Janie Jones (2010)

A young girl who has been abandoned by her former-groupie mother informs a fading rock star that she is his daughter.

Director:

David M. Rosenthal

Writer:

David M. Rosenthal

Stars:

Abigail Breslin, Alessandro Nivola, Elisabeth Shue

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Abigail Breslin	...	Janie Jones
Alessandro Nivola	...	Ethan Brand
Elisabeth Shue	...	Mary Ann Jones
Brittany Snow	...	Iris
Peter Stormare	...	Sloan
Joel David Moore	...	Dave (as Joel Moore)
Frances Fisher	...	Lily Brand
Frank Whaley	...	Chuck
Rodney Eastman	...	Billy
David Lee Smith	...	Officer Dickerson
Michael Panes	...	Ulysses
Robert Goodwin	...	Smoking Door Man
Guy Van Swearingen	...	Gil
Adam Shalzi	...	Creepy Goth Kid
Katie Rich	...	Brassy Girl (as Katie Riccio)

Storyline

A young girl who has been abandoned by her former-groupie mother informs a fading rock star that she is his daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

character name as title | rock star | mother abandons daughter | title based on song | mother son relationship | 

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Taglines:

Two strangers. One family.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 April 2011 (USA)

Also Known As:

Janie Jones

Filming Locations:

Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$6,840

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,840

Company Credits

Production Co:

Unified Pictures, Absurda, Industrial Entertainment

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film's dedication is "For Julia", who is director's David M. Rosenthal real daughter and his assistant director for this film. They first met when he was 30 and she was 11.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Sloan: We're almost there, guys, I think. Just talked to the venue. They say, it's totally sold out. Almost.
Chuck: Any more Hot Pockets left?

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #20.49 (2011)

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Soundtracks

Even Now
Written by William Fitzsimmons
Performed by William Fitzsimmons
Courtesy of Downtown Music / William Fitzsimmons Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Like a Bad Documentary with Redeeming Characters

I watched this because I like songwriting,road pictures, and the lead guy as an actor. But I couldn't stick with it. I left at the 3/4 mark. It was like watching a documentary of a no-talent loser strumming a guitar in bars. How long can you do that? OK Indie film world. There are a lot of Godless waste-oids floating around the states and the world. We get it already.

Was this supposed to be summer time? No one was cold, there was no snow in the Heartland, and the kid was not in school. No one ever mentions school. They could have at least acknowledged what season it is. Where is she from? Elisabeth Shue would have been 46 when this was filmed. Thirteen years prio, she would have been 33. Isn't that a bit old for a groupie? Especially since she is eight years older than the lead guy in real life.

I guess it was good that the music sucked, because then you can see why the guys is struggling and not famous anymore.I give credit for not dubbing in some soundtrack. The lead guy looks so much like Chris Martin of Coldplay by the way. We are to assume that years ago, with a full band, he sounded good and had a knack for writing poignant lyrics.

Nivola (the lead) played his role with soul, as he always does. The little girl did well by not pushing any stereotypes of the jaded kid or the precocious one.

I just didn't know where this was going,or maybe I knew all too well, and that's why I abandoned it.

I don't recommend it to anyone. It's slower than molasses, and it's hard to root for anyone, other than the kid. Having said all that, it never stooped to sleaziness or preaching, and didn't slam you over the head with an Indie soundtrack to the non-musical scenes.