In the Loop (2009)

Director:

Armando Iannucci

Writers:

Jesse Armstrong (screenplay) &
Simon Blackwell (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 April 2009 (Ireland)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The fate of the world is on the line.

Plot:

The US President and UK Prime Minister fancy a war. But not everyone agrees that war is a good thing...

Plot Keywords:

Vote | Committee | Middle East | Washington D.C. | Lieutenant General

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Peter Capaldi	...	Malcolm Tucker
Harry Hadden-Paton	...	Civil Servant
Samantha Harrington	...	Malcolm's Secretary
Gina McKee	...	Judy Molloy
Tom Hollander	...	Simon Foster
Olivia Poulet	...	Suzy
Chris Addison	...	Toby Wright
James Smith	...	Michael Rodgers
Zach Woods	...	Chad
Mimi Kennedy	...	Karen Clark
Anna Chlumsky	...	Liza Weld
Enzo Cilenti	...	Bob Adriano
Lucinda Raikes	...	Reporter
James Doherty	...	Reporter
David Rasche	...	Linton Barwick
Reid Sasser	...	Airport Security Man
James Gandolfini	...	Lt. Gen. George Miller
Johnny Pemberton	...	A.J. Brown
Chipo Chung	...	Annabelle Hsin
Del Pentecost	...	White House Tourist
Joanna Scanlan	...	Roz
Joanna Brookes	...	Mrs. McDiarmid
Steve Coogan	...	Paul Michaelson
Rita May	...	Mrs. Michaelson
Paul Higgins	...	Jamie MacDonald
Alex Macqueen	...	Sir Jonathan Tutt (as Alex MacQueen)
Eve Matheson	...	New Minister
Will Smith	...	New Advisor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christian Contreras	...	Jeff Romero (scenes deleted)
Chizzy Akudolu	...	UN Cleaner (uncredited)
Stephanie Cannon	...	US State Department Employee (uncredited)
Jen Carden	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)
Scot Cregan	...	Airport Traveller (uncredited)
Jim Hild	...	Party Goer (uncredited)
Julie Mun	...	State Dept. Staffer (uncredited)
Natasha Sattler	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)
Janelle Schmidt	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)
John Snowden	...	Government Minister (uncredited)
Al Sotto	...	Limo Driver (uncredited)
Patrick Michael Strange	...	State Dept. Staffer (uncredited)
John Warman	...	Security (uncredited)
Don Whatley	...	Party Goer (uncredited)

Directed by
Armando Iannucci

Writing credits
Jesse Armstrong		(screenplay) &
Simon Blackwell		(screenplay) &
Armando Iannucci		(screenplay) &
Tony Roche		(screenplay)
Ian Martin		(additional dialogue)
Harold Manning		(french adaptation) uncredited

Produced by
Simon Fawcett	....	executive producer
Daniel Hank	....	line producer: USA
Paula Jalfon	....	executive producer
Christine Langan	....	executive producer
Kevin Loader	....	producer
Rosa Romero	....	line producer
Adam Tandy	....	producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Adem Ilhan

Cinematography by
Jamie Cairney		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Anthony Boys		(as Ant Boys)
Billy Sneddon

Casting by
Sarah Crowe
Meredith Tucker

Production Design by
Cristina Casali

Art Direction by
Nick Dent

Set Decoration by
Clare Keyte

Costume Design by
Ros Little

Makeup Department
Kay Bilk	....	hair stylist
Kay Bilk	....	makeup artist
Tamsin Dorling	....	makeup artist
Marese Langan	....	hair designer
Marese Langan	....	makeup designer
Annabelle MacNeal	....	assistant hair stylist: USA
Annabelle MacNeal	....	assistant makeup artist: USA
Isabelle Webley	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Patrick Burrows	....	unit manager (as Pat Burrows)
Louise Seymour	....	post-production supervisor
Will Tatum	....	production manager: New York
Kurt Uebersax	....	production supervisor: USA
Dave Willis	....	production manager: Washington D.C.

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nicholas Hopkins	....	crowd third assistant director (as Nick Hopkins)
Jon Jennings	....	second assistant director
Annalise Laidlow	....	third assistant director
Charlie Leech	....	first assistant director
Ken Myers	....	second assistant director: USA
Mitchell Reichler	....	first assistant director: USA
A.J. Smith	....	second second assistant director: USA
David Coupland	....	floor assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)
Will McDonagh	....	first assistant director: additional photography (uncredited)

Art Department
Dave Allen	....	construction manager
Rachel Aulton	....	stand-by art director
Marshall Aver	....	production buyer
Ben Bagley	....	dressing props
Ray Bell-Chambers	....	carpenter
Gary Bird	....	carpenter
Alan Bruckner	....	art director: USA
Rebecca Chidgey	....	assistant art director
Melloney Cunnell	....	production buyer
Gary Davies	....	stagehand
Matthew Dewar	....	props: dailies
Eddie Downes	....	props: dailies
Kerry Farley	....	painter
Sharon Fergus	....	carpenter
Bruce Gallup	....	painter (as Bruce Gallop)
Jane Gilchrist	....	prop hand
Gavin Grant	....	prop hand
David Gray	....	painter
Jeffrey Hardwick	....	props: dailies
Andy Harris	....	props: dailies
Clint Hellyer	....	carpenter
Kez Keyte	....	stand-by props trainee
Roger Kiff	....	carpenter
Dwain Laight	....	props: dailies
Ben Lobb	....	painter
James Mannell	....	prop hand
Toby Marrow	....	props: dailies
Eric A. Marx	....	props: USA (as Eric Marx)
Antony May	....	props: dailies
Eddie O'Neill	....	stagehand
Mark Papworth	....	prop hand
Morgan Parker	....	props: dailies
Steve Parnell	....	props: dailies
Nick Pearson	....	construction medic
Gert Rademeyer	....	carpenter
Sui Rajakaruna	....	art department researcher
Steve Register	....	property master
Neil Robertson	....	stagehand
Tessa Scott	....	painter
Michael Spence	....	props: dailies
Jo Sweeney	....	graphic designer
Donna Turner	....	painter
Chris White	....	carpenter
Paul White	....	carpenter
Michael Whitemore	....	props: dailies
Robert J. Dugdale	....	painter (uncredited)
Sammy Steward	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Tim Alban	....	foley editor
Tim Alban	....	sound supervisor
Ben Coleman	....	boom operator
Phil Coleman	....	boom operator
Richard Davey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jack Gillies	....	sound effects supervisor
Michael Moore	....	boom operator: USA
Bob Newton	....	sound mixer
Anne Pamphilon	....	sound coordinator
Richard Pilcher	....	sound maintenance
Alex Sullivan	....	sound mixer: USA
Chris Treble	....	dialogue editor
Andrew Baker	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Antony Bayman	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Naomi Dandridge	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Tom Deane	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Lionel Strutt	....	adr coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ben Baker	....	head of digital lab: Framestore
Clare Brody	....	data operator: Framestore
Richard Edwards	....	data operator: Framestore
Esme Long	....	digital intermediate producer
James Long	....	data operator: Framestore
Louie Alexander	....	digital compositor: Framestore (uncredited)
Zachary Bloom	....	scanning and recording: Framestore (uncredited)
Paul Burke	....	scanning and recording: Framestore (uncredited)
Adam Hawkes	....	digital compositor: Framestore (uncredited)
Karsten Hecker	....	film mastering engineer (uncredited)
Kevin Lowery	....	high definition engineer (uncredited)
Veronica Marcano	....	scanning & recording operator (uncredited)
Edwin Metternich	....	digital intermediate retouch (uncredited)
Lee Rankin	....	scanning and recording: Framestore (uncredited)
Jimmy Saul	....	scanning and recording assistant manager (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Allkins	....	electrician
Paul Barker	....	rigger
David Bayliss	....	rigger
Simon Beach	....	electrician
Mark Bentley	....	still photographer: USA
Danny Butler	....	electrician (as Dan Butler)
John Clarke	....	electrician
Frank Cox	....	electrician
Craig Davis	....	electrician
Frank Dawson	....	electrician
Nicola Dove	....	still photographer
Mark Elzee	....	electrician: USA
John Frisbie	....	gaffer: USA
Peter Gilmore	....	electrician
Dave Glazier	....	electrician
James Grimes	....	grip
Darren Harvey	....	rigging gaffer
Darren Jackson	....	electrician
Larry Knox	....	electrician
Joe Kurtz	....	key grip: USA
Jake Marcuson	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Nick Martin	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Sarfaraz Mavhr	....	video assist
Leslie McDonald	....	grip: USA
Paul Molley	....	electrician
Matt North	....	second assistant camera (as Matthew North)
Mike O'Leary	....	best boy: USA
Bill Parris	....	second assistant camera: USA
Roland C. Phillips	....	camera trainee
Nimit 'Thai' Phong	....	best boy grip: UDS
Antony Prendergast	....	electrician (as Anthony Prendergast)
Steve Robinson	....	first assistant camera: USA
Roger Saberworth	....	electrician
John Saunders	....	electrician
Mark Sneddon	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Dave Syzmanski	....	camera production assistant: USA
Chris Tann	....	electrician
Colin Thwaites	....	gaffer
Scott Perryman	....	electrician (uncredited)
Andrew Roddewig	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Jason Shinsato	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Helen Coker	....	casting assistant
Mandy Sprinkel	....	extras casting: Washington D.C. (as Mandy Sprinkle)
Dagmar Wittmer	....	extras casting: Washington D.C.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lorraine Boyle	....	costume assistant
Adam Dee	....	costume assistant
Becky Garrity	....	costume assistant (as Rebecca Garrity)
Ray Greenhill	....	costume assistant
Matthew Lauprete	....	costume assistant: USA
Janine Marr	....	costume supervisor
Adam Pollard	....	costumer: USA

Editorial Department
Tabitha Dean	....	digital intermediate editorial contact
John Durcan	....	post-production assistant
Jan Hogevold	....	digital intermediate executive producer
David Johnston	....	digital intermediate conform editor
Brian Krijgsman	....	colorist
Esme Long	....	digital intermediate producer
Immanuel von Bennigsen	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Elysian Quartet	....	music performers (as The Elysian Quartet)
Adem Ilhan	....	musician
Jennymay Logan	....	musician: The Elysian Quartet
Laura Moody	....	musician: The Elysian Quartet
Mark Rankin	....	music recordist
Mark Rankin	....	music scoring mixer
Vince Sipprell	....	musician: The Elysian Quartet
Emma Smith	....	musician: The Elysian Quartet
Mark Wiggins	....	music studio assistant
Becky Bentham	....	music supervisor (uncredited)
Abbie Lister	....	music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Paul Bartlett	....	unit driver
Danny Brown	....	facilities captain
Simon Burgess	....	driver: makeup truck
Lloyd Eaton	....	facilities coordinator
Tina Faulkner	....	unit driver
Tim Harrison	....	driver: costume truck
John Hopwood	....	unit driver
Brian Howard	....	driver: camera truck
Aidan Keating	....	unit driver
Stuart Little	....	unit driver
Lee Pellett	....	transportation captain
Steven Rose	....	driver: dining bus
Ben Smith	....	unit driver
Matthew O. Stone	....	driver: camera truck

Other crew
Spencer Ackerman	....	political consultant
Razwana Akram	....	legal services
Geraldine Atlee	....	business affairs: BBC Films
Lorraine Bagshaw	....	floor runner
Skip Blake	....	security coordinator: USA
Patrick Burn	....	location manager: Washington D.C.
Ben Caird	....	production runner
Neil Calder	....	bond company: Film Finances
Daniel Castella	....	assistant to director
Brian M. Chilcoat	....	production assistant: USA (as Brian Chilcoat)
Emma Clarke	....	senior executive: New Cinema Fund, UK Film Council
Tonia Cohen	....	negative check and script clearances: Capello Media Solutions
Annie Collins	....	office production assistant: USA
Kate Conway	....	political consultant
Leonard Crooks	....	head of New Cinema Fund: UK Film Council
Kyle David Crosby	....	production assistant: USA (as Kyle Crosby)
Chris Cullum	....	health and safety officer
Sara Curran	....	legal services
Matt Curtis	....	title designer
Maxine Davis	....	production accountant
Joe Downs	....	trainee assistant accountant: PGGB
Maboud Ebrahimzadeh	....	assistant to director: USA (as Maboyd 'E' Ebrahimzadeh)
Will Evans	....	head of business affairs: UK Film Council
Mike Fidduch	....	chef (as Mike Fiddock)
Nathan Gendzier	....	location manager: New York
Simon Goldberg	....	legal services
Sean Gray	....	researcher
Jonathan Harvey	....	archive researcher
Hannah Hoover	....	production assistant: USA
Tom Howard	....	location manager
Steve Joberns	....	auditor: Shipleys
Mark Kelly	....	travel agent: Avion
James Khouri	....	location scout (as James Khoury)
Nicola Mairs	....	production coordinator
Tessa Mancini	....	production coordinator: New York
Gavin Milligan	....	security
Fiona Morham	....	head of production: UK Film Council
Lewis Partovi	....	assistant production coordinator
Lucie Phillips Browne	....	trainee script supervisor: FT2
Chrissy Phillips	....	hotel booker: Big City Reservations
Alex Pudney	....	assistant to director
Amanda Pyne	....	production finance: UK Film Council
Edward Rees	....	location runner
Rebecca Roffey	....	representative: Aramid
Jean Sassine	....	parking coordinator: USA
Noah Schaftel	....	production assistant: USA
Janice Schumm	....	script supervisor
Mark Sickle	....	production assistant: USA
Martin Sixsmith	....	political consultant
Claire Smith	....	representative: Aramid
Karen Smith	....	location scout
Jane Street	....	location scout
Yu-Fai Suen	....	representative: Aramid
Helen Swanwick-Thorpe	....	trainee assistant production coordinator (as Helen Swanwick)
Dimitra Tsingou	....	representative: Aramid
Matthew Vizard	....	production and delivery coordinator: BBC Films
David Vogel	....	key production assistant: USA (as Dave Vogel)
Tanya von Moser	....	unit publicist
Brigitte Ward-Holmes	....	assistant accountant
Lisa Williams	....	assistant to producers
Michael Wood	....	production executive: BBC Films
Ethan Yang	....	assistant location manager: USA
Josh Yudkin	....	location scout
Joe Carabeo	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Lorraine Edwards	....	assistant production coordinator: additional photography (uncredited)
Aerial Longmire	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Greg Lubin	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• BBC Films (presents)
• UK Film Council (presents)
• Aramid Entertainment Fund (as Aramid Entertainment) (in association with)

Distributors

• Optimum Releasing (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• IFC Films (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• CTV International (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Tour de Force (2009) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2010) (UK) (TV) (BBC2)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• MPI Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• MPI Home Video (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Madman Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• NonStop Entertainment (2009) (Scandinavia) (all media)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Optimum Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Other Companies

• AP  title design
• ARRI Media  camera equipment provided by
• Ace Minibus  minibuses
• Aramid Capital Partners  funding
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Avion  travel agent
• BBC Motion Gallery  stock footage
• BBC News 24  thanks
• Big City Reservations  hotel bookings
• Capello Media Solutions  negative checks and script clearances
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Clarity Post Production Sound  foley recorded at
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• Direct Lighting  lighting equipment
• Dynamic International  shipping
• Edit Hire Post Production Services  post-production facility (as Edit Hire)
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Fayre Do's  catering
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Framestore  digital intermediate
• Goldcrest Post Production London  ADR Facility
• Goldcrest Post Production London  sound re-recorded at (as Goldcrest Post Production)
• Hothouse Music  thanks
• M&C Executive Cars  executive cars (as M & C Executive)
• MK Travel  minibuses
• Midnight Express  international courier (as Midnite Express)
• Movie Lot, The  location security
• Pool Miloco Studios  music recorded at
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services
• Rapid Talent  extra casting
• Shipleys  auditor
• Simons Muirhead & Burton  legal services
• Sky News  stock footage
• Special Treats Production Company  epk (as The Special Treats Production Company)
• Totally Entertainment  insurance broker

Also Known As:

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | New Zealand:R13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Singapore:M18 | Norway:A | Sweden:7 | Australia:MA | New Zealand:M (TV rating) | Netherlands:12 | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Inglis Barracks, Mill Hill, London, England, UK

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

The Death Metal band 'Cannibal Corpse' make an appearance during the film.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When Malcolm Tucker leaves the White House urgently for the State Department, he is seen running eastwards on Pennsylvania Avenue, and in the following scene past the Willard Hotel on E St NW. This route would take him directly away from the State Department, which is west of the White House.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Malcolm Tucker:Good morning, my little chicks and cocks.

Movie Connections:

References "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 225

We May Have Found Summer's Sleep with 'In The Loop', America

Political comedy is a hard stunt to pull off. Ever since 1964, it seemed like nothing could top Dr. Strangelove. A lot of movies have tried and a lot have failed, although there were the lucky few that passed the bar (Election, Thank You for Smoking) but the brilliant thing about In The Loop is that it's so stupidly funny that it's one of the best comedies of the 21st Century! Armando Iannucci, most known for his The Thick of It series in the UK, directs a movie with the a the familiar theme of The Office. That documentary-style of film-making can be hit-or-miss (most recently, Public Enemies, a miss) and Iannucci hits it right on. Every scene he graces with a camera comes out picture perfect; nobody could've pegged this movie any better. Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Tony Roche and Simon Blackwell's script is something out of picture show heaven and sounds like it must've taken forever to finish, edit, revise, etc. Although these guys, these geniuses, apparently know what they're doing and don't care what anybody else says. That is the heart and soul of movie-making, readers. In The Loop is about a corrupt British government that accidentally gets the country thrown into the middle of a war. Loop stars Peter Capaldi, Gina McKee, James Gandolfini, Chris Addison and there's even a whimsical cameo by Steve Coogan. Capaldi is the absolute best at what he did, spewing swears as coarse as they are a riot ("fuck you, you lubricated horse cock!") and freaking out. I can't even put into words just how funny this guy was; he made the movie! But don't forget Addison as Toby. Addison is the British Napoleon Dynamite, that incredibly awkward guy that makes even the audience members turn red. James Gandolfini and Gina McKee round out the rest of the cast greatly, filling In The Loop with the type of sexual tension that you don't want to think about. It's like when a sex scene pops up on a DVD you're watching with your parents. Yeah, that bad.In The Loop is one of the most laugh out loud comedies I've seen in the past decade, that sadly nobody will get a chance to watch. In a world of Transformers and G.I Joe, In The Loop will sadly be ignored. But on an optimistic note, we may have found this summer's sleeper, America.

5/5 stars.