My Blueberry Nights (2007)

Director:

Kar Wai Wong

Writers (WGA):

Kar Wai Wong (screenplay) &
Lawrence Block (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 November 2007 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

How do you say goodbye to someone you can't imagine living without?

Plot:

A young woman takes a soul-searching journey across America to resolve her questions about love while encountering a series of offbeat characters along the way.

Plot Keywords:

Pie | Nevada | New York City | Diner | Casino

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Jude Law	...	Jeremy
Norah Jones	...	Elizabeth
Chad R. Davis	...	Boyfriend (as Chad Davis)
Katya Blumenberg	...	Girlfriend
John Malloy	...	Diner Manager
Demetrius Butler	...	Male Customer
Frankie Faison	...	Travis
David Strathairn	...	Arnie
Adriane Lenox	...	Sandy
Rachel Weisz	...	Sue Lynne
Benjamin Kanes	...	Randy
Cat Power	...	Katya (as Chan Marshall)
Michael Hartnett	...	Sunglasses
Natalie Portman	...	Leslie
Michael May	...	Aloha
Jesse Garon	...	Young Poker Player
Sam Hill	...	Fat Guy
Tracy Elizabeth Blackwell	...	Matron (as Tracy Blackwell)
Michael Delano	...	Cowboy
Audrei Kairen	...	Poker Player
Bill Hollis	...	Doctor
C. Clayton Blackwell	...	Used Car Salesman (as Charles Clayton Blackwell)
Hector A. Leguillow	...	Cook (as Hector Leguillow)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paula Allen	...	Diner Customer (uncredited)
Nate Bynum	...	Harlan (uncredited)
Jan Falk	...	Blonde at Bar (uncredited)
Marguerite Hibbets	...	Cafe Patron (uncredited)
Ty Izquierdo	...	Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)
Laurie Johnson	...	Cafe / Bar Patron (uncredited)
Naseera Mays	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Donald Meyers	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Jackie Moore	...	Friend (uncredited)
Alisa Nave	...	Restaurant Waitress (uncredited)
Kenon Walker	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Kar Wai Wong

Writing credits (WGA)
Kar Wai Wong		(screenplay) (as W.K.W.) &
Lawrence Block		(screenplay)
Kar Wai Wong		(story) (as W.K.W.)

Produced by
Wai-Chung Chan	....	line producer (as Alice Chan)
Ye-cheng Chan	....	executive producer
Stéphane Kooshmanian	....	associate line producer
Pamela Thur	....	line producer (as Pamela Thur-Weir)
Jacky Pang Yee Wah	....	producer
Kar Wai Wong	....	producer

Original Music by
Ry Cooder

Cinematography by
Darius Khondji		(director of photography)
Pung-Leung Kwan

Film Editing by
William Chang		(as William Chang Suk Ping)

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
William Chang		(as William Chang Suk Ping)

Art Direction by
Judy Rhee

Costume Design by
William Chang		(as William Chang Suk Ping)
Sharon Globerson

Makeup Department
Gloria Belz	....	makeup artist: Memphis
Janice Byrd	....	hair stylist: Memphis
Sandy Jo Johnston	....	makeup artist: Memphis
Mandy Lyons	....	key hair stylist
Nuria Sitja	....	key makeup artist
Persefone Karakosta	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jeffrey Rebelo	....	wig maker (uncredited)

Production Management
Sannucha Dhisayabutr	....	production manager: Front End Productions
Supamol Pleumchusak	....	production manager: Front End Productions
Kim Surowicz	....	production supervisor
Pamela Thur	....	unit production manager (as Pamela Thur-Weir)
Andy Wheeler	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
H.H. Cooper	....	first assistant director
Cary Jones	....	second assistant director: Nevada
Eddie Micallef	....	second assistant director: New York City
Jamie Sheridan	....	second assistant director (as James E. Sheridan)
Peter Thorell	....	second assistant director: New York City
Glen Trotiner	....	first assistant director
Xanthus Valan	....	second second assistant director: Memphis

Art Department
Kristen Adams	....	art department intern: New York City
Jill Alexander	....	property master
Josh Allen	....	art department intern: New York City
Bob Arietta	....	stand-by painter: New York City (as Robert Arietta)
Shawn Batey	....	set decorating shopper: New York City
Teri Bella	....	set decorating shopper: New York City (as Terri Bella)
Sheila Bock	....	set decorating shopper: New York City
Kinney Booker	....	on-set dresser: Nevada
Peter Budd	....	props: Memphis
Jeffery Butcher	....	property master: New York City (as Jeffrey Butcher)
Bill J. Coggon	....	leadman: Nevada (as William Coogan)
Victor Cook	....	scenic artist: Memphis
Jack Cornelius	....	set dresser: Nevada
Chad R. Davis	....	set dresser: Memphis (as Chad Davis)
Joseph Deluca	....	set dresser: New York City
Rich Devine	....	set decorator: New York City (as Richard Devine)
Ryan Donahue	....	assistant property master
Liza Donatelli	....	art department intern: New York City
Gennadiy Feldman	....	stand-by painter: New York City
Veronica Ferre	....	art department intern: New York City
Don Ghio	....	on-set dresser: Memphis
Jackie Glisson	....	set decorating shopper: Memphis
Daniel K. Grosso	....	set dresser: New York City (as Daniel Grosso)
Sandy Handloser	....	set decorating shopper: New York City (as Sandra Handloser)
Johnny Joye	....	set dresser: Nevada
Richard S. Kamin	....	construction coordinator: New York City (as Richard Kamin)
Tyler Kim	....	assistant property master: New York City
Mark Klein	....	construction grip: New York City (as Mark A. Klein)
Eric Knight	....	stand-by painter: Nevada
Robert E. Knight	....	charge scenic: Nevada (as Robert Knight)
Eric Lewin	....	set dresser: New York City
Thomas Machan	....	art department production assistant: Nevada
Tyler Mauney	....	art department production assistant: New York City
Corrinne Merrill	....	art department intern: New York City
Leann Murphy	....	art department coordinator: New York City
Francis Panuccio	....	construction grip: New York City
Juliana Ross	....	art department intern: New York City
Andrew Shapiro	....	on-set dresser: New York City
Jane Shirkes	....	set decorating shopper: Nevada
Rodney Sterbenz	....	on-set dresser: New York City
Victoria Stewart	....	art department intern: New York City
Stavros Toumanidis	....	art department production assistant: New York City
Chisato Uno	....	art department intern: New York City
Chris Vogt	....	leadman: New York City
Robert Vogt	....	set dresser: New York City (as Bob Vogt)
Paul Weathered	....	props: New York City
Jessie Webster	....	art department intern: New York City
Rachael Weinzimer	....	assistant property master: New York City
Glen Aldous	....	scenic (uncredited)
Katya Blumenberg	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Gabu Camilo	....	additional props (uncredited)
Kley Gilbuena	....	second props: second unit (uncredited)
Frank Hendrick	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Laurel Kolsby	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joshua Adeniji	....	foley editor
Mike Anderson	....	sound utility: Nevada (as Michael Anderson)
Michael Baird	....	adr supervisor
Michael Baird	....	supervising sound designer
Jeremy Balko	....	foley mixer
Nathan Black	....	sound utility: Memphis
Robert Dehn	....	assistant sound editor
Duane Estill	....	sound effects recordist
Michael Ferdie	....	dialogue editor
Jason Gaya	....	assistant sound editor (as Jason 'Frenchie' Gaya)
Judah Getz	....	foley mixer
Jeanne Gilliland	....	utility sound: New York City
Scott Hinkley	....	sound mixer
Drew Kunin	....	sound mixer
Claude Letessier	....	sound designer
Smith Long	....	sound effects recordist
Zach Michaelis	....	foley artist
Lee Orloff	....	sound mixer: Nevada
Todd O. Russell	....	boom operator: Nevada (as Todd Russell)
Kira Smith	....	boom operator
Walter Spencer	....	supervising dialogue editor
Paul Tirone	....	sound re-recordist
Vicki Vandegrift	....	foley artist (as Vicki O'Reilly Vandergrift)
Jonathan Wales	....	sound mixer
Lukas Chyska	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Michael Feuser	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Hodar Wise	....	assistant dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Anthony Jacobs	....	special effects technician: Memphis
Lisa Reynolds	....	special effects technician: Memphis
Bob Shelley	....	special effects coordinator: Memphis (as Robert Shelley)
Randy Southerland	....	special effects technician: Memphis (as Rand Southerland)

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects designer: Big Film Design
Chuchawan Chairimiyang	....	film scanning and recording (as Chuchawan Chairimwiang)
J. John Corbett	....	visual effects designer: Big Film Design
Eric Delacour	....	visual effects artist: Oriental Post
Piyanut Kaeomaneo	....	film scanning and recording (as Piyanut Kaeomanee)
Kritsada Kaewmanee	....	digital technical supervisor (as Kristada Kaewamani)
Gary Leung	....	multimedia designer: Hong Kong
Teerachai Pankhao	....	visual effects artist: Oriental Post
Pornopol Sakarin	....	digital technical supervisor (as Pornpol Sakarin)

Stunts
Bobby Beckles	....	stunts
Tim Gallin	....	stunts
Mitch Herron	....	stunts
Max Maxwell	....	stunt coordinator
Brian Smyj	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Olga Abramson	....	loader: New York City
Robert J. Babin	....	best boy grip: Nevada (as Robert Babin)
Braden Belmonte	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Braden Belmonte	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Kevin Boyd	....	video assist operator: Nevada
Paul Candrilli	....	best boy grip: New York City
Kenneth Cole	....	grip: Memphis
Michael J. Coo	....	key grip (as Michael Coo)
Christopher Crowther	....	electrician: Memphis
Gene Engels	....	director of photography: second unit
Gene Engels	....	gaffer
Max Frankston	....	video assist operator
Scott Friedland	....	grip: Memphis
Dan Hawking	....	electrician: Nevada (as Daniel Hawking)
Christian Hawkins	....	electrician: Memphis
Ka-Fai Ho	....	first assistant camera: Hong Kong (as Ho Ka Fai)
Amanda Hudson	....	second assistant camera: New York City
Kyle D. Hutson	....	electrician: Memphis (as Kyle Hutson)
Nicholas Kay	....	digital imaging technician: second unit
Robert Kummert	....	dolly grip: New York City (as Ron Kummert)
Pung-Leung Kwan	....	director of photography: Hong Kong (as Kwan Pun Leung)
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip: New York City (as Mitch Lillian)
Michael Lyon	....	electrician: Nevada
Rick Marroquin	....	dolly grip: New York City
Frances 'Buddy' McBride	....	electrician: New York City (as Francis McBride)
John Milcetic	....	best boy electric: New York City
Luis Moreno	....	best boy electric: Nevada
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera: New York City
Chris Olsen	....	grip: Nevada
Macall B. Polay	....	still photographer (as Macall Polay)
Josh Ponek	....	grip: Nevada
Charles Quinlivan	....	key grip: New York City
Felipe Reinheimer	....	first assistant camera
Eddie Rodriguez	....	first assistant camera: New York City (as Ed Rodriguez)
Jon W. Rosenbloom	....	best boy grip: New York City (as Jon Rosenbloom)
Lewis Sadler	....	electrician: New York City
Chris Silano	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Pierson Silver	....	second assistant camera: New York City
Debbie Stampfle	....	loader
Brian Stocklin	....	electrician: New York City
Michael Tolochko	....	electrician: Nevada
Jeremy Wheatley	....	grip: Nevada
James Young	....	grip: Memphis
Sebastián Almeida	....	assistant camera: New York City (uncredited)
Chris Henry	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Bill Jackson	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jennifer Lai	....	camera loader (uncredited)
Michael A. Leo	....	electrician (uncredited)
Jeff Lynn	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Kevin B. May	....	electrician (uncredited)
Eric P. Robinson	....	film loader (uncredited)
Rick Seibert	....	epk camera operator (uncredited)
Joshua Van Praag	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elizabeth Greenberg	....	casting assistant (as Liz Greenberg)
David M. Waldron	....	extras casting associate: New York City (as David Waldron)
Leeba Zakharov	....	casting assistant
David H. Kramer	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Agnes	....	costume supervisor
Lisa A. Doyle	....	set costumer: Nevada (as Lisa Doyle)
Lee Harper	....	assistant costume designer (as Sarah 'Lee' Harper)
Mei Lai Hippisley Coxe	....	set costumer
Rachel Leek	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York City
Lindsey Alexander	....	costume assistant (uncredited)
Christy Hebert Crouch	....	costume production assistant (uncredited)
Kevin Mark Harris	....	tailor (uncredited)
Kelly Anne Ross	....	co-wardrobe supervisor: Memphis (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Chi Wai Chan	....	assistant editor (as Chan Chi Wai Andy)
William Chang	....	digital color grading supervisor (as William Chang Suk Ping)
Narathorn Hermaratanathorn	....	on-line editor (as Narathorn Hemratathorn)
Deborah Huen	....	senior colorist (as Debora Huen)
Chutima Lertpattaraworachat	....	digital intermediate producer: Oriental Post
Uthit Netwong	....	negative cutter
Hathaisak Pankhao	....	on-line editor (as Hathaisak Pankao)
Manop Petchiu	....	negative cutter (as Manop Petchyu)
Ruchiroch Phadungchai	....	on-line editor
Supamol Pleumchusak	....	color timer
Sakmongkon Pongmaneerat	....	digital intermediate producer: Oriental Post
Rattanwan Porakngam	....	negative cutter (as Rattanawan Porakngam)
Nepasnan S.	....	digital intermediate producer: Oriental Post
Pramota Sanlithayee	....	on-line editor (as Pramote Santithayee)
Geoffrey Sledge	....	editing assistant
Porjaite Srisaeng	....	on-line editor (as Porjaye Srisaeng)
Suwil Tiwakornkul	....	on-line editor (as Suwit Tiwakornkul)
Phanid Witchimpharlee	....	negative cutter
Bobbie Wong	....	digital intermediate project supervisor: Oriental Post

Music Department
Ry Cooder	....	musician: guitar
Guadalupe Jolicoeur	....	music supervisor
Stephen Macklam	....	music supervisor (as Steve Macklam)
Charlotte Yu	....	music coordinator: Hong Kong

Transportation Department
Terry Adams	....	driver: New York City
Nalla Black	....	driver: Memphis (as V. Nalla Black Houston)
Henry Boyle	....	driver: New York City
Thomas Breheny	....	driver: New York City
Juan Bryan	....	driver: New York City
Jerald Burns	....	driver: Memphis
Drew Clarke	....	driver: Memphis
Arthur B. Crutcher Jr.	....	transportation captain: Memphis (as Arthur Crutcher)
Kelly Joe Dugan	....	driver: Nevada (as Kelly Dugan)
Craig Fehrman	....	transportation coordinator: Nevada
Roy A. Grace	....	driver: Memphis (as Roy Grace)
Brian Griggs	....	driver: Nevada
Darius Guerrero	....	driver: Nevada
Edward Iacobelli	....	transportation captain: New York City (as Edward Iacobelli Dr.)
Peter Krienbihl	....	driver: New York City
Harold C. Lacy Jr.	....	driver: Nevada (as Harold Lacy)
Jimmy Mahr	....	driver: New York City (as James Mahr)
Jeremy McClain	....	driver: Nevada
Walter McClain	....	transportation captain: Nevada
Kathryn Moll	....	driver: Nevada
George Nadian	....	driver: Nevada
George Nadramia Jr.	....	driver: New York City (as George Nadramia)
Chris Nance	....	driver: Nevada
Robert Nickelberry	....	driver: Memphis
Rocco Ottomanelli	....	driver: New York City
Joseph Paprota	....	driver: New York City
Thurston Prewitt	....	driver: Memphis (as Thurston Hall Prewitt)
Ignacio Ramírez	....	driver: Nevada (as Ignacio Ramirez)
Bruce Randall	....	driver: Nevada
Walter Reece	....	driver: Memphis
Brian Salomone	....	transportation co-captain: New York City
Dennis Salomone	....	transportation captain: New York City
Ervin Wayne Spowehn	....	driver: Nevada (as Evin Wayne Spowehn)
Woodsa Taylor	....	driver: Memphis
David Urich	....	transportation captain: Memphis
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car (uncredited)
John Magoo McGivern	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Peter Alson	....	poker coach
Patiporn Anuvanitravel	....	assistant to vice president: Front End Productions (as Patiporn Anuvanitrutravate)
Pierre Arson	....	subtitler: French
Laura Berning	....	location manager: second unit
Taylor Black	....	production secretary
Danielle Blumstein	....	production coordinator
Alex Borys	....	assistant location manager: Memphis
Brad Boyer	....	location production assistant: second unit
Fred Vannucci Braz	....	production office intern
Dan Burks	....	on-set production assistant: Nevada
Andrew Carabetta	....	production office intern: New York City
Patty Carey	....	location manager: New York City (as Patty Carey-Perrazio)
Wikanda Chaiviririyachok	....	production coordinator (as Wikana Chaiviriyachok)
Sharon Chung	....	subtitler: Chinese (as Sharon Chung Hiu Yeung)
Gilles Ciment	....	subtitler: French
Wendy Cohen	....	clearances and product placement: Production Resources
Jennifer DeLia	....	travel coordinator
Philip DeRise	....	production executive: New York City
Nell Drake	....	assistant accountant
Guy Efrat	....	assistant location manager: New York City
Massoumeh Emami	....	script supervisor
Kristi Frankenheimer	....	location manager: Nevada
Travis Gerdes	....	production office intern: New York City
Shelly Gillette	....	location assistant: Memphis
Matthew Glenn	....	on-set production assistant: Nevada
Audra Gorman	....	location assistant: second unit
Helen Harrington Talbot	....	craft service: Memphis
Susan Hegarty	....	dialect coach: Memphis
Ching Man 'Jamie' Ho	....	production coordinator: Hong Kong (as Jamie Ho)
Lukas Huffman	....	on-set intern: New York City
Sam Hutchins	....	location manager: New York City
Syndey Huynh	....	production coordinator
Ben Jackson	....	assistant: Mr. Law
Pensuda Jaroonratanakul	....	production coordinator (as Pensuda Jaroonrattaakul)
Sittiwat Kaewkulsri	....	assistant to vice president: Release Printingb
Kim Karston Bush	....	assistant: Ms. Jones
Sean King	....	on-set production assistant
Benjamin-Lew Klon	....	on-set intern: New York City
Daniel Lam	....	production office intern: New York City
Irene Leung Sin Yee	....	legal consultant: Hong Kong
Jenny Lovin	....	production office staff assistant: New York City (as Jennifer Lovin)
Gine Lui	....	location scout
Christian Macklam	....	on-set intern
Wallace Man	....	production accountant: Hong Kong
David Martin	....	location scout: New York City
Mike Martin	....	on-set production assistant
Tim Martin	....	on-set production assistant: New York City
Clem McIntosh	....	on-set production assistant: New York City
Kristen Mink	....	assistant location manager: New York City
Bruno Mora	....	location secretary: Nevada
Melissa Morgan	....	on-set production assistant
Tenita Murray	....	accountant assistant: New York City
Phuong-Thuy Pham	....	location assistant: New York City (as Phuong Pham)
Edmond Poon	....	production accountant: Hong Kong
Joaquin Diego Prange	....	location manager: Memphis (as Diego Prange)
Wilson Rivas	....	craft service: New York City
Aton Roberts	....	key set production assistant
Vincent Rubino	....	making-of
Jonathan Russek	....	production secretary: New York City
Pison Santawanpas	....	laboratory consultant
Jason Silvis	....	craft service: Nevada
Jennifer Sims	....	on-set production assistant: New York City
Jessica Solce	....	assistant: Ms. Weisz
Kat Spiess	....	production office intern: New York City
Holli Strickland	....	on-set production assistant: Nevada (as Holly Strickland)
Linda Toon	....	first assistant accountant payroll
Christian Valsamidis	....	legal consultant
Christian Vendetti	....	key set production assistant: New York City
Norman Wang	....	unit publicist
Taylor Wessing	....	legal consultant: Paris
Andy Wheeler	....	production accountant
Telly Wong	....	dialogue consultant
Passakorn Yaisiri	....	laboratory consultant
Scott Bigbee	....	location scout (uncredited)
Maria Falgione	....	photo double: Norah Jones (uncredited)
Maria Falgione	....	stand-in: Norah Jones (uncredited)
Glenn Ferrara	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jessalyn Haefele	....	production assistant (uncredited)
INGA Hakan	....	stand-in: Natalie Portman (uncredited)
Nancy L. Hardin	....	stand-in: Norah Jones (uncredited)
Ranise Jackson	....	production associate (uncredited)
Benjamin Kanes	....	stand-in: Jude Law (uncredited)
Morgan Kellum	....	location scout (uncredited)
Serena Kuo	....	location production assistant (uncredited)
Nicole LaPera	....	stand-in: Nora Jones (uncredited)
Alexandria Lee	....	photo double: Natalie Portman (uncredited)
Alexandria Lee	....	stand-in: Natalie Portman (uncredited)
Matthew Martini	....	photo double: Jude Law (uncredited)
David S. Merrill	....	location scout (uncredited)
Jeremy Mohler	....	set key production assistant: New York/Nevada units (uncredited)
Mario Nila	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Bob Pepper	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Matthew Pratt-Hewitt	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Erik Proveaux	....	head chef: Mobile Gourmet Catering (uncredited)
Rachael Riegert	....	photo double: Natalie Portman (uncredited)
Rachael Riegert	....	stand-in: Natalie Portman (uncredited)
Patrick T. Rousseau	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Howard Samuelsohn	....	dialect coach (uncredited)
Stavros Toumanidis	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Stephanie Tull	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Jamie Vermilye	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Amy Weatherford	....	photo double: Rachel Weisz (uncredited)
Amy Weatherford	....	production assistant (uncredited)
J.W. Williams	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Thanks
Phil Bredesen	....	thanks (as The Honorable Phil Bredesen, Governor of the State of Tennessee)
Thad Carlile	....	thanks
Gilles Ciment	....	thanks
Willie Herenton	....	thanks (as The Honorable Willie W. Herenton, Mayor of Memphis)
Patricia Kaufman	....	thanks (as Pat Kaufman)
Katherine Oliver	....	thanks
A.C. Wharton	....	thanks (as The Honorable AC Wharton, Mayor of Shelby County)

Production Companies

• Block 2 Pictures
• Jet Tone Production
• Lou Yi Ltd.
• Studio Canal

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2007-2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Bazuca Films (2008) (Chile) (all media)
• Discovery Film & Video Distribution (2008) (Croatia) (all media)
• Europa Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Vértigo Films (2008) (Spain) (all media)

Special Effects

• Oriental Post Co. Ltd. (visual effects)
• Big Film Design (additional visual effects)

Other Companies

• Blue Note Records  soundtrack
• Cine Finance  completion guarantee (as cinefinance)
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering: New York City
• Cohen & Gardner  production attorney (as Cohen & Gardner)
• Cohen & Gardner  production insurance
• Company 3  dailies telecine
• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• Gala Catering  catering: Nevada
• Goldman & Associates  extras casting: Nevada
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting: New York
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Lisa Lax Casting  extras casting: Memphis
• Mobile Gourmet Catering  catering: Memphis
• Oriental Post Co. Ltd.  digital intermediate
• Paranoid Projects Inc.  sound design services (as Paranoid Sounds & Design)
• Production Resources  clearances and product placement
• SISS Ltd.  security: Ms. Portman and Mr.Law
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production and mixing (as Sonic Magic Studios)

Also Known As:

"My Blueberry Nights" - France
"Benim ask pastam" - Turkey (Turkish title)
"Buscando un amor" - Peru
"El sabor de la noche - My blueberry nights" - Argentina
"Jagodowa milosc" - Poland (imdb display title)
"Minu mustikakarva ööd" - Estonia
"My Blueberry Nights - A távolság íze" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"My Blueberry Nights - O Sabor do Amor" - Portugal
"My blueberry nights - Oi nyhtes mou makria sou" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Noches púrpuras" - Mexico
"Noci boje borovnice" - Croatia
"Um Beijo Roubado" - Brazil
"Un bacio romantico" - Italy

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including violence, drinking and smoking

Runtime:

95 min | Argentina:93 min

Country:

Hong Kong | China | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | South Korea:12 | Finland:K-13 | Singapore:PG | Taiwan:PG-12 | Germany:6 | Ireland:12A | USA:PG-13 | Australia:M | Brazil:10 | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Sweden:7 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Caliente, Nevada, USA

Company:

Block 2 Pictures

Trivia:

Kar Wai Wong's first feature length English-language film.

Quotes:

Elizabeth:[wiping her tears] How do you say goodbye to someone you can't imagine living without? I didn't say goodbye.
[pause]
Elizabeth:I didn't say anything. I just walked away.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Episode dated 12 April 2008" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Try a Little Tenderness

I'm not sure whether that night really happened, or if it was just another dream." --the movie trailer.

Wong Kar Wai, the Hong Kong auteur, has made his first movie all in English and set in the USA--and built around Grammy Award singer Norah Jones. More coherent than many of Wong's efforts, it's been accused of being a "trifle"--or is it just that the plot seems silly now that it's all clear and in English? Like all Wong's work, this is a film that's romantic, sad, and gorgeous to look at from first to last and full of strong, catchy pop-blues-country music (Ry Couder did the score). The beautiful Ms. Jones's character, variously known as Elizabeth, Lizzie, Beth, or Betty, turns up at a New York café run by Jeremy (Jude Law), a guy from Manchester, England, drenched in love-longing because her man has dumped her for somebody else. Jeremy has a jar full of keys from patrons, each with a story, and Lizzie gives him hers, hoping her boyfriend will pick them up again. Jeremy has his own lost love, Katya (Cat Power); she'll turn up later on just to say goodbye. Jeremy's keys stand for doors he himself doesn't want to close.

Though Lizzie's boyfriend never turns up, Jeremy and Lizzie begin to have late night chats and sugar orgies, she eating a piece of blueberry pie with ice cream--picking blueberry because that's the pie that's always left over at the end of the day.

There's a fight in the café, and Jeremy plays around with a surveillance camera, which he seems to use as a kind of diary. Soon he will be alone, and Lissie will be away.

This time instead of improvising as in the past, which among other things contributed to his last film, 2046, a kind of summation of his Chinese themes and characters, taking five years to finish, Wong made up his story, with Norah in mind, and then had it turned into a finished screenplay (subject to plenty of revisions, of course) by crime novelist Lawrence Block. This one had a low budget and took just a couple of months to make. Shooting time, that is. It really took a year to do the editing, but Wong had that finished, to everyone's surprise, just in time for My Blueberry NIghts to be shown as the opener at Cannes last year.

Like Wong's other films, this one encapsulates several different stories. The second one comes when Lizzie decides to "cross the street" to revisit Jeremy by the "longest way possible," which turns out to be a trip to Memphis and Nevada and points in between, thousands of miles and nearly a year--a time of self-discovery, no doubt (though she doesn't observably change), and a period to avoid the inevitable romance with Jeremy. Landing in Memphis Lizzie works at two jobs, saving up money to buy a car. At a bar she encounters the drama of the drunken cop Arnie Copeland (David Strathairn) and his estranged wife, Sue Lynne (Rachel Weisz). Both are fine, acting their heads off in scenes heady with barroom dysfunction. For once, an on-screen drunk admits to going to Alcoholics Anonymous--and collecting a beginner's chip over and over and over. He throws the chips on the bar and they make a satisfying chink. But Arnie comes to a bad end, though Sue Lynne, despite rejecting him, keeps his tab open as she lights out for the territory. Through all of this Lizzie constantly sends Jeremy a stream of postcards that are a kind of intimate diary, and he desperately tries to track her down by phone and letter, without success.

Every young filmmaker dreams of making a road movie, Wong Kar Wai has said. Though he's now fifty, this is a kind of new beginning, or felt like one to him. But, he said, this movie isn't really a road movie; it's a vacation. And it's not about a journey, but about distance. Maybe the trip across the street for Lizzie is all a dream--one by Sam Shepherd, working with David Lynch. Sue Lynne gives Lizzie a generous donation for being Arnie's barmaid too, and she lights out for Nevada. There she's working at a gambling dive where she meets a young woman named Leslie (Nathalie Portman) who's a pro, and they wind up leaving town together. Eventually, Lizzie ends up back at Jeremy's café, and he's waiting for her.

Coming after As Tears Go By, Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, Ashes of Time, Fallen Angels, Happy Together, In the Mood For Love, and 2046, Wong's excursion into America is completely consistent and logical. Those who seem disappointed, may miss the ellipses and madcap improv of the earlier films, and may have failed to notice that they were full of pop novel gimmicks and romantic cuteness. Wong's sentimentality passes muster because of cryptic story lines, poetic voice-overs, hypnotic uses of music, and adventurous camera work--mostly by Christopher Doyle, here replaced by the half-French and wholly brilliant Darius Khondji --made infinitely rich by complex editing. My Blueberry Nights is full of criss-cross angles, fast overlaps, closeups so shallow atmospheric Americana may go unnoticed, till a lovely panorama flits by. Color is typically warm and dense. The effect is to make every frame a pleasure.

Reciting Wong Kar Wai's list of features brings home how he single-handedly made the Eighties and Nineties an exciting cinematic time, from the first days when you had to go to a theater on the edge of Chinatown, and then you watched badly subtitled Hong Kong prints found in esoteric video shops, to the time when Tarantino's Miramax label, Rolling Thunder, distributed Chungking Express in a good print with clear titles and the secret was out.

Maybe Wong never did anything better than Days of Being Wild, the first film in which he became truly himself. But what does it matter? The quintessential stylist, he cannot make a film that doesn't give rich aesthetic pleasure.

US opening date April 18, 2008.