Ellie Parker (2005)

A hilarious comic portrait of a young woman's struggle for integrity, happiness and a Hollywood acting career.

Director:

Scott Coffey

Writer:

Scott Coffey

Stars:

Naomi Watts, Jennifer Syme, Greg Freitas

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Naomi Watts	...	Ellie Parker
Jennifer Syme	...	Casting Chick
Greg Freitas	...	Rick Saul (as Gregory Frietas)
Gaye Pope	...	Leslie Towne
Blair Mastbaum	...	Smash Jackson
Jessica Vogl	...	Trixie
Rebecca Rigg	...	Sam
Mark Pellegrino	...	Justin
Kim Fay	...	Therapist
Scott Coffey	...	Chris
Todd Coffey	...	Upstairs Neighbor
David Baer	...	Acting Teacher
Marcel Sarmiento	...	Acting Student
Robbi Chong	...	Acting Student (as Robby Chong)
Jessicka	...	Acting Class Student

Storyline

Slice of life look at a young woman trying to make it as an actress in Hollywood. Ellie Parker, from Australia, works hard: she's gifted with accents, hustles to auditions, changes clothes and makeup as she drives across L.A., goes to acting classes and therapy, maintains a friendship with another Aussie searching for the same roles, meets a cinematographer when he bangs into her car at a stop sign, and faces a failing relationship with her slacker thinks-he's-a-musician boyfriend. All this brings on an identity crisis - who am I, and should I keep trying to be an actress? Ellie's balancing act and her inquiry into self carry the story.

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Plot Keywords:

woman in bathtub | young woman | acting | nipples visible through clothing | female rear nudity | 

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Taglines:

What happens when you become the person you pretend to be?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, some sexuality and drug use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 July 2006 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ele Parker

Filming Locations:

Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,299, 11 November 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$34,410

Company Credits

Production Co:

Strand Releasing, Kailua Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Naomi Watts and Scott Coffey shot additional footage to the original short version (Ellie Parker (2001)) over a process of five years. You can mainly tell which are new and old scenes due to Watts changing hair length.

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Goofs

Ellie uses a folding step stool to climb into the garbage can, but when the car pulls up and she climbs out, it's gone.

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Quotes

Ellie Parker: It is the hardest decision I've ever had to made. Apart from whether or not to have an abortion.

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Connections

References Living in Oblivion (1995)

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Soundtracks

PBS Murder Mystery
Written and Performed by Built Like Alaska

User Reviews

Fun if you like this sort of thing

"Ellie Parker" is the sort of movie that you wish you could have made in college. It's funny, somewhat different, and has a beautiful leading lady, that of which goes by the name of Naomi Watts in this case. It also has an incredibly low budget.

As a matter of fact, it looks as though it could have been a college student's project. An hour and a half showcasing Naomi Watt's fantastic amount of talent as Ellie Parker: A struggling actress jumping from audition to audition with the hope of landing a part in anything she can get. Her loser boyfriend is no help, neither is her agent, and as the days go by, she loses more and more hope.

Whether she's cruising down Sunset Strip to her next audition, or yelling into her cellular flying down the 101, there is a part of us throughout the entire movie that wants to know what is going to happen to Ellie next. She's lovable. She's talented. She's been through more than we (the audience) can begin to understand. But most importantly, she's determined.

If you adore Watts as much as this reviewer does and you want to see her in something realistic (as close as it gets), check out "Ellie Parker". You won't get to see her like this in "King Kong." That's for sure.