The Roommate (2011/I)

Director:

Christian E. Christiansen

Writers (WGA):

Sonny Mallhi (written by) and
Nick Bylsma (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

4 February 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

2,000 colleges. 8 million roommates. Which one will you get?

Plot:

College student Sara finds that her new roommate Rebecca has an obsession with her, which quickly turns violent.

Plot Keywords:

Roommate | Obsession | Freshman | Kneed In The Groin | Kitten

Awards:

7 nominations

Cast

Leighton Meester	...	Rebecca Evans
Shirley Norris	...	Kate
Nick Bylsma	...	Hunter
Minka Kelly	...	Sara Matthews
Cam Gigandet	...	Stephen
Lauren Alfano	...	Samantha Tangent
Aly Michalka	...	Tracy Morgan
Danneel Ackles	...	Irene (as Danneel Harris)
Frances Fisher	...	Alison Evans
Tomas Arana	...	Jeff Evans
Billy Zane	...	Professor Roberts
Nina Dobrev	...	Maria
Matt Lanter	...	Jason
Kat Graham	...	Kim Johnson (as Katerina Graham)
Johannes Raassina	...	Band Member
Cameron Fisher Brousseau	...	Band Member
Evan Michael Brown	...	Band Member
Alex Meraz	...	Frat Boy
Jerrika Hinton	...	Shiana
Jennifer Cadena	...	Dorm R.A.
Adam Saunders	...	Handsome Guy
Cory Tucker	...	Club Bartender
Will McFadden	...	Club Guy
Munda Razooki	...	Club Guy
Ryan Doom	...	Rick
Carrie Finklea	...	Marina
Andrej Nagy	...	Older Designer
Ashleigh Falls	...	Make-Up Girl
Jacqueline Mazarella	...	Woman Professor
Nathan Parsons	...	Coffee Shop Cashier
Elena Franklin	...	Maria's Girlfriend
Lauren Storm	...	Maria's Girlfriend
Stacy Barnhisel	...	Librarian
Cherilyn Wilson	...	Fraternity Party Girl
G.O. Parsons	...	Mocha Kid
Brian David Miller	...	Frat Bouncer
Jake Perry	...	Slacker Co-Worker
Cayla Korven	...	Tracy's Friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jenna Bryant	...	Jen (uncredited)
Julian Graham	...	Video Game Playing Frat Guy (uncredited)
Cameron Lee	...	Frat Guy (uncredited)
Todd Merz	...	Frat Guy (uncredited)
Heather Rose	...	Club Goer (uncredited)

Directed by
Christian E. Christiansen

Writing credits (WGA)
Sonny Mallhi		(written by)
Chris Bylsma		writer
Nick Bylsma		writer
Richard Robertson		writer

Produced by
Chris Bylsma	....	associate producer
Nick Bylsma	....	executive producer
Doug Davison	....	producer
George Flynn	....	associate producer
Roy Lee	....	producer
Sonny Mallhi	....	executive producer
Beau Marks	....	executive producer
Richard Robertson	....	producer
Paul Tennis	....	associate producer
Irene Yeung	....	producer

Original Music by
John Frizzell

Cinematography by
Phil Parmet		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Randy Bricker

Casting by
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger

Production Design by
Jon Gary Steele

Art Direction by
Chris Cornwell

Costume Design by
Maya Lieberman

Makeup Department
Fionagh Cush	....	makeup department head
André Dubois	....	key hair stylist
Erin Harding	....	makeup artist
Solina Tabrizi	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Valerie Bleth Sharp	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Audrey Clark	....	second second assistant director
Lance Gilbert	....	second unit director
Heather Grierson	....	second assistant director
Mark Anthony Little	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Doug Anderson	....	plasterer
Jonathan Bobbitt	....	leadman
Randy L. Childs	....	general foreman
Susan Chooljian	....	buyer
David Corral	....	greensman
Chad B. Daring	....	on-set dresser
Jay Dupuy	....	plaster department head
Neil Garland	....	propmaker gangboss
Karen Higgins	....	construction coordinator
Steven Kissick	....	general forman
Carolyn Lassek	....	assistant property master
Shea Marcus	....	art department assistant
Candice Muriedas	....	art department coordinator
Aimee O'Shea	....	props
Paris P. Pickard	....	art assistant
Andrea Rennard	....	art
Trey Shaffer	....	graphic designer
Hans Soto	....	greensmen
Gary Thomas	....	storyboard artist
Brian Tipton	....	shop foreman
Lindsay Tomlinson	....	assistant property master
Tommy Tomlinson	....	property master
Jason Vanover	....	key greensman
David Venezky	....	second buyer

Sound Department
Anthony J. Ciccolini III	....	supervising sound editor
Rickley W. Dumm	....	sound effects editor
Richard Bryce Goodman	....	sound mixer
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist
Andy Koyama	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roy Machado	....	adr mixer
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Lynn Sable	....	assistant sound editor
Randolph Saucedo	....	sound recordist
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Cary Weitz	....	boom operator
David Williams	....	adr editor
David Williams	....	dialogue editor
Fred Peck III	....	re-recordist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Dave Isaac Santos Abuel	....	digital compositor
Suzette Barnett	....	digital artist
Raoul Bolognini	....	visual effects producer
Joey Bonander	....	visual effects coordinator
Kristen Branan	....	head of production: Zoic Studios
Matthew G. Donnan	....	visual effects artist
Ristra Fajarwaty	....	digital compositor
Jesse Morrow	....	visual effects artist
Rocco Passionino	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Casey Adams	....	stunts
Stacey Carino	....	stunt double: Leighton Meester
Shauna Duggins	....	stunt double
Lance Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Kanin Howell	....	stunt double: Cam Gigandet
Kris A. Jeffrey	....	stunts
Tracy Kay	....	stunt actor
Diana R. Lupo	....	stunt double
Jimmy N. Roberts	....	stunt double
Tracey Ruggiero	....	stunt double: Minka Kelly

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Bain	....	additional digital loader
Dana Baker	....	best boy grip
Brandon Cox	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Daniel Enneking	....	dimmer board operator
Adam W. Erler	....	grip
Eric Felland	....	set lighting technician
Jon Haney	....	gaffer
Rick Harris	....	key rigging grip
Eric Leach	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Eric Leach	....	director of photography: second unit
Jonathan Leary	....	grip
Joshua Lewin	....	camera assistant
BJ McDonnell	....	camera operator: "a" camera
BJ McDonnell	....	steadicam operator
Nathaniel Miller	....	digital imaging technician
Ronald A. Miller	....	rigging grip foreman
Rory Muirhead	....	assistant camera
David H. Neale	....	rigging electric best boy
Yen P. Nguyen	....	second assistant camera
Vince Palomino	....	key grip
Joel Perkal	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Ryan Polack	....	digital loader
Elliott Schackne	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera
Donald A. Spadoni	....	best boy rigging grip
Robert Sterry	....	digital video assist operator
Michael Strong	....	rigging grip
Jaimie Trueblood	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Annie Muñoz	....	extras casting
Julie Swistak	....	casting associate
Karen Wood	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Romy Devack	....	costume assistant
Kristin Einarsson	....	costumer
Heidi Higginbotham	....	costume supervisor
Courtney Hoffman	....	additional set costumer
Kimberly Johnson	....	costumer
Lindsey Kear	....	wardrobe production assistant
Molly McConnaughy	....	costume shopper
Amanda McLaughlin	....	set costumer
Claire Schmitz	....	set costumer
Melanie Shepherd	....	set costumer
Zhanna Tataryan	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Tricia Chiarenza	....	color timer
Trent Johnson	....	digital film colorist
Bart Rachmil	....	first assistant editor
Lorena Talpan	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Jim Black	....	music clearance
Michael Friedman	....	music supervisor
Peter Fuchs	....	scoring mixer
Eric Gordon	....	assistant music editor
Kier Lehman	....	music department
Vladimir Martinka	....	music librarian
Haim Mazar	....	orchestrator
Haim Mazar	....	score co-producer
Thomas Parisch	....	orchestrator
Brian Richards	....	music editor
Frederik Wiedmann	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Neil Chisholm	....	production van driver
Jayson Ehlers	....	transportation captain
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Chris Haynes	....	driver
Yvette Peterson	....	driver

Other crew
Adam Bayless	....	assistant production coordinator
Kandice Billingsley	....	assistant location manager
Billy Bonifield	....	production coordinator
Colin Borden	....	production assistant
Linda Brown	....	unit publicist
Katie Cavanagh	....	accounting clerk
Cristina Christian	....	first assistant accountant
Deborah Chung	....	production assistant
Douglas Dresser	....	supervising location manager
Mary Fox	....	production accountant
Steve Gehrke	....	script supervisor
John Graham	....	studio executive
Felisha N. Grice	....	set production assistant
Mark Hochman	....	computer graphics / 24 frame HD playback
Lynn Johnson	....	set medic
Simeon Jones	....	production assistant
S. Dylan Kirkland	....	key assistant location manager
Jamie Lieberman	....	assistant: Glenn S. Gainor
Todd Manes	....	additional set production assistant
Debbie Merritt	....	assistant: Beau Marks
David Midgen	....	titles producer
Brian M. O'Neill	....	location manager
Kyle Oliver	....	key assistant location manager
Elyse Punia	....	assistant: christian christiansen
Matthew Rockel	....	production assistant
Karen Scarborough	....	payroll accountant
M. Ryan Traylor	....	production assistant
Derek Wade	....	production secretary
Kate Royce Walters	....	first assistant accountant
James Warden	....	production assistant
Chad Witt	....	set production assistant
Ashley Cozine	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Screen Gems (presents)
• Vertigo Entertainment

Distributors

• Screen Gems (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing Canada (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• FX Network (2013) (USA) (TV)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• RTL Entertainment (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2011) (Japan) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Greece) (DVD) (blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2011) (Argentina) (all media)

Other Companies

• BT Industrial Supply  expendables
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital marketing asset management
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Film Art  artwork
• Hula Post  editing systems
• Klass Security and Investigations  anti-piracy security
• Madison Gate Records  soundtrack
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  hair and make-up trailers
• Picture Mill, The  main titles
• Reel Security  production security
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  junxion box rentals
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Sony ColorWorks  digital intermediate

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #45420) | Canada:13+ (Québec) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:16 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Malaysia:18 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Screen Gems

Trivia:

It literally takes Sara one hour into the film to realize that Rebecca is psychotic.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Rebecca is lying on the floor after Sarah stabbed her in the back, at first there is a piece of hair falling across her face. The camera then flips to Sarah, then when it comes back to a closeup of Rebecca's face, the hair is no longer there.

Quotes:

Rebecca Evans:Maria!
Maria:...Hi.
Rebecca Evans:I wanted to introduce you to my roommate, Sara.
Sara Matthews:Hey.
Maria:Hi...
[Awkward Silence]

Movie Connections:

Featured in 'The Roommate': Dressing Dangerously (2011) (V)

Soundtrack:

The Focus

An embarrassment on the face of horror

Lacking in suspense, answers, and any enjoyment from its "horror" label it's boasting, The Roommate is easily one of the worst thrillers in recent memory. It provides no backstory or any chemistry from the cast, and manages to drag on for ninety-one minutes. When a movie makes you think a ninety-one minute run time is insufferable, wow is it bad.

The Roommate's biggest problem is that it is one big tease. It is stamped with a PG-13 rating, when it could've passed for a PG in 1982. There is a shower scene that is incredibly drawn out, and desperately wants to show below the waist and higher than the stomach but can't. It doesn't want to be racy or good. The makeout scenes could very well win the worst sex award as well.

The plot is a girl named Sara (Kelly) is starting College and gets a new dorm. Simple enough. She seems normal; tattoo of her deceased sister on her breast (wouldn't be surprised if when she was having sex with someone they screamed out "Emily" by accident), wants to learn, make new friends, simple. Much to her surprise, she returns home from the club to find she has a new roommate named Rebecca (Meester) an uneasy adolescent who becomes increasingly fascinated with her roommate. She begins to go through her things and be very overprotective about her. Then Sara discovers why she is the way she is.

My one question to the people behind this - why don't we get backstory on Rebecca? Why doesn't the film focus more on her? She is easily the more interesting one, and when we do find out the secret, we assume more backstory will brew. Negatory. None. We are just as clueless as we were. The minor clue towards the end doesn't help matters, and only turns them into a convoluted barrage of questions.

There is an animal murder, and like in Drag Me To Hell, it's horrifying. Why do horror movies these days portray an animal in danger or helplessness? Why do even the crazy harm animals? Let alone why is it incorporated in the film? She could've just let the animal loose and things would still play out the same. Nope. We have to witness another dreadful and upsetting animal murder for no apparent reason.

No character in this movie is likable either because no one is developed to that point. The main character's parents aren't even mentioned, or called once in the film. But her dead sister and her ex boyfriend get mentions. Plus I can tell right now Minka Kelly, a beautiful woman, is sporting too much of a Jessica Alba/Megan Fox look. Her hair looks darkened and her lipstick looks like a Fox tribute. Her Alba-like face is natural, obviously. I'm pretty sure she is aware of it too.

The Roommate is exactly what is wrong with modern day horror movies. There is no contrived suspense or anything to make this even the slightest bit likable. Even Billy Zane who was good in The Final Destination can't make this miserable mess any better. If had an R rating it may have been a little bit more tolerable, but I'm doubtful on that. It is Fatal Attraction mixed with Single White Female, and it creates a disastrous and lame film.

Starring: Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Cam Gigandet, Billy Zane, and Alyson Michalka. Directed by: Christian E. Christiansen.