Sleepwalking (2008)

Director:

Bill Maher

Writer (WGA):

Zac Stanford (written by)

Release Date:

14 February 2008 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The drama follows a 12-year-old girl's struggle to come to terms with her mother's abandonment.

Plot Keywords:

Road Trip | Foster Care | Childhood | Son Killing Father | Barn

Cast

Nick Stahl	...	James
AnnaSophia Robb	...	Tara
Charlize Theron	...	Joleen
Deborra-Lee Furness	...	Danni
Mathew St. Patrick	...	Detective #1
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Will
Woody Harrelson	...	Randall
Dennis Hopper	...	Mr. Reedy
Ken Mitchell	...	Mr. Bergen
Jean Freeman	...	Mrs. Bergen
Troy Skog	...	Warren
George Grassick	...	Cop #1
Mike Ennis	...	Cop #2
Alexandra Fox	...	Darlene
Lori Ann Kennedy	...	Foster Care Worker (as Lori Kennedy)
Ron Anderson	...	Road Crew Boss (as R. James Anderson)
Emily Wees	...	Tara's Friend
Amy Matysio	...	Sharon
Simon Chin	...	Randall's Friend
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shannon Jardine	...	Mom (uncredited)
Peter Scoular	...	Dad (uncredited)

Directed by
Bill Maher		(as William Maher)

Writing credits (WGA)
Zac Stanford		(written by)

Produced by
A.J. Dix	....	producer
J.J. Harris	....	producer
Beth Kono	....	producer
Charlie Mason	....	executive producer
Rob Merilees	....	producer
Justin Moore-Lewy	....	executive producer
Stephen Onda	....	co-producer
Anthony Rhulen	....	executive producer
William Shively	....	producer
Michael Stirling	....	executive producer
Charlize Theron	....	producer

Original Music by
Christopher Young

Cinematography by
Juan Ruiz Anchía

Film Editing by
Stuart Levy

Casting by
Betia Hovedskov
Brenda McCormick

Production Design by
Paki Smith

Art Direction by
Sara McCudden

Set Decoration by
Sara Longfellow

Costume Design by
Cathy McComb

Makeup Department
Jennifer Forberg	....	first assistant makeup artist
Tracy George	....	key makeup artist
Tamara Harrod	....	key hair stylist
Brentyn Krekoski	....	key makeup artist: additional unit
Melanie Mackenzie	....	first assistant hair stylist
Melanie Mackenzie	....	key hair stylist: additional unit

Production Management
Stephen Onda	....	unit production manager
Scott Watson	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Bitonti	....	assistant director: additional photography
James Bitonti	....	first assistant director
Jim Brebner	....	first assistant director
Jim Brebner	....	second unit director
Michael Pohorly	....	third assistant director
Jacqui Swedberg	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Adrienne Conley	....	graphic designer
Norm Daschle	....	property master
Ross Dempster	....	production designer: reshoots
Alison Grothe	....	on-set dresser
Morgan Hughes	....	key scenic painter
Jefferson Little	....	scenic artist
Audra Neil	....	decorator
Brent Russell	....	art department coordinator
Danny Scavuzzo	....	construction coordinator
Magdalena Shenher	....	art department coordinator
Adrian Traquair	....	set dresser
Johann Wessels	....	lead scenic artist

Sound Department
Chris Diamond	....	assistant dialogue editor
Chris Duesterdiek	....	sound mixer
Peter Eliuk	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer
Amy Giammarco	....	post audio manager
Dean Giammarco	....	sound re-recording mixer
Patrick Haskill	....	sound effects editor
Robert Hunter	....	assistant sound editor
Nick Kray	....	adr recordist
Johnny Ludgate	....	sound effects editor
Christine McLeod	....	dialogue editor
Maureen Murphy	....	foley artist
Rory O'Neill	....	boom operator
Emil Quan	....	assistant sound
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist
Bill Sheppard	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gordon Sproule	....	foley mixer
Elaine Stef	....	assistant foley walker

Visual Effects by
Austin Basile	....	digital compositor
Landon Bootsma	....	digital compositor: Technicolor
Paul Chapman	....	digital compositor
Steve Elliott	....	visual effects I/O: Technicolor
John Fukushima	....	lead digital compositor
Colleen Jenkinson	....	visual effects producer: Technicolor Creative Services
Ryan Kuba	....	visual effects coordinator: Technicolor Creative Services
Tanya Schuck	....	digital compositor
Gary Shaw	....	digital intermediate colorist
Noel Wright	....	compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Latif Cavanaugh	....	grip
Kirk Chiswell	....	first assistant camera
Mark Dobrescu	....	camera operator
Mark Dobrescu	....	director of photography: second unit
Andrew Gordon	....	gaffer
Daryl Hartwell	....	dolly grip
Kerry Hayes	....	still photographer
Rob Hillstead	....	lighting technician
Kevin Lheritier	....	b dolly grip
Kyle Mrazek	....	lighting technician
Will Parrot	....	key grip
Rob Rowan	....	rigging gaffer
Adrian Merritt Smith	....	camera trainee
Scott Tremblay	....	best boy electric
Scott Trembley	....	best boy
Gordon Weiske	....	epk videographer
Mitchel Wiles	....	still photographer trainee
Nicole Wiwchar	....	second assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robin Merrifield	....	set costumer
Robin Merrifield	....	truck costumer
Joanna Vollhoffer	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Chris Mayo	....	conforming editor: HD
Gary Shaw	....	digital intermediate colorist
Jonny Winograd	....	associate editor

Music Department
Max Blomgren	....	score engineer
Mark Buys	....	score coordinator
David Carpenter	....	musician: bass (as Dave Carpenter)
Michael Dittrick	....	music editor
Damon Ebner	....	orchestrator
Damon Ebner	....	score coordinator
Kevin J. Edelman	....	music supervisor (as Kevin Edelman)
Karim Elmahmoudi	....	orchestrator
Karim Elmahmoudi	....	score coordinator
Alan Haskel	....	score coordinator
David Maunu	....	musician: guitar
Sean McMahon	....	orchestrator
Flavio Motalla	....	score producer
Gary Nesturek	....	musician: piano (as Gary Nesteruk)
Petr Pycha	....	orchestra contractor
Denis Roche	....	composer: additional music
David G. Russell	....	synthesizer programmer: score
Ben Zales	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Sylvain Buteau	....	transportation captain
Sheila Richards	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Holly Baird	....	production coordinator
Jason Bryant	....	stand-in
Alison S. Cohen	....	production counsel
Nigel Crook	....	production accountant
Satya De La Manitou	....	assistant: Mr. Hopper
Ken Dhaliwal	....	finance legal
Lisa Donahue	....	assistant: producer
Kari Fonkalsrud	....	first assistant accountant
Ian Gardner	....	associate production coordinator
Ashlee Irish	....	assistant: Ms. Theron
Vandana Jain	....	payroll accountant
Brad Jensen	....	production executive
Michael Klastorin	....	unit publicist
Gabriella Ludlow	....	production legal
Terry Mialkowsky	....	location manager
Michael Orthner	....	production assistant
Amber Ripley	....	assistant: Mr. Merilees
Stephanie Rossel	....	script supervisor
Marvin V. Scansen	....	chef
Gordon Weiske	....	assistant: Mr. Maher (as Gordon Whisky)

Thanks
Danny Mandel	....	special production thanks
Earl Salmansohn	....	in memory of

Production Companies

• Denver and Delilah Productions
• FilmEngine
• Infinity Features Entertainment
• Icon Entertainment International

Distributors

• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2007) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Overture Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Laptv (2009) (Argentina) (TV)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Technicolor Creative Services VFX Vancouver (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Bank of Ireland  production financing provided by
• CNSO Studios  recording studio
• DBC Sound  audio post-production
• Film Finances Canada  completion guarantor
• Murphy PR  publicity
• Newbridge Film Capital  funding

Also Known As:

"Alvajárók" - Hungary
"Enfrentar o Passado" - Portugal
"Oneiropolontas" - Greece (DVD title)
"Sleepwalking" - Italy (DVD title)
"Sonámbulo" - Spain (imdb display title)
"Uyurgezer" - Turkey (Turkish title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of violence

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:12 | Canada:14A | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada

Company:

Denver and Delilah Productions

Trivia:

The working title for this production was 'Ferris Wheel'.

Quotes:

James:Nicole's never been to a real farm before.
[looks at Tara, she nods, trying to smile]
James:So when her mother gets back, we'll meet up, and, uh... we'll take it from there.
Mr. Reedy:Joleen's living the good life, huh? In her magnificent country estate.
James:I didn't say estate.
[Tara looks at Mr. Reedy apprehensively, then her eyes fall back onto her plate]
Mr. Reedy:She still living with that one guy?
[at this Tara goes stiff, staring at her grandfather]
Mr. Reedy:What was his name? You know, the one that knocked her up.
James:[Tara turns her horrified eyes on James, who very slightly shakes his head to her] No.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Episode dated 22 March 2008" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Come and Dance

a moving and atmospheric indie drama

"Sleepwalking" starts off a bit like "Frozen River," focused on a single mother struggling to make ends meet in rural America (though it was actually filmed in Saskatchewan). But the movie quickly veers off in another direction, shifting that focus onto her 13-year-old daughter, Tara, and her younger brother, James (the girl's uncle), who are suddenly forced to rely on one another for comfort and support when Joleen temporarily bows out of the picture.

When her boyfriend is arrested for growing marijuana, Jolene (Carlize Theron) and Tara (AnnaSophia Robb) are forced to move in with James (Nick Stahl), a soft-spoken, good-hearted fellow in his 20s who is two months behind in his rent and who barely scrapes by on what he makes at his low-paying construction job. Soon, Joleen has split the scene, James has lost his job, and social services has taken Tara to live in a foster-care facility. So James and Tara decide to head out onto the open highway, stopping off at roadside diners and motels, and staying one step ahead of the authorities who are in pursuit of them.

"Sleepwalking" is one of those gritty, slice-of-life dramas that sympathetically and accurately depicts what life is like for the working poor. It is rife with authentic details and rich in small town atmosphere. Director William Mahr and cinematographer Juan Ruiz Anchia really know how to extract the essence of a locale for mood and effect, making the bleak landscape and stark setting integral elements in the drama - an effect greatly enhanced by Christopher Young's rich and evocative acoustic-flavored score. Superb, naturalistic performances by the three lead actors make us truly care about the people they are portraying and the things that are happening to them.

"Sleepwalking" is not without its flaws, however. For one thing, the movie undercuts some of its carefully crafted verisimilitude with its casting of "name" actors in a few of the key secondary roles - primarily, Woody Harrelson as James' friend and work buddy, and an over-reaching Dennis Hopper as Joleen and James' abusive dad. These parts would have been more effective had they been played by less-familiar actors (though I do realize that, without such star power attached to the project, a movie like "Sleepwalking" might never have gotten made in the first place). More seriously, the otherwise excellent screenplay by Zac Stanford falls apart a bit in the final third, resorting to stereotyping and hokey melodrama when it most needs to stay true to its characters and their situations.

Still, despite the patness, "Sleepwalking" is a quietly powerful, richly atmospheric tale of a group of troubled but essentially decent people struggling, despite their all-too-human weaknesses, to make their way in the world.