Middle of Nowhere (2008)

Director:

John Stockwell

Writer:

Michelle Morgan (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Life Without a Road Map ...

Plot:

An irresponsible mother blows her eldest daughter's college fund on her youngest daughter's modeling campaign.

Plot Keywords:

Modeling | Summer | Marijuana | Adopted Son | Family Relationships

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Eva Amurri Martino	...	Grace Berry (as Eva Amurri)
Anton Yelchin	...	Dorian Spitz
Willa Holland	...	Taylor Elizabeth Berry
Susan Sarandon	...	Rhonda Berry
Justin Chatwin	...	Ben Pretzler
Brea Grant	...	Jean
Anny Ibarra	...	Elena
Kenny Bordes	...	Ryan
Scott A. Martin	...	Morris Kraven
Aimee Spring Fortier	...	Bonnie (as Aimee Fortier)
Marie Debrey	...	Paulette Spitz
Lindsay Soileau	...	Cami
Veronica Berry	...	Vik
Andrea Frankle	...	Jessica Luther
Jessica Heap	...	Justine Spitz
Keith Pratt	...	Joe
Paul Lockett	...	Gate Security Guard
Neal Rivet	...	Seth Schrader
Jacqueline Novak	...	Melanie (as Jacqueline Rae Novak)
Bill Martin Williams	...	David Chester Spitz
Karen Bramen	...	Aunt Polly
Sharon K. London	...	Ms. Bryant (as Sharon London)
Kyle Russell Clements	...	Ted Jorgenson (as Kyle Clements)
Hugo Perez	...	Kadija Ahmed
Jerry Leggio	...	Judge
Randy Maggiore	...	Dick Jones (as Randy Magglore)
William Haze	...	Bob Berry (as Will Haze)
Jeannetta Arnette	...	Mindy Green
Kennon Kepper	...	Kid with Attitude
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Allen Boudreaux	...	Golfer (uncredited)
Daurice Cummings	...	Water Park Patron (uncredited)
Brooke Frost	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Melissa S. Harris	...	Party Girl (uncredited)
Dawn Himel	...	Housewife (uncredited)
Jaci LeJeune	...	Party Girl (uncredited)
Allison Moss	...	Bikini Girl (uncredited)
David Pitt	...	Guest (uncredited)
Yalonda Lisa Reeves	...	Party Guest / Park Visitor (uncredited)
Cassidy Smith	...	Water Slide Racer (uncredited)
Dawna Williams	...	Water Park Patron (uncredited)
Michael Wozniak	...	Golfer (uncredited)

Directed by
John Stockwell

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michelle Morgan		writer

Produced by
Garrick Dion	....	co-producer
Brendan Garst	....	line producer
David Lancaster	....	producer
Michel Litvak	....	producer
Nicole Rocklin	....	producer
Brian Ross	....	co-producer
John Stockwell	....	producer
Gary Michael Walters	....	executive producer
Richard Walters	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Ferraby Lionheart

Cinematography by
Byron Shah		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom McArdle

Casting by
Natasha Cuba
Heather Nunn

Production Design by
James A. Gelarden

Set Decoration by
Luci Leary

Costume Design by
Dana Embree		(as Dana Marie Embree)

Makeup Department
Kimberly Amacker	....	key makeup artist
Ma Kalaadevi Ananda	....	makeup artist: Susan Sarandon (as Marilyn Carbone)
Michelle Johnson	....	hair stylist: Susan Sarandon
Rose Librizzi	....	head makeup artist (as Rose Librizzi Davis)
Scott H. Reeder	....	key hair stylist (as Scott Reeder)
Tony Ward	....	head hair stylist
Ebony Star Parson	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Steve Beswick	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Currie	....	second second assistant director (as Michael Currie)
T.K. Shom	....	first assistant director (as TK Shom)
Katey Wheelhouse	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Thomas David Adams	....	greensman (as Thomas 'David' Adams)
Tom Ashburn	....	lead scenic (as Tom A. Ashburn)
Monique Champagne	....	set dresser
Jaime Fernandez	....	on-set dresser
Kerry Hardy	....	set painter
Christopher C. Jones	....	graphic artist: title
Jessica Lee	....	art coordinator (as Jessica M. Lee)
Twig Leveque	....	property assistant
Joseph Pipes	....	leadman
Noel Rideout	....	set dresser
Janna Roach	....	property assistant
Michelle Rolland	....	property master
Grant Widmer	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Alex Brazan	....	adr mixer
Alex Brazan	....	foley mixer
Alex Brazan	....	sound designer
Alex Brazan	....	sound recordist
John B. Cormier	....	sound effects editor (as John Cormier)
Jason Dotts	....	sound designer
Jason Dotts	....	sound re-recording mixer
J. Alex Faucheux	....	foley artist
J. Alex Faucheux	....	sound recordist
Cameron O. Galloway	....	adr editor (as cameron Galloway)
Cameron O. Galloway	....	dialogue editor (as Cameron Galloway)
LaToya George	....	assistant sound editor
Jerry Gilbert	....	supervising sound editor
Dan Izen	....	sound mixer
Betsy Lindell	....	boom operator
Cackey Miltenberger	....	foley artist
Andrew Morgado	....	adr mixer
John O'Bannon	....	assistant sound editor (as Jared O'Bannon)
Dean Treloar	....	sound effects editor
Dhyana Carlton-Tims	....	adr supervisor (uncredited)
Kevin Gradnigo	....	foley editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Jeff Galpin	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Giovanni Bommarito	....	grip (as Giovanni Johnandrew Bommarito)
Nathan Borck	....	still photographer
Sal Camacho	....	additional first assistant camera (as Salvadoe Camacho)
Jayson S. Coddington	....	grip
Donta Coleman	....	camera utility (as Donta L. Coleman)
Rene Crusto	....	best boy grip
Edward Darr	....	grip
Mark Shane Davis	....	key grip
Eli Everhard	....	lighting technician
Tonja Greenfield	....	loader
Charles 'Tom' Hinson	....	dolly grip
Morgan Jenkins	....	Steadicam operator
Morgan Jenkins	....	camera operator
Brad Leidholdt	....	grip
Ricardo Lozier	....	grip (as Ricardo Rico Lozier)
Ethan McDonald	....	additional first assistant camera
Allen Parks	....	gaffer
Myron Parran	....	second assistant camera
Jason Prowell	....	lighting technician
Michael Robillard	....	grip
Declan Ryan	....	best boy electric
Corie Savary	....	camera intern
Nathan Tape	....	lighting technician
Aaron Toups	....	grip
Earl Woods	....	lighting technician (as Earl H. Woods)
Alexander Yellen	....	first assistant camera
Louis Zlotowicz	....	additional second assistant camera
Lawles Bourque	....	epk camera operator (uncredited)
McKay Johnson	....	first assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Michael D. Kennedy	....	additional lighting technician (uncredited)
Ryan Lamy	....	additional lighting technician (uncredited)
Luke Porterfield	....	additional lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Brent Caballero	....	local casting
Corey Flasploer	....	additional local casting
Natalie Patterson	....	additional local casting
Kevin Hidalgo	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nori Musarra	....	costumer
Lauren Wade	....	costume supervisor
Rachel A. Walker	....	key set costumer
Suzanne M.B. Chambliss	....	seamstress (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kamila Baghernejad	....	digital intermediate coordinator
John Dietrick	....	assistant editor
Adam Hawkey	....	digital intermediate colorist
Steve Hernandez	....	digital intermediate operations manager
Richard Jordan	....	digital intermediate general manager
Michael John Koetter	....	software engineer
Mia Lavezzi	....	digital intermediate restoration artist
Kevin Mullican	....	digital intermediate chief technical engineer
James Veitch	....	digital intermediate conform artist
Brian Beard	....	digital intermediate editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Dan Long	....	music mixer
Logan Raskin	....	composer: theme music
Raymond Richards	....	music engineer
Brian Ross	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Emmitte Bergeron	....	driver
Bennett Bunch	....	driver
Butch Chaney	....	local transportation captain
Russell Davis	....	driver
Glenn Dephillips	....	driver (as Glen Dephillips)
Monica W. Fuller	....	driver (as Monica Williamson)
Tack Johnson	....	driver
A. Welch Lambeth	....	transportation coordinator (as Welch Lambeth)
Albert Lopes Jr.	....	driver
Buddy Pine	....	driver: honeywagon
Jim Robin	....	driver
Billy Melvin White	....	driver (as Billy M. White)
Charlie Wright	....	transportation captain
Christy Zeller	....	transportation office coordinator

Other crew
Adam Babin	....	production secretary (as Adam J. Babin)
Gavin Black	....	production executive
Mona Coulter	....	travel agent
Naia Cucukov	....	assistant: Mr. Lancaster
Alex DeLeon	....	chef
Eddie DeLeon	....	caterer
Chris Hadlock	....	production coordinator
Jim Hale	....	production accountant
Humberato Haro	....	craft service
Rachel Jacob	....	basecamp production assistant
Jerad Janke	....	location production assistant
Eva Jensen	....	studio teacher
Karen Kennedy	....	caterer: A&M Catering
Kevin Lorio	....	set production assistant
John A. Metoyer	....	location assistant
Melissa Perret	....	assistant accountant: payroll
Jason Pickering	....	assistant location manager (as Jason E. Pickering)
Danielle Poret	....	assistant: Mr. Stockwell
Johnnie Ruth Richey	....	assistant production coordinator
Amy Sanderson	....	script supervisor
Ashley Renee Saunders	....	office production assistant (as Ashley Saunders)
Eric Sizemore	....	set production assistant
Greg Washington	....	set medic
Van White	....	location scout
Matthew Wright	....	set production assistant
R. Bryan Wright	....	location manager
Anthony Yuse	....	key set production assistant
Will Zinser	....	accounting production assistant
Heather Bloom	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Laurent Boye-Guérin	....	publicity staff: publicity team (uncredited)
Sean Carlo	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Alex Coffee	....	business affairs (uncredited)
Chris Comeaux	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Jeff Galpin	....	animal trainer: owl (uncredited)
Duck Grossberg	....	data manager (uncredited)
Margeaux C. Johnson	....	assistant to producers (uncredited)
Tracey Rea	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Lora Marie Taylor	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Jamie Worlds	....	head of production finance (uncredited)
Nimrod Zalmanowitz	....	epk producer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Bold Films
• Louisiana Media Productions
• Nowhere Films Louisiana Productions

Distributors

• Capelight Pictures (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Imagem Filmes (2010) (Brazil) (DVD)
• VVS Films (2010) (Canada) (all media)

Other Companies

• iO Films  digital intermediate
• Black Tiger Collective  main title design
• Caballero Casting  casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Louisiana Media Services  post-production sound services
• NovaStar Digital  sound post-production
• Sonic Magic  adr recording
• iO Film  post-production services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for drug content, some teen drinking and sexual material

Runtime:

Canada:95 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Bold Films

Trivia:

Real-life mother and daughter Susan Sarandon and Eva Amurri Martino play mother and daughter in this movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: (at around 15 mins) In the Bingo Parlor. we see the girl in blue smock, behind her is a bingo board with numerous numbers lit. There is a cut to the male. Back to her and the board is almost completely unlit.

Quotes:

Dorian Spitz:Are those the kind of people you usually hang out with?
Grace:Well, I don't usually hang out. Why?
Dorian Spitz:Well, you just don't really fit the type.
Grace:Oh, what's the type?
Dorian Spitz:Spoiled and obnoxious, and totally removed from reality.

Soundtrack:

Won't Be Long

Solid indie film with a good cast and director

This is a surprisingly good movie about a recent high-school graduate (Eva Amurri) who's irresponsible mother (Susan Sarandon) has blown her college fund and destroyed her credit, so she gets together with a very moral but very misguided rich kid (Anto Yelchin)to deal dope in their "middle-of-nowhere" small town. A love triangle develops between the girl, her erstwhile "business partner", and her precocious, aspiring model younger sister (Willa Holland), but it is a largely unrequited one as she is uninterested in him and he resists the jailbait charms of her sister.

Eva Amurri is a beautiful and talented actress, if a bit long in the tooth to be playing a recent high school graduate. Willa Holland is an unusually beautiful teenager who has since gone on to work in European films like "Summer in Genoa" (as an even more sexually precocious youngster). She does a good job playing an aspiring underage model. It's nice to see Susan Sarandon playing a completely unsympathetic role like this. The real surprise though is Anton Yelchin who I usually find incredibly annoying even in movies I otherwise like like "Alpha Dog". Instead of wanting to kick his teeth down his throat as usual though, I actually kind of liked his character here (although strangely this is the second time he played a sympathetic drug-dealer--he had a very similar role in the more famous, but overrated "Charlie Bartlett).

A lot of credit also has to go to director John Stockwell. It's interesting that two of the more interesting and underrated indie directors today, John Stockwell and Keith Gordon, once appeared together as ACTORS in the very mediocre 1983 horror movie "Christine". Stockwell has come the closest to mainstream success (or, depending on how you look at it, selling out) with films like "Crazy/Beautiful" and "Blue Crush", but he does better I think with smaller pictures like this. I'd recommend this.