Terri (2011)

Director:

Azazel Jacobs

Writers:

Patrick Dewitt (written by) and
Azazel Jacobs (story)
(more)

Release Date:

8 August 2012 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

We've all been there.

Plot:

Centers on a large 15-year-old boy in a small town as he struggles to adjust to his difficult life. |

Plot Keywords:

15 Year Old | Mouse Trap | Therapy | High School Friend | High School Principal

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Jacob Wysocki	...	Terri
John C. Reilly	...	Mr. Fitzgerald
Bridger Zadina	...	Chad Markson
Creed Bratton	...	Uncle James
Olivia Crocicchia	...	Heather Miles
Tim Heidecker	...	Mr. Flemisch
Justin Prentice	...	Dirty Jack
Mary Anne McGarry	...	Mrs. Hamish
Curtiss Frisle	...	Sex Ed
Tara Karsian	...	Mrs. Davidson
Diane Salinger	...	Mrs. Vick (as Diane Louise Salinger)
Lisa Hoover	...	Waitress
Jenna Gavigan	...	Samantha Goode
Jessica D. Stone	...	Rachel #1
Jamie Lee Redmon	...	Rachel #2
Robert Towers	...	Priest
Eddie Pepitone	...	Joe Hollywood
Josh Perry	...	Marcus Bloom (as Josh 'The Ponceman' Perry)
Melanie Abramoff	...	Amy
Nelson Mashita	...	Custodian
Jeffrey Noah Silcock	...	Donny Washburn
Nate Sanchez	...	Teenager #1
Francisco Pedrasa	...	Teenager #2 (as Francisco 'Kico' Pedrasa)
Logan Holladay	...	Student on Rope
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marty Hrejsa	...	Bus driver (uncredited)

Directed by
Azazel Jacobs

Writing credits
Patrick Dewitt		(written by)
Patrick Dewitt		story
Azazel Jacobs		story

Produced by
Jefferson Bjoraker	....	co-executive producer
Cameron Brodie	....	executive producer
Tyler Brodie	....	executive producer
Alison Dickey	....	producer
Johnathan Dorfman	....	executive producer
Temple Fennell	....	executive producer
Zack Free	....	co-executive producer
Hunter Gray	....	producer
Lynette Howell	....	producer
Dawn Cullen Jonas	....	executive producer
Sarah Lash	....	executive producer
David Guy Levy	....	executive producer
Christine No	....	associate producer
Alex Orlovsky	....	producer
Phaedon A. Papadopoulos	....	associate producer
Jacob Pechenik	....	executive producer
Crystal Powell	....	associate producer
Chris Stinson	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Mandy Hoffman

Cinematography by
Tobias Datum

Film Editing by
Darrin Navarro

Casting by
Nicole Arbusto
Joy Dickson

Production Design by
Matt Luem		(as Matthew Luem)

Art Direction by
Nicolas Kelley

Set Decoration by
Lori Schindler

Costume Design by
Diaz

Makeup Department
Akiko Matsumoto	....	makeup department head
Maya Murakami	....	hair department head
Yoko Nobushi	....	additional makeup artist
Chie Noguchi	....	makeup intern
Yuko Takahashi	....	additional makeup artist
Lina Terai	....	makeup intern (as Rina Terai)

Production Management
Brian Buckland	....	additional production supervisor
Samantha Housman	....	post-production supervisor
T. Scott Keiner	....	additional production supervisor (as Scott Keiner)
Daniela Roth	....	production supervisor
Louise Runge	....	post-production supervisor
Chris Stinson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chandra M. Alexander	....	second second assistant director
Dave Halls	....	first assistant director
Jonathan Southard	....	additional first assistant director
Karla Strum	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Donahl Davila	....	propmaker
Dustin Dillard	....	set dresser
Ram Foulger	....	set dresser
Greg Gonzalez	....	art department assistant
Sara Beckum Jamieson	....	art department assistant (as Sara Jamieson)
Clayton Kemble	....	set dresser
Danielle Lee	....	art department assistant
Jonny Look	....	set dresser
Sally Park	....	property master

Sound Department
Richard Beggs	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ronni Brown	....	foley artist
David A. Cohen	....	dialogue editor
Steven Iba	....	adr mixer
Doug Latislaw	....	additional adr mixer
Zsolt Magyar	....	sound: additional photography
Tony Max	....	boom operator
Julia Shirar	....	additional sound mixer
Julia Shirar	....	sound designer
William Storkson	....	foley supervisor
Eric Thomas	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Logan Holladay	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Len Borruso	....	additional first assistant camera (as Len Boruso)
Jean-Pierre Caner	....	second assistant camera
Sean Edwards	....	grip
Derrick Esperanza	....	additional best boy electric
Devon Hoff-Weekes	....	loader
Yu Karitani	....	grip
Phoebe Krueger	....	additional second assistant camera
Timothy McCrary	....	set lighting
Lawrence Montemayor	....	first assistant camera
Sergio Munoz Jr.	....	grip
Stephen R. Ohab	....	additional best boy electric (as Stephen Ohab)
Bill Otto	....	gaffer
Ashley Pavicic	....	grip
Tommy Phillips	....	set lighting (as Tommy 'T-Bone' Phillips)
Yanis Rutmanis	....	additional gaffer
John Stamps	....	best boy grip
Bela Trutz	....	steadicam operator
Somsy Vejsiri	....	best boy electric
Lauren Ward	....	additional still photographer
Nate Wayman	....	key grip
Alexandra Weiss	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Brandi S. Hawkins	....	extras casting (as Brandi Hawkins)
Patty Majorczak-Connolly	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)
Mark Sussman	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Samantha Brown	....	set costumer
Diana Contreras	....	wardrobe supervisor
Caiti Hawkins	....	set costumer
Oskir Pierantoni	....	costume intern

Editorial Department
Brian Beard	....	digital intermediate editor
Jean-Pierre Caner	....	editorial support
Doug Delaney	....	digital intermediate colorist
Calvin Dunham	....	post-production production assistant
Joseph Krings	....	editorial support
Kit Lubold	....	digital intermediate data manager
Sheila MacMullan	....	drs operator
Ross Miltenberg	....	digital intermediate scanner
Sharra Stetson Platt	....	digital intermediate producer
Steven White	....	digital intermediate editor
Michael John Koetter	....	software engineer (uncredited)

Music Department
Peggy Baldwin	....	musician
Mandy Hoffman	....	musician
John Mason	....	musician
David Morrin	....	musician
Joe Rudge	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Ed Adams	....	driver (as Ed 'Fast Eddie' Adams)
Domingo Bustamante	....	driver (as Domingo 'Mingo' Bustamante)
Jay Norof	....	driver
Hugo Ocana	....	transportation captain
Tony Ruiz	....	transportation coordinator
Emily Skelton	....	driver
Terry Smith	....	driver: honeywagon
Kenneth Thompson	....	driver (as Ken 'Mississippi' Thompson)
Matt Voytish	....	driver: honeywagon (as Matt 'BB' Voytish)
John W. Wierman	....	driver: Lietske (as John Wierman)

Other crew
Anthony Ardisone	....	set medic
Setto Ayanyan	....	head chef
Case Barden	....	set production assistant
Steve Berens	....	animal trainer
Steve Berman	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances (as Steven Berman)
Marty Carlin	....	studio teacher
Chad Cohen	....	insurance agent: Reiff & Associates
Spencer Crossland	....	assistant location manager
Kelsea Davis	....	production assistant
André Des Rochers	....	attorney: Gray Krauss Des Rochers
Melissa Downing	....	location scout (as Melissa 'Zippy' Downing)
Megan Drayton	....	set production assistant
John Emmons	....	set medic
Anthony Enriquez	....	set production assistant
Tecia Esposito	....	script supervisor
Andra Gordon	....	assistant: Verisimilitude
Christopher Hackman	....	assistant chef
Charlie Hicks	....	set production assistant
Lisa Hoover	....	location manager
Bobby Jauregui	....	set production assistant
David Guy Levy	....	creator: 'Joe Hollywood' footage
Jordan Londe	....	key set production assistant
Marion Mauran	....	set production assistant
Jon-Michael Mooney	....	intern
Jim Munoz	....	set production assistant
Jesse Patrone-Werdiger	....	acquisitions coordinator: ATO Pictures
Miranda Rhyne	....	intern
Blair Richman	....	assistant: Silverwood Films
Hunter Rodriguez	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances
Ben Salvetti	....	set production assistant
Samantha Schwartz	....	office production assistant
Eric Scofield	....	title designer
Missy Simms	....	additional studio teacher
Rob Spence	....	production office coordinator
Robert Spencer	....	assistant chef
Wednesday Standley	....	production secretary
Carter Stanton	....	intern
Joe Suffredini	....	animal trainer
Hector Tinoco	....	location scout
Tim Tippens	....	intern
Jordan Treml	....	intern
Erik Winston	....	additional studio teacher
Daniel Wolf	....	office production assistant
Daniel Wolf	....	set production assistant
Peter Wulff	....	location scout
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services (uncredited)
Nicole Compas	....	production counsel (uncredited)
C.B. Mullen	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Richard Abramowitz	....	special thanks
Athena Currey	....	very special thanks
Burton Gray	....	very special thanks
Josh Hartnett	....	thanks
Corey Walter	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Verisimilitude
• Silverwood Films
• Periscope Entertainment (in association with)
• KnowMore Productions

Distributors

• ATO Pictures (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pretty Pictures (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinemax (2012) (Hungary) (TV)
• Madman Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (all media)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Cinelease  grip & electric equipment
• Cutting Edge Technology Universe  film stock
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Gray Krauss Des Rochers  production counsel
• Hollywood-DI  HD Screening Services
• JP Morgan Chase Bank  financial services (as Chase Bank)
• Media Services  payroll
• Monkeyland Audio  additional adr recording facility
• OneZero Productions  post-production services
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment (as Oto Nemenz)
• Poplar Corners  sound re-recording facility
• Reiff & Associates  production insurance
• Sonic Magic  adr recording facility
• Steve Berens' Animals of Distinction  animal provider
• Straightshoot'r Cranes Inc.  camera equipment (as Straight Shoot'r Cranes)
• The Event Department  catering
• Three Point Capital  brokerage
• ZAP Zoetrope Aubry Productions  post-production sound support
• iO Film  dailies
• iO Film  digital intermediate

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content, language and some drug and alcohol use - all involving teens

Runtime:

USA:105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Verisimilitude

Quotes:

Mr. Fitzgerald:I knew this kid growing up who tied flaming tennis balls to cats' tails and loved every minute of it. I think he's a cop now.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Maltin on Movies: Horrible Bosses (#1.41)" (2011)

Two Strong Performances, Everything Else is Dull

Terri (Jacob Wysocki) has been dealt a rough hand. A heavy-set teenager with more than a touch of social anxiety, Terri finds school to be a hellhole where he goes unnoticed (when he's lucky). His home life is not much better. He doesn't know where either of his parents are and he lives with his uncle (Creed Batton) who is slipping further and further into dementia. When he gets in trouble for firing back at one of his many mockers, the school's principal, Mr. Fitzgerald (John C. Reilly), sees a kid who desperately needs a friend. He sets up weekly meetings with Terri and attempts to take the boy under his wing. But the many years of loneliness have taken a toll on Terri and despite the influence of Mr. Fitzgerald, transitioning into a fully functioning member of high school society proves more difficult than originally thought.

There is serious promise to be found within Terri. Up-and-coming director Azazel Jacobs has a firm handle on his subject matter and he works hard to show Terri for the good hearted boy that he is. It is a very simple and understated film (more on this in a minute) as Jacobs lets his protagonist move at his own pace. You can see why so many respected critics have identified Jacobs as a name to watch in the future. Wysocki himself gives an honest performance and displays solid chops for a kid who has almost no acting experience. He makes it easy to identify with Terri and that brings about a sense of natural empathy that is essential to the film's success. Likewise, Reilly is a perfect choice for the would-be-cool principal who tries extremely hard to be relevant and accessible to his students but can't quite make it work. The relationship between Terri and Fitzgerald is poignant and heartfelt and without question their shared scenes are the best of the film.

When Terri diverts from its main storyline, however, it tends to bog down. What starts out as sympathy for Terri eventually turns into near depression as his narrative struggles to find an upswing. His interactions with his friends Chad (Bridger Zadina) and Heather (Olivia Crocicchia) are tenuous and never fully realize the potential they have together resulting in a choppy feel that I never could quite shake. Jacobs adds very little in the way of production value, too, and while I can appreciate that sort of simplicity, in this case a pronounced soundtrack and the like would have added to the experience. I found myself growing bored with Terri and had a hard time staying invested when Terri and Fitzgerald weren't on screen together. That's a real shame because I really wanted to care about Terri's relationships with Chad, Heather, and his uncle but Jacobs story didn't quite give me enough reason to get there. With a little more focus, Terri would be a touching and possibly even uplifting coming-of-age vision based around the Terri-Fitzgerald dynamic. Instead, it becomes too dull and convoluted for my tastes and limited my ability to stay connected.

Check out my reviews at ieatfilms.com