The Pleasure of Being Robbed (2008)

Director:

Joshua Safdie

Writers:

Eleonore Hendricks (co-screenplay)
Joshua Safdie (story)
(more)

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A curious and lost Eleonore looks for something everywhere, even in the bags of strangers who find themselves sadly smiling only well after she's left their lives. They owe her their thanks. |

Plot Keywords:

Mumblecore

Awards:

5 wins

Cast

Batman	...	Hello Beautiful / Handsome
Alex Billig	...	Trumpet Player
Wayne Chin	...	Wayne
Jerry Damons	...	Jerry The Cop
Lowell the Dog	...	Lowell
John Dwyer	...	Drinks For Everybody
The Fly	...	Fly
Dawn Glickman	...	Dawn
Alex Greenblatt	...	Son
Gary Greenblatt	...	Father
Eleonore Hendricks	...	Eléonore
Francesca LaPrelle	...	Mom
Miranda LaPrelle	...	Daughter
Astrid Larson	...	Astrid
Sam Lisenco
Van Neistat	...	Animal Harraser
Eloy Ortega	...	Flower / Fruit Stand Attendant
Charlotte Pinson	...	Girlfriend
Joshua Safdie	...	Josh
Ariel Schulman	...	Boyfriend
Andy Spade	...	Andy
Bea Spade	...	Andy's Daughter Bea
Henry Tejada	...	Henry the Doorman
Calvin Wilson	...	TA Cashier
Jordan Zaldez	...	Jordan The Cop

Directed by
Joshua Safdie

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Eleonore Hendricks		co-screenplay
Joshua Safdie		story & screenplay
Andy Spade		co-story
Anthony Sperduti		co-story

Produced by
Brett Jutkiewicz	....	producer
Sam Lisenco	....	producer
Casey Neistat	....	executive producer
Joshua Safdie	....	producer
Zachary Treitz	....	producer

Original Music by
The Beets
Alex Billig
Noah Britton
Tiny Seas

Cinematography by
Brett Jutkiewicz
Joshua Safdie

Film Editing by
Brett Jutkiewicz
Ben Safdie
Joshua Safdie

Art Direction by
Sam Lisenco

Art Department
Molly McFadden	....	props
Ariel Schulman	....	assistant art director
Shabd Simon-Alexander	....	props

Sound Department
Evan Mangiamele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ben Safdie	....	sound
Zachary Treitz	....	sound
Stephen Valand	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Messina	....	assistant camera
Zachary Treitz	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Eleonore Hendricks	....	additional casting

Editorial Department
Steven Bodner	....	colorist

Production Companies

• Red Bucket Films

Distributors

• IFC Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sophie Dulac Distribution (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• CineBinario Films (CBF) (2011) (Spain) (video) (DVD,VOD,TV)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Irfan Film (2010) (Turkey) (TV)
• Sophie Dulac Distribution (2009) (France) (all media)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Argentina:71 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente) | USA:71 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Red Bucket Films

Soundtrack:

Pannonica

An Ode to Scum

As the picture begins, our heroine steals a bag containing a small dog from an out-of-towner. When she gets the parcel home and discovers the little critter, for which she has no use, she just casts it out into the hallway of her tenement to fend for itself. She has no feeling for the welfare of the animal, not to mention the grief of its owner. That was enough for me. I couldn't care less what happens to this cruel, selfish young woman, except to the extent that I hope it hurts. Had the plot been billed as animal rights vigilantes giving her what she has coming, I might have continued watching. One understands that not every protagonist can be exemplary, and that even those who are bear human imperfections. In "Gardens of the Night," Tom Arnold gives an Oscar-worthy performance as an even worse human being, who abducts children and "turns them out" as prostitutes salable to pimps. But there are complexities in the portrayal, limits to his excesses, and he displays a horrifying, yet fascinating ability to relate to his victims. In contrast, the unfeeling Eleonore just makes me angry, without being interesting.