$5 a Day (2008)

The son of a thrifty conman begrudgingly joins his father on the road.

Director:

Nigel Cole

Writers:

Neal H. Dobrofsky, Tippi Dobrofsky

Stars:

Christopher Walken, Alessandro Nivola, Sharon Stone

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Walken	...	Nat Parker
Alessandro Nivola	...	Ritchie Flynn Parker
Sharon Stone	...	Dolores Jones
Dean Cain	...	Rick Carlson
Peter Coyote	...	Burt Kruger
Amanda Peet	...	Maggie
Luis Avalos	...	Martinez
Beth Bailey	...	Real Estate Lady
Marya Beauvais	...	Realtor
Frank Bond	...	Bar Manager
Vic Browder	...	Salesman
Gregory Chase	...	Reporter (as Greg Chase)
Christopher Dempsey	...	Tim Webber
Judith Greentree	...	IHOP Waitress
Christopher Hagen	...	Marty

Storyline

In L.A., Flynn Parker loses his job as a health inspector when his time in prison comes to light, his girlfriend Maggie moves out because of his prevarications, and his ne'er-do-well father, Nat, summons him to Atlantic City with a tale of a malignant cancer. Flynn doesn't like Nat, a small-time hustler and the cause of Flynn's jail time, but Nat cajoles his son into a cross-country trip through family memories toward New Mexico where an experimental treatment awaits. The trip is not just about the past, but whether either can tell the truth - and then what to do with those truths. From time to time, Flynn calls Maggie to leave messages. And what about Flynn's mother?

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Plot Keywords:

undressing | unconsciousness | getting undressed | father and son talk | phone conversation | 

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Taglines:

Relationships don't come cheap!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Five Dollars More

Filming Locations:

Boardwalk, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Capitol Films,Aramid Entertainment Fund,Carol Baum Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The only scene not written in the script was the scene with Nivola and Walken in the sales condo talking about the cat and the question mark.

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Goofs

While the characters were stopped in Altoona, PA, they stopped to eat at an Ihop . There is not an Ihop in Altoona, there never has been.

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Quotes

Ritchie Flynn Parker: So, I take it you're not still babysitting?
Dolores Jones: Why, do you need one?
Ritchie Flynn Parker: From time to time.

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Connections

References The Great Escape (1963)

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Soundtracks

Many Happy Returns
Written by Andy Partridge

User Reviews

A tip-top lowball roadmovie with grifts galore - excellent indie flick

If the late 2000s are the new 1930s then this is the perfect movie. In a time of recession we need Christopher Walken's optimistic, unrealistic, opportunistic grifter...

This was a real surprise - and a very pleasant one. I was expecting deep and sorrowful, but got hilarious, thoughtful, and even belly laughs - and enough grifts to make me wonder how or why we pay for anything anymore.

By turns honest, hilarious, outrageous, and moving this is all wrapped up in a lowball low-fi package that smacks of good indie roots.

Definitely one of my favorite movies of the year. Walken's gives a masterclass in comic timing, and Alessandro Nivola is a great straight man as the son who never could. And some great cameos. This is at times snort your milk through your nose funny, at others tragic: but it is not buffoonish in your face slapstick and even better for it.

All in all a really great little road movie that constantly sparkles with fresh ideas and little touches of originality that puts most movies to shame - I hope the Dobrofkys have got another 20 scripts like this - they deserve awards for the writing - a wonderful mix and they deserve lots of work on the basis of this.

And if I'm raving it's because it deserves it - it stands out from the crowd by a mile: fresh, witty, sincere, slightly surreal and oddball, and by the end, exemplary.

Get to see, you'll be glad you did.