Sean Mayo	....	location assistant
Spike McClure	....	adr loop group
Paul C. McKenna	....	technician: Technocrane
Christie Moreau	....	adr loop group
Len Murach	....	location scout
Mario Nila	....	production assistant
Isabella Palmieri	....	adr loop group
Paul Pangman	....	film runner
Joe Piasecki	....	set production assistant
Michael A. Rizzo	....	production assistant
Holly S. Rymon	....	production office coordinator
Harry Sando Jr.	....	additional set production assistant
Ben Schaeffer	....	production assistant
William Sepulveda	....	co-key craft service
Shayna Shaskin	....	adr loop group
Missy Simms	....	welfare/studio teacher
Eugene Stamos	....	craft service
Rose Stockton	....	adr loop group
Jonathan Sunderman	....	production assistant
Miriam Tielmann	....	additional production assistant
Lou Ursone	....	stand-in: Mark Ruffalo
Eva Vedock	....	key craft service
Sarah Wang	....	production assistant
Thomas J. Whelan	....	location manager
Bruce Winant	....	adr loop group
Neil Winterlich	....	research consultant
Zach Wolf	....	production assistant
Jake Worden	....	key production assistant: second unit
Jamie H. Zelermyer	....	production executive
Sean Oliver	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Heli Soell	....	assistant post-production accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Focus Features
• Random House Films
• Reservation Road
• Miracle Pictures
• Nick Wechsler Productions
• Volume One

Distributors

• Focus Features (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2008) (Chile) (theatrical)
• Best Film CO (2008) (Poland) (theatrical)
• Broadmedia Studios (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2007) (Greece) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• TOBIS Film (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Film1 (2009) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Net5 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Paris Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2008) (Finland) (all media)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Burbank Casting  extras casting
• C5  post-production sound services
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Manhattan Transfer  adr facility
• Monkeyland Audio  adr recording
• Pivotal Post  avid editing systems provided by
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility
• Soundtrack  sound mixing facility
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some disturbing images

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:14A | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Sweden:11 | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Hong Kong:IIA | Brazil:12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Peru:14 | South Korea:12 | UK:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG13 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Company:

Focus Features

Goofs:

Continuity: Dwight and his son watch Game 3 of the 2004 World Series together. Earlier, when Ethan looking up "hit and run" on Google, the Google copyright date is 2006.

Quotes:

Lucas:If a man stands in a forest, with no woman around, is he still wrong?
Brain 2:Yes!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in I'm Still Here (2010/I)

Soundtrack:

Gavotte

A provocative Road to take

A full six months after Reservation Road was supposed to release in theaters (it did, only in a very quiet handful), the film is finally, and again, very quietly put out on DVD. I had been looking forward to this film for some time and had been shocked by it's ill-treatment from Focus Features. After receiving it from Netflix and viewing it, I went out the very next day to purchase it. Where I was expecting a slow, wrenching exploration of grief and loss, this film actually surprised me with an untold amount of suspense and thrills. It certainly is not a "thriller" perhaps, but where the story goes and how these characters react leaves you on edge in several instances where you're not only unsure of what they will do next, but you're not sure what you would do next.

I had read a lot about this movie before seeing it, so there were some reveals that I already knew about from my own curiosity as well as some misguided choices in what is shown in the trailer. I would have liked to see it fresh, so I will give plot points sparingly. Ethan and Grace Lerner (Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly, respectively) are a well-to-do couple living in an affluent Connecticut town who lose a child in a hit and run accident. Dwight Arno (Mark Ruffalo) is speeding home to deliver his young son to his ex-wife (Mira Sorvino) and leaves the scene. The unfolding story effectively explores how the Lerner family struggles to cope with an unimaginable loss to an unknown perpetrator, and how Dwight wrestles with his fragile conscience while trying to hide his crime from the authorities. I think it works better to not know how Ethan and Dwight meet and proceed to dance around this event, but when they do, is when the real enjoyment of this film begins.

Sorvino does a fine job, and Connelly, in a larger and more difficult role, does a very good job, but this film belongs to the male leads. Ruffalo is great playing a seemingly decent man who commits a heinous crime he desperately tries to hide. This is Ruffalo's best work to date and if this film had been appropriately marketed and acknowledged, it would have been a breakout for him.

As our main lead, Phoenix is just wonderful. Ethan is a devoted husband and father whose world suddenly ceases to make sense following this tragedy and seeing him pull away from his family as he gets lost in his depths of grief and fanatical in his quest to find the killer gives Phoenix room to further display his remarkable range. An actor who is blessed with naturalness and unbridled by affectations and shortcut tendencies, his portrayal of a man eaten away by unspeakable sorrow and incalculable rage is harrowing. There is a confrontation scene late in the film when Ethan is so incensed he's physically shaking, his words come out as a jumbled growl, and it's startling to witness. Seeing Phoenix actually show that level of anger makes you wonder how or what he did to get to this place. That I can't know, but I do know that it's terrifying to see this man come undone from the inside out.

Reservation Road is sad, but it doesn't wallow in a way that feels exploitive or cheap. It's a dual journey into one man's struggle to deal with a tragedy that feels beyond him, and the cowardice and humanity of a hunted man dogged by his own shaken ethics. This is a provocative, moving story that really deserves to be seen.