Welcome to the Rileys (2010)

Director:

Jake Scott

Writer (WGA):

Ken Hixon (written by)

Release Date:

10 November 2010 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

You never know who's going to be your wake-up call

Plot:

On a business trip to New Orleans, a damaged man seeks salvation by caring for a wayward young woman.

Plot Keywords:

Runaway | Business Trip | Gravestone | Car Accident | Prostitute

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

James Gandolfini	...	Douglas Lloyd 'Doug' Riley
Kristen Stewart	...	Allison alias Mallory
Melissa Leo	...	Lois Riley
Joe Chrest	...	Jerry
Ally Sheedy	...	Harriet
Tiffany Coty	...	Tara
Eisa Davis	...	Vivian
Lance E. Nichols	...	Hamilton 'Ham' Watkins
Peggy Walton-Walker	...	Brenda (as Peggy Walton Walker)
Sharon Landry	...	Sharon
Kathy Lamkin	...	Charlene
Kerry Cahill	...	Waitress
Ken Hixon	...	Danny
Elliott Grey	...	Randy
David Jensen	...	Ed
Greg Di Leo	...	Ernie (as Greg DiLeo)
Deneen Tyler	...	Parking Officer
Lara Grice	...	Sales Clerk
Jack Moore	...	Roger
George Eaton	...	Desk Clerk
James Holbrook	...	Driver
Chris Kuttruff	...	Jay-Jay
Kim Collins	...	Bondsman
Mark Adam	...	Day Manager
Russell Steinberg	...	Conventioneer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cynthia LeBlanc	...	Second Liners (uncredited)
Elton LeBlanc	...	Second Liners (uncredited)
Jay Oliver	...	Customer at Vaughns Rest (uncredited)
Logan Douglas Smith	...	Plumbing Salesman, Cocktail & Dinner Patron, Conventioneer (uncredited)
Terry Lee Smith	...	Conventioneer (uncredited)
Michael Wozniak	...	Plumber at Strip Club (uncredited)

Directed by
Jake Scott

Writing credits (WGA)
Ken Hixon		(written by)

Produced by
Giovanni Agnelli	....	producer
Garrett Basch	....	co-producer
Scott Bloom	....	producer
Michael Costigan	....	producer
Ken Hixon	....	executive producer
Maresa Pullman	....	co-producer
Malcolm Reeve	....	co-producer
Ridley Scott	....	executive producer
Tony Scott	....	executive producer
Bergen Swanson	....	line producer
Steven Zaillian	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marc Streitenfeld

Cinematography by
Christopher Soos

Film Editing by
Nicolas Gaster

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Happy Massee

Set Decoration by
Tim Cohn

Costume Design by
Kim Bowen

Makeup Department
Robin Mathews	....	makeup department head
Paul Anthony Morris	....	hair department head
Eden Orfanos	....	key makeup artist
Remi Savva	....	makeup artist
Amy Wood	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Danielle Blumstein	....	production supervisor
Teresa Kelly	....	post-production supervisor
Bergen Swanson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve Lonano	....	second assistant director
Jesse Nye	....	first assistant director
Cali Pomes	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Michael Dares	....	set dresser
Ryan Martin Dwyer	....	on-set dresser
Beau Harrison	....	assistant property master
Molly Harrison	....	props
Lawrence Heap	....	set dresser
Leonard Lavigueur	....	property master
Danny Nick	....	leadman
Andrew Preen	....	set dresser
Derek A. Schwebel	....	props
Victoria St. Pierre	....	lead scenic
Alexander B. Williams	....	prop assistant
Durel Yates	....	set dresser

Sound Department
James Bailey	....	foley artist
Wade Barnett	....	adr recordist
Javier Bennassar	....	supervising sound editor
Robert C. Bigelow	....	sound mixer (as Robert Bigelow)
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Christopher Eakins	....	adr editor
Scott Edelson	....	boom operator
Robert Jackson	....	adr supervisor
Goeun Lee	....	foley editor
Travis MacKay	....	adr mixer
Matthew Mika	....	boom operator
Jan Petrov	....	adr recordist
Gabriel J. Serrano	....	sound recordist
Leslie Shatz	....	supervising sound editor
Geordy Sincavage	....	foley mixer
Callie Thurman	....	assistant sound editor
Mandell Winter	....	dialogue editor
Aaron Zeller	....	sound utility

Visual Effects by
Dick Edwards	....	visual effects supervisor: Invisible Effects

Stunts
Kaily Alissano	....	stunts
Danny Cosmo	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Jeff Galpin	....	stunt coordinator
Terra Grant	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Grayson Austin	....	steadicam operator
Skip Bolen	....	still photographer
Giovanni Bommarito	....	electrician
Scott Calcagno	....	rigging grip
Michael Charbonnet	....	first assistant camera
Rowland Egerton	....	rigging grip
Andre Green	....	rigging best boy electrician
Kyle Jenkins	....	digital video assist operator
Joe Lotuaco	....	grip
Scott Luttrell	....	grip
Lee McLemore	....	best boy grip
Patti Perret	....	still photographer
Jonathan E. Robinson	....	second assistant camera
Kristopher Weaver	....	lighting technician
Jeremy Webre	....	"b" dolly grip
Jeremy Webre	....	grip

Casting Department
Lois J. Drabkin	....	casting associate: New york
James Landry Hébert	....	casting associate (as James Hébert)
Charlotte N. Laihonen	....	casting assistant
Matthew Paul Spriggs	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christy Hebert Crouch	....	key costumer
Kirsten Ida Johnson	....	wardrobe production assistant
Kim Martínez	....	costume supervisor
Delphine Tandonnet	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Robert Drwila	....	assistant editor
Kathleen Latlip	....	first assistant editor
Nick Monton	....	digital intermediate producer
Santiago Padilla	....	colorist: dailies

Music Department
Allison Wright Clark	....	music supervisor
Jessica Dolinger	....	music clearances
Greg Hayes	....	music scoring mixer
Del Spiva	....	music editor
Andrew Synowiec	....	musician: guitar
Gina Zimmitti	....	music contractor

Transportation Department
Samuel Wayne Beitz	....	driver: honeywagon
Anthony Forester	....	picture car coordinator
Danny Mortenson	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Kelley Baker	....	production accountant
Shelly Bancroft	....	acquisition consultant: Premiere Picture
Mike Barnard	....	assistant to james gandolfini
Sebastien Betsch	....	digital cinema supervisor
Samuel Birdsong	....	production assistant
James Brooke	....	production services
Gregory Cassin	....	production assistant
Amy Chaffee	....	dialect coach
Gabrielle Chapin	....	choreographer
Dwight Coulon	....	stand-in
Arvid Cristina	....	assistant production coordinator
Delma Cupit	....	production assistant
Michael Dittmar	....	location assistant
Scott Fahrendorf	....	production assistant
Matthew Ford	....	set medic
Paul Fraser	....	key medic
Jason Garrett	....	financier
Keith Gaudin	....	assistant accountant
Dana A. Hanby	....	location manager
Sam Hixon	....	assistant to writer
Ruth Kesler	....	production coordinator
Fiona Kihlstrom	....	financier
Mickey Lambert	....	assistant location manager
Mike Leonard	....	additional set production assistant
Don Lincoln	....	stand-in
Kevin Lorio	....	set production assistant
Kathleen Lynch	....	craft service head
Abbe Ertel Magid	....	assistant: Jake Scott
Maggie Martin	....	payroll accountant
Brian Mathews	....	set production assistant
Rachael Meadow	....	production secretary
Tom Moran	....	executive assistant: Tony Scott
Nadia Naguib	....	financier
Tony Osso	....	script supervisor
Jonathan Porter	....	location assistant
Maresa Pullman	....	film executive
Steven Robbins	....	assistant: Tony Scott
Ashlynn Ross	....	stand-in
Joan Scheckel	....	workshop development
Derek A. Schwebel	....	craft service
Marcus Searancke	....	financier
Natasha Shumny	....	post facilities coordinator
Aaron J. Stone	....	additional set production assistant
Christopher Tricarico	....	legal services
John M. White	....	production assistant
Derek Yip	....	production consultant
Darry Young	....	assistant craft service
Anthony Yuse	....	set production assistant
Preston Trahan	....	uncredited

Thanks
Daniel Lewis	....	thanks
Peter Rossano	....	special thanks
Joan Scheckel	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Samuel Goldwyn Films (presents)
• Destination Films (presents)
• Scott Free Productions
• Argonaut Pictures
• Film Rites

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) (2010) (worldwide) (all media)
• Arsenal Filmverleih (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• CCV Entertainment (2011) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Wild Bunch Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Bac Films (2010) (France) (all media)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• Pancinema (2011) (South Korea) (all media)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Zon Audiovisuais (2013) (Portugal) (all media)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera car
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Company 3  digital intermediate
• Composite Effects  specialty props
• Coulon Casting  casting
• Digital Vortechs  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• FBT Film and Entertainment  tax credits
• Global Tactical Services  security services
• Horizon Entertainment  production services
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Louisiana Entertainment  state film office
• Louisiana Media Productions  production services
• New Orleans Film Commission, The  film commission
• Sony Pictures Stock Footage  footage
• Sony Pictures Stock Footage  stock footage
• Soundtrack  adr facility
• Visions from the Roof  The Orchestra Ambros Seelos' music administered by
• Wildfire Studios  ADR recording facility
• Wildfire Studios  sound post-production
• Wildfire Studios  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, brief drug use and pervasive language involving a teenager

Runtime:

USA:110 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #46100) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:7 | Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:MA | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 (self applied) | Ireland:15A | South Korea:18 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Louisiana, USA

Company:

Samuel Goldwyn Films

Trivia:

Jake Scott cast Kristen Stewart due to how genuine and authentic she was when it came to her character.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Allison is in the car counting her money she burns her fingers on the butt of her cigarette. In the following scene she is seen with a barely smoked cigarette.

Quotes:

Douglas Lloyd 'Doug' Riley:[approaches Mallory] Excuse me. I'm not a cop. I'm from Indianapolis, Indiana and I run a wholesale plumbing supply business. I'm here for a convention.
[hands her a business card]
Mallory:Okay, I'm sorry about that. I just got cops on the brain, you know? I can't help it. They've been snooping around the club and they towed my car for unpaid parking tickets.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Inception/Predators/The Sorcerer's Apprentice (#2.25)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

English Suite No. 3 in G Minor: Gavotte 1

Stewart and Gandolfini step outside their norm to deliver powerful performances in "Welcome to the Rileys"

Ever since it's initial premiere at the Sundance Film Festival back in January of this year, "Welcome to the Rileys" has always been on my must see list. Unlike other film critics and journalists, I unfortunately, do not currently have a career in film journalism. I currently do it as a hobby/part time job. What does this mean? Well I don't get to hit all the festivals I would like to, but only a few per year. In the near future, I would hope to have a career in film journalism and be able to attend at least 20 festivals a year. Thankfully, I did have the opportunity to catch a screening of "Welcome to the Rileys" at the 19th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival this year.

"Welcome to the Rileys" tells the tale of Doug (James Gandolfini), a man who seems to have lost all desire for life. He lives at home with his depressed wife Lois (Melissa Leo) who hasn't left the house in several years. On top of this, he seems to have grown tired of his job as well as his marriage. One day on a business trip, Doug runs into Mallory (Kristen Stewart) who is both troubled and lost. This is when Doug realizes that he can help improve her life and seeks salvation by taking care of Mallory. This is where the underlying details of Doug's life begin to unravel...

The best part of "Welcome to the Rileys" hands down are the performances. I have been following Kristen Stewart as an actress for several years now ever since I first saw her in "Panic Room." Many people seem to have a love/hate relationship with her thanks to her unemotional and stiff role as Bella in the "Twilight" franchise. I would love to convince people to give her a shot as an actress but people seem to be rather set in their ways on her. For Stewart, it's hard not being the typical hot young actress. She's a rather unique actress with a non-typical Hollywood look and that's what I like about her. As for her performance in "Welcome to the Rileys," she is both raw and risqué. The amount of bad language and how dirty Stewart looks in the film would make a sailor look clean. Stewart's performance is by far the best one in the film. She is a lost soul with very little self respect in the film. She plays a stripper, which is a role I never thought I would ever see her play but just plays it perfectly. This is without a doubt Stewart's best role to date and even tops her performance as Joan Jett in "The Runaways." I would even argue that Stewart deserves an Oscar for her performance here, that's how good I felt she was in the film.

Besides Stewart, James Gandolfini gives an Oscar worthy performance here as well. I like the fact that Gandolfini decided to step out of his typical tough guy role to play a character who had a lot of heart and emotion was nice to see. This was a real turn for him. Many people know Gandolfini from "The Sopranos" and I am happy to say this role is a complete opposite from that. In this role, he is a very troubled character with a complex background. His performance is very dramatic, heartfelt, and powerful. When he argues with either Stewart or Leo in the film, you truly believe the raw emotion that is being displayed. Stewart and Gandolfini play off one another like pros in the film. They have great chemistry. As for Melissa Leo, she was also great in the film, she did a great job playing a wife who was damaged. When Stewart and Leo were together on screen their chemistry was amazing. As I said earlier in the review, the three lead roles were terrific! Director Jake Scott did a great job on this film. This was his first film since 1999 and he really hit this one out of the park. He captured the raw emotion and the suffering of all these characters, not to mention the fact he captured the grunginess of New Orleans. The direction of the film was great and there are several memorable scenes in this film including one scene with Melissa Leo's character Lois trying to drive her car for the first time in several years.

Ken Hixon was in charge of writing the screenplay for "Rileys" and I have to give him some credit points here. Some might say the the dialog was too over the top for him but I think that really shows how uneducated and the lack of respect Stewart's character had. I think it made it much more believable to a way that someone who had that background would speak. I also think the character development in the script was on point. The characters had the perfect amount of background to not make them interesting and not clichéd.

At the end of the day, "Welcome to the Rileys" almost lived up to all the hype surrounding it. I basically went to see the film for the performance by Stewart and Gandolfini and those definitely did not disappoint. The film, itself had good character development, good performances, was raw and gritty, and had a decent storyline. The ending wasn't perfect but it fit the bill in order to not be a typical clichéd movie. Its definitely holding a spot on my top 10 of the year even though it isn't near the top. The film is worthy of admission and I can definitely see this film getting some attention come Oscar season for the performances. If you are a fan of Stewart or of Gandolfini, this is a definitely a must see as well as those who appreciate a realistic dramatic film.

MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Welcome to the Rileys" is a solid 8 out of 10.