The Coverup (2008)

Director:

Brian Jun

Writers:

Brian Jun (writer) and
Robert Dean Klein (writer)
(more)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Wrongful death. Rightful justice. Based on a true lie.

Plot:

The story centers on around the mysterious death of repeat drunk driving offender Thacker and the discovery of his body in an alley behind the Marshalltown, Iowa, police department after his latest DUI arrest.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Corruption | Mysterious Death | Law | Based On Novel

Cast

Gabriel Mann	...	Stu Pepper
Eliza Dushku	...	Monica Wright
John Savage	...	Thomas Thacker
Mark Pellegrino	...	Ron Pebble
Lee Garlington	...	Beverly Thacker
Jennifer Finnigan	...	Nancy Pepper
Steve Eastin	...	Chief Wilson
Colby French	...	Officer Dodge
Michael Welch	...	Kevin Thacker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Blackman	...	Jury Spokesperson
Alison Brie	...	Grace
Ivar Brogger	...	Judge Hallow
Matt Bromen	...	Kevin Thacker's brother
David Cohen	...	Marshalltown Policeman
Gregg Daniel	...	Judge
Gage Davenport	...	Clark Pepper
Brandon DeShazer	...	O'brien
Rosemary Garris
Brenda Goodbread	...	Court Room Observer
Joe Hammerstone	...	Pedestrian on Sidewalk
Darin Heames	...	Eric Jones
Michelle Horn	...	Cara
Fitz Houston	...	Cop #1
Kevin Kilner	...	Gregg Pratt
Sandi D. Leicht	...	Bar Patron
Don McManus	...	Carl Rauff
Sean O'Bryan	...	Jack Booker
Randy Pepper	...	Bert Pepper
Stuart M. Pepper	...	Himself
David Ramsey	...	Bill Daily
Munda Razooki	...	Losing Client
Greg Reynolds	...	Bar Patron
Logan Sledge	...	Doctor
Zachary Stockdale	...	Swim Team Captain
Julia Lorene Swan	...	Woman in Bar
Patti Yasutake	...	Dr. Naomi Hewitt
Kyle Adahl	...	Accused Officer (uncredited)
Shawn I. Chevalier	...	Woman in Bar (uncredited)
Dustin McKamie	...	Swimteam (uncredited)
Lisa Temple	...	Assistant Prosecuting Attorney (uncredited)
Erik A. Williams	...	Pedestrian on Sidewalk (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Jun

Writing credits
Brian Jun		(writer)
Robert Dean Klein		writer
Stuart M. Pepper		story

Produced by
Lorena David	....	producer
Scott Fort	....	line producer
Stuart M. Pepper	....	executive producer
John Portnoy	....	co-executive producer
Mark Roberts	....	producer
Nick Thurlow	....	co-executive producer
Max Velez	....	co-producer
Todd Williams	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Alec Puro

Cinematography by
Ryan Samul

Film Editing by
Allan Spencer Wall

Casting by
Emily Schweber

Production Design by
Walter Barnett

Art Direction by
Bianca Ferro

Makeup Department
Elisabeth Fry	....	makeup department head
Kenneth Walker	....	department head hair stylist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Meredith Corrado	....	second second assistant director
Aaron Crozier	....	first assistant director: second unit
Matt Romano	....	assistant director: second unit
Matt Romano	....	second assistant director
Kimberly Stuckwisch	....	second assistant director
Joseph Suarez	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ursula Glaviano	....	set dresser
Lindsey Sjoberg	....	leadman
Jason Thirlaway	....	property master
David Michael Fordham	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joshua Adeniji	....	foley editor
Robert Dehn	....	sound studio manager
Levent Erdogan	....	foley editor
Brent Findley	....	supervising sound editor
Johnny Gallo	....	sound editor (as John Gallo)
Judah Getz	....	adr mixer
Corey J. Grasso	....	foley mixer
Angela Hemingway	....	adr editor
Angela Hemingway	....	dialogue editor
Cody King	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kitting	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Tiffany Lentz	....	assistant sound editor
Zach Michaelis	....	foley artist
Adam Mohundro	....	boom operator: second unit
Andrew Morgado	....	adr mixer
Michael Parlett	....	sound effects editor
Bartek Swiatek	....	sound mixer: second unit
Christopher Tiffany	....	boom operator
Steve Weiss	....	sound mixer

Stunts
David M. Graves	....	stunt double
Monty L. Simons	....	stunts
Brian Munce	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ben Chananie	....	lighting technician
Traci Chappell	....	second assistant camera
Neil Chartier	....	first assistant camera
Craig Clements	....	dolly grip
Autumn Eakin	....	camera operator
Jose Elias Felix	....	lighting technician
Dan Gartner	....	gaffer: second unit
Dan Gartner	....	lighting technician
Nicholas Gartner	....	Steadicam operator
Andrew Gritzke	....	grip
Marty Hechinger	....	key grip: second unit
Keith Hueffmeier	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Brent Madison	....	grip
Tom Morash	....	lighting technician
Ian Myron	....	lighting technician
Matthew A. Petrosky	....	Steadicam operator
Chad Pulscher	....	grip
Richard Ralston	....	gaffer
Timothy Robert Ryan	....	lighting technician
Matt Stemmley	....	grip
Lacey Terrell	....	still photographer
Jared Wellman	....	lighting technician
Satoshi Yamazaki	....	grip

Casting Department
Jennifer Levy	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joshua Christensen	....	set costumer
Carrie Dacre	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Suzanne LaBrot	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Levent Erdogan	....	music editor
Joel C. High	....	music supervisor
Rebecca Rienks	....	music supervisor
Eamon Ryland	....	musician: guitar

Transportation Department
Dan 'the Mayor' Cowden	....	transportation captain: second unit
Jimmy Cowden	....	transportation: second unit

Other crew
Natalie Barbrie	....	production secretary
Nicolaas Bertelsen	....	location scout: Iowa (as Nick A. Bertelsen)
Anthony E. Cabral	....	key set production assistant: second unit
Linda Colangelo	....	unit publicist (as Linda McGhan)
Ron Durham	....	location manager: Illinois
Matthew Gowan	....	production assistant
Ryan Kennedy	....	key set production assistant
Christopher Kinker	....	production assistant
Michael Leicht	....	set production assistant: second unit
Oscar Madrid	....	production assistant
Ben McCrea	....	key assistant location manager
Ralph Moran	....	production assistant
Jeff 'Doc' Porter	....	production medic
Wendy Rohland	....	production accountant
Susan A. Sullivan	....	script supervisor
Kelvin Tate	....	production assistant
Lora Marie Taylor	....	payroll accountant
Lynn M. van Kuilenburg	....	location manager

Thanks
James Choi	....	special thanks
Judith Krant	....	special thanks
Jackson Kuehn	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Roberts/David Films
• Snappe' Production Company
• Upload Films

Distributors

• Phase 4 Films (2010) (Canada) (all media)
• Phase 4 Films (2010) (USA) (all media)

Other Companies

• Monster Picture Crane  stunt rigging crane
• Reel Security  production security
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some violent content and brief sexuality

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44839)

Filming Locations:

Alton, Illinois, USA

Company:

Roberts/David Films

Soundtrack:

I'm Lonely

Dreary and biased

This is the first time I've been the first person to write a review, which is surprising, considering this film has been out for 5 years ... But then again, perhaps not, because there really isn't much to enthuse about.

Perhaps it comes from having a screenplay basically written by the main protagonist, but there's absolutely no attempt to explain the reasons for the decisions that went against our "hero" - and I believe there were several - they're simply dismissed as arbitrary and possibly corrupt. And the courtroom scenes have to rank as some of the dullest and most unedifying I've ever seen in a film which is essentially about a court case.

To be honest, the most interesting sequence is the first 5 minutes (the videotape of the interrogation), but after that things start to go downhill quickly. There's no tension, and no attempt to explain anyone's motives; and the movie meanders its way slowly to the courtroom where, after more tedium, the jury return a verdict that frankly feels like it comes out of nowhere. On the basis of this outing, I'm not sure I'd trust Gabriel Mann to argue the case for the Pope being Catholic.

About the only actors who show any spark are John Savage and Lee Garlington, as the parents of Kevin Thacker. Sadly, they're not on screen long enough to give this movie any impetus, and the whole thing fizzles out like a damp squib.

Lesson for the future chaps: ponderous dialogue and trite platitudes about justice and the misuse of power do NOT a courtroom drama make.