A Bag of Hammers (2011)

Director:

Brian Crano

Writers:

Jake Sandvig (written by)
Brian Crano (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A con is easy. Family is hard.

Plot:

Two misfit best friends incapable of growing up, whose direction is tested by an abandoned child, worn beyond his years; together they invent the family they've always needed. |

Plot Keywords:

Abandoned Child | Best Friend | Reference To Mariah Carey | Shorts | Boy

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jason Ritter	...	Ben
Jake Sandvig	...	Alan
Chandler Canterbury	...	Kelsey
Rebecca Hall	...	Melanie
Todd Louiso	...	Marty
Gabriel Macht	...	Wyatt
Carrie Preston	...	Lynette
Amanda Seyfried	...	Amanda
Johnny Simmons	...	Kelsey, age 18
Josh Cooke	...	Cop
Micah A. Hauptman	...	Vince Ortega (as Micah Hauptman)
Barb Rossmeisl	...	Hobo (as Barbara Rossmeisl)
Devika Parikh	...	Interviewer 1
Greg Clark	...	Interviewer 2
Ricardo J. Chacon	...	Jorge
Dale Waddington	...	Neighbor (as Dale Waddington Horowitz)
Jordan Green	...	Scott Owen
Sally Kirkland	...	Older Jewish lady
Elmarie Wendel	...	The Mark
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carol Lyn Black	...	(uncredited)
Erik Eidem	...	Erik (uncredited)
Kenyetta Lethridge	...	Volunteer (uncredited)
Hunter James Mckeever	...	Classmate (uncredited)
Cameron Palatas	...	Young Alan (uncredited)
Philip Pavel	...	Interviewer (uncredited)

Directed by
Brian Crano

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Brian Crano		written by
Jake Sandvig		written by

Produced by
Jennifer Barrons	....	producer
Brian Crano	....	producer
Lucy Barzun Donnelly	....	producer
Craig Eisenberg	....	co-producer
Peter Friedlander	....	producer
Max Hurwitz	....	associate producer
Jake Sandvig	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Johnny Flynn

Cinematography by
Byron Shah
Quyen Tran

Film Editing by
Brian A. Kates
Travis Sittard

Casting by
Brad Gilmore

Production Design by
Bradley Thordarson

Art Direction by
Justin Allen
Rachelle House

Set Decoration by
Jeanne Nicholas
Elisabeth Stewart		(as Elisabeth 'Lulu' Stewart)

Costume Design by
Michelle Sandvig

Makeup Department
Christina Buzas	....	additional hair stylist
Christina Buzas	....	additional make-up artist
Molly Cranna	....	additional hair stylist
Molly Cranna	....	assistant makeup artist
Keri Ann Luevano	....	key hair stylist
Keri Ann Luevano	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Cynthia Graner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael L. Canale	....	second second assistant director
Elizabeth Guilliams	....	second second assistant director
Arturo Guzman	....	second assistant director
Walton Reid	....	second second assistant director
Gabriel Reiter	....	second assistant director (as Gabe Reiter)
Stuart Richardson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Justin Allen	....	on set dresser
Justin Ayres	....	leadman (as Justin Ayers)
Jill Blackledge	....	art p.a.
Sahra Brady	....	art p.a.
Lia Burton	....	art intern
Russell Drake	....	leadman
Frank Duran	....	leadman
Josue Clotaire Fleurimond	....	assistant art director (as Josue Fleurimond)
Lauren Klixbull	....	on set dresser
Shalome Pilson	....	art p.a.
Kristin Rasmussen	....	art intern
Jason Ray	....	property master
Steve Rick	....	supervising property master
Howard Rosell	....	prop intern (as Howard Rosen)
Katriel Rotamel	....	shopper
Kerrie Scher	....	shopper
Scott Shackelford	....	leadman
John Stone	....	leadman
Evelyn Valenzuela	....	art p.a.

Sound Department
Mark Allen	....	sound effects editor
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Keith Birchfiel	....	boom operator
Thomas Curley	....	sound mixer
Pamela Kahn	....	foley artist
Josh Mantlo	....	boom operator
Stacey Michaels	....	foley mixer
Richard Partlow	....	foley artist
Robert Sharman	....	sound mixer
Deron Street	....	additional sound design
Deron Street	....	first assistant sound editor
Matt Vowles	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matt Vowles	....	supervising sound editor
Ronald L. Wright	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Matt McFarland	....	digital intermediate colorist

Stunts
Larry Rippenkroeger	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Avila	....	grip
Dan Bombell	....	b-camera first assistant
Alexandra Cason	....	first assistant camera
Alan Cwizdowski	....	second assistant camera
Ryan Elwell	....	best boy electrician
Brian Fletcher	....	electrician
Noah Flippo	....	grip
Robbie Ford	....	grip
Lewis Fowler	....	b-camera first assistant
Chris Freillich	....	electrician
Ravi Gahunia	....	best boy grip
Eli Green	....	b-camera operator
Eli Green	....	digital image technician
Morgan Jenkins	....	b-camera operator
Yu Karitani	....	key grip
Ben Kitchens	....	best boy electric
Mike Kowalczyk	....	second assistant camera
David Lassiter	....	electrician
Josh Markvan	....	dolly grip
Tim McArdle	....	gaffer
Ethan McDonald	....	first assistant camera
Marvin Pierce	....	grip intern
Brennan Price	....	electrician
Daniel Puckett	....	electrician
Harry Rez	....	key grip
Jason Rez	....	key grip
Andrew Robison	....	dolly grip (as Drew Robinson)
Gary K. Sailors	....	electrician
Derek Santovo	....	electrician
Wendy Schmidt	....	grip
Nick Sogard	....	dolly grip
Tim Stratton	....	best boy electric
Jay Todd	....	grip
Jim Vos	....	electrician
Jessica Walker	....	best boy grip
Andrew Wheeler	....	electrician
Michael Withers	....	gaffer
Mathieu Young	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Mike Hendel	....	casting assistant
Kyle Dean	....	casting intern (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Courtney Fugate	....	wardrobe intern
Lauren Nakagawa	....	wardrobe intern
Lauren Silvestri	....	wardrobe intern
Tera Struck	....	wardrobe supervisor
Diane Weisman	....	wardrobe intern
Lisa Michelle Wolf	....	wardrobe intern

Editorial Department
Lizzy Calhoun	....	assistant editor
Matt McFarland	....	digital intermediate colorist
Christopher M. Meagher	....	digital intermediate editor
Adam Ohl	....	digital intermediate producer
Colin Patton	....	additional editor
Greg Spence	....	post-production supervisor

Music Department
Doug Bernheim	....	music business affairs
Nick Bobetsky	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Michael Klein	....	picture car coordinator
Larry Rippenkroeger	....	driver

Other crew
Jenelle Aronson	....	production assistant
Jennifer Bahr	....	production assistant
Philip Barnes	....	location manager
Karen Bove	....	assistant to the producers
Christine Brouthers	....	production assistant
Carol A. Compton	....	script clearance
Erin Connarn	....	script supervisor
Mike Deas	....	production assistant
Melissa Downing	....	location manager (as Melissa 'Zippy' Downing)
Phil Eisenhower	....	studio teacher
Cara Fitzgerald	....	production assistant
Phyllis Gallichet	....	caterer
Ginny Galloway-Wyman	....	assistant production coordinator
Gabriel Hobson	....	assistant to the producers
Gabriel Hobson	....	production assistant
Sean R. Jackson	....	production coordinator
Pam Jones	....	studio teacher
Michael Klein	....	location manager
Rosa Linck	....	craft service
Jordan Litt	....	assistant to location manager
Jordan Litt	....	production assistant
Phillip Loeb	....	production assistant
Sue Ludwig	....	craft service
Pheobe Madison	....	production assistant
Mary Melendez	....	production assistant
Melanie Pastor	....	studio teacher
Tim Pelletier	....	key set production assistant
Joe Richey	....	production assistant
Josh Sandler	....	legal
Julia Tasker	....	script supervisor

Distributors

• MPI Media Group (2012) (USA) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• IndieClear  script clearance
• PES Payroll  payroll services
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities
• Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging  digital intermediate services

Runtime:

USA:85 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Trivia:

Johnny Simmons, who plays Kelsey at age 18, is the same age as Jake Sandvig, who plays Alan, his adoptive father. They were both 25 when A Bag of Hammers was made.

Quotes:

Wyatt:Look, you may not understand this, but this is the best thing for you, okay?
Kelsey:They wanted me.
Wyatt:They couldn't take care of you, Kelsey.
Kelsey:No one has *ever* wanted me before. But they wanted me.
Wyatt:It's not enough.
Kelsey:Yes it is!

A Bag of Indie-Wannabe

Brian Crano's film A Bag of Hammers is part of the modern subset of indie dramedies, films that try to embrace cultural or social issues but finding a proper mix of quirky humor and twisted situations that somehow bizarrely mirror real life with a touch of humor and dash of heartbreak. While this mini-genre is at its fullest popularity, Crano's film doesn't reach the brilliance that other films similar has done.

Ben (Jason Ritter) and Alan (Jake Sandvig) are two friends who make a living by stealing cars through their valet service (how they aren't caught, the world may never know) and sublet part of their house to a struggling single mother, desperate to get a job and provide for her son. The boys end up taking care of the child themselves and must decide whether they are ready to move past their own adolescence to raise a son as their own.

The plot suggests class statements, coming-of-age, and a type of conflict that would usually inhabit a Fox sitcom or a 1980's comedy. While some of these ambitions play out, most of them fall flat or are too jumbled to reach any real potential. Ritter and Sandvig give it their all, with Chandler Canterbury given a misdirected performance of vague longing. The film relies on a soundtrack to convey emotion instead of proper, driven dialogue to propel the narrative to create something more. The film has it's heart in the right place, but the execution denies it's ultimate success.

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