The Chameleon (2010)

Director:

Jean-Paul Salomé

Writers:

Jean-Paul Salomé (written by)
Christophe d'Antonio (book)
(more)

Release Date:

10 June 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A son, a brother, a lover, a friend - can we ever know who people say they are?

Plot:

An FBI Agent is hot on the tracks of Frédéric Fortin who has taken up the identity of a woman's long lost son completely convincing the police and the boy's family of his identity.

Plot Keywords:

FBI | FBI Agent | Louisiana | Impostor | Baton Rouge Louisiana

Cast

Marc-André Grondin	...	Frédéric Fortin / Nicholas Mark Randall
Famke Janssen	...	Jennifer Johnson
Ellen Barkin	...	Kimberly Miller
Emilie de Ravin	...	Kathy Jansen
Tory Kittles	...	Dan Price
Brian Geraghty	...	Brian Jansen
Nick Stahl	...	Brendan Kerrigan
James DuMont	...	BR PD Cop A
Ritchie Montgomery	...	Diner owner (as Ritchie Montgomerey)
Lance E. Nichols	...	FBI Doctor (as Lance Nichols)
Estelle Larrivaz	...	Female gendarme
Xavier Beauvois	...	Gendarme
Lindsay Soileau	...	Girl #1
Katy Peppard	...	Girl #2 (as Katy Preppard)
Nick Chinlund	...	Mitch
Kent Jude Bernard	...	Pool Player #1
Gabe Begneaud	...	Pool Player #2
Gio March	...	Spanish Policeman (as Sergio March)
Everett Sifuentes	...	Superintendent
Josh Gates	...	Spanish Tattoo Artist
J.D. Evermore	...	Worker
Gary Grubbs	...	John Striker
Jean-Paul Salomé	...	Attorney
Logan Douglas Smith	...	County Sheriff #1 (as Logan Smith)
Braden Delee	...	Young Frédéric
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Corbin McCarthy	...	Neighbor
Scott Yarnell	...	Prisoner
Brett Beoubay	...	County Sheriff (uncredited)
Sean M. Blanchard	...	Spanish Orphan Boy (uncredited)
Allen Boudreaux	...	Defense Attorney (uncredited)
Andrew Breland	...	News Reporter (uncredited)
Thomas C. Daniel	...	County Sheriff (uncredited)
Gino Galento	...	Sleazy neighbor (uncredited)
Geraldine Glenn	...	Court Stenographer (uncredited)
Emily D. Haley	...	Hotel Trash (uncredited)
Dakota Hill	...	Shopper (uncredited)
Bob Huff	...	Airline passenger (uncredited)
Elaine Huff	...	Airline passenger (uncredited)
Judy Kern	...	Parade Partyer (uncredited)
Jeremy Evan Kerr	...	Peanut Vendor (uncredited)
Holly Ladnier	...	Airplane Passenger (uncredited)
Anne Le Ny	...	Frédéric's mother (uncredited)
Cynthia LeBlanc	...	Country Bar Patron (uncredited)
Elton LeBlanc	...	Country Bar Patron (uncredited)
Laurie Lee	...	Bar Patron / Parade Partyer / Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Sharon K. London	...	Cleaning Lady (uncredited)
Jay Oliver	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Leesa Pate	...	Parade Partyer / Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Bill Perkins	...	Cop (uncredited)
Chaz Smith	...	Airport Passenger (uncredited)
Sarah J. Thompson	...	Background (uncredited)
Elizabeth Tranchant	...	Girl in Car (uncredited)
Dawna Williams	...	Attorney (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-Paul Salomé

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Natalie Carter		written by
Christophe d'Antonio		book "The Chameleon"
Jean-Paul Salomé		written by

Produced by
Ram Bergman	....	producer
Sidonie Dumas	....	producer
Glenn Garland	....	co-producer
Pierre Kubel	....	producer
Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar	....	producer
Bill Perkins	....	producer
Géraldine Polveroni	....	assistant producer
David Pomier	....	executive producer
Cooper Richey	....	producer

Original Music by
Jeff Cardoni
Bruno Coulais

Cinematography by
Pascal Ridao		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Toby Yates		(recut version)

Production Design by
Martina Buckley

Set Decoration by
Monique Champagne

Costume Design by
Susanna Puisto

Makeup Department
Nikki I Brown	....	makeup artist
Marie-Anne Hum	....	key makeup artist
Eileen Kastner-Delago	....	personal makeup artist: Famke Janssen
Alexis Kinebanyan	....	special makeup effects artist
Jack Lazzaro	....	makeup artist
Courtney Lether	....	makeup artist
Ann Masterson	....	makeup department head
Peter Tothpal	....	hair department head

Production Management
Julien Brun	....	assistant unit manager
Jérémie Chevret	....	executive production manager
Bruno Daniault	....	post-production manager
Nabila Daniault	....	post-production supervisor
Philip Harrelson	....	post-production supervisor
Diana Lui	....	unit production manager
Cecile Regnauld	....	production secretary
Philippe Roux	....	director of production
Tessa Lyn Stephenson	....	unit production manager
Nathalie Tellier	....	production acountant

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Olivier Bonnet	....	second assistant director
Olivier Genet	....	first assistant director
Nathan Parker	....	second second assistant director
Sholto J. Roeg	....	first assistant director
Tessa Lyn Stephenson	....	first assistant director: second unit
Zane Julija Stumbrs	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Cecile Aymami	....	paint foreman
Andrew W. Bofinger	....	set dresser
Eric Breaux	....	set dresser
Gail Briant	....	lead scenic
Adam Cambre	....	carpenter
Jonathan Cappel	....	carpenter
Carl Counts	....	art department coordinator
Ryan Martin Dwyer	....	set dresser
Dave Kelsey	....	set designer
Vince Le Blanc	....	set dresser
Luci Leary	....	set decoration buyer
K. Emily Levine	....	art department production assistant
Sam Lothridge	....	on-set dresser
Scotty Morris	....	leadman
Jason Oertling	....	scenic painter
Joseph Pipes	....	property master
Stephen Turner	....	assistant property master
Durel Yates	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Philippe Baudhuin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dhyana Carlton-Tims	....	additional dialogue editor
Ryan Farris	....	sound utility
Nils Fauth	....	sound editor
Nils Fauth	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sylvie Fortin	....	dubbing editor
Alexandra Gallo	....	boom operator
Valérie Le Docte	....	dialogue editor
Eric Ledet	....	sound utility
Eric Ledet	....	sound
Alexis Leverve	....	adr engineer
Julien Mizac	....	additional foley recordist
Piste Rouge	....	sound: studio
Elias Vervecken	....	foley artist
Pawel Wdowczak	....	sound mixer
Matt Snedecor	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Stephane Bidault	....	visual effects supervisor
Olivier Blanchet	....	digital compositor
François Poupon	....	visual effects artist
D.J. Shea	....	compositor

Stunts
John Bernecker	....	stunt double
Elton LeBlanc	....	precision driver
Deven MacNair	....	stunt double
Phil O'Dell	....	stunt coordinator
Robin Hart Smith	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Applebaum	....	additional camera operator
Michael Applebaum	....	director of photography: second unit
Grayson Austin	....	key Steadicam operator
Ffilip Bolton	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Lawles Bourque	....	additional camera operator
Danny Brazen	....	key grip
Victor Brunette	....	24 frame video operator
Kevin Carlisle	....	grip
Duane Cooper	....	grip
Nezben Deason	....	grip
Arnaud Dutarte	....	electrician
Dustin Logan	....	video assist
David Maddux	....	gaffer
Flavio Manriquez	....	second assistant camera
Bradley Martin	....	lamp operator
Ronald 'Ronnie' Martin	....	electrician
Robert Morrison	....	set grip
Charlie Nauman	....	film loader
Patti Perret	....	still photographer
Jonathan E. Robinson	....	additional camera assistant
Nathalie Savale	....	first assistant camera
James Allen Sheppard	....	24 frame video operator
Shawn Stone	....	dolly grip
Jeff Taylor	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Remi Tournois	....	b camera operator
Remi Tournois	....	second unit: cinematographer
Wade Whitley	....	first assistant camera
David A. Wolf	....	steadicam operator

Casting Department
Brent Caballero	....	local casting
Hank Langlois	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shonta T. McCray	....	costumer
Dennis Ray Mitchell	....	costume assistant
Melissa Reed	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Karlo Babakhanian	....	iq assist
Myriam Coën	....	digital conformation
Sophia Del-Vecchio	....	digital conformation
Vahe Giragol	....	iq assist
Frederic Jupin	....	digital conformation
Stewart McAlpine	....	second assistant editor
Marjolaine Mispelaere	....	colorist
Tom Pilla	....	assistant editor
Narbeh Tatoussian	....	digital intermediate colorist

Music Department
Drew DeAscentis	....	music editor
Jason La Rocca	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Richard Brown	....	picture car contributer
Monica W. Fuller	....	driver (as Monica Williamson)
Danny Mortenson	....	transportation coordinator
Doug Wilson	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Adam Babin	....	production coordinator
Richard Berkeley	....	unit assistant: France
Frédéric Bourdin	....	creative consultant
Burton Chatelain Jr.	....	film runner
Lauren Clouatre	....	key set production assistant
Benton Collinsworth	....	set production assistant
Mona Coulter	....	travel agent
Corinne Devaux	....	choreographer
Michael Dorner	....	first accountant
Robert Douthat	....	photo double: Nick Stahl
Glenn D. Feig	....	production legal counsel
Rhett Guillot	....	production assistant
Ben Ledoux	....	key assistant location manager
Erica Matyas	....	production secretary
Jan McWilliams	....	script supervisor
Géraldine Polveroni	....	production coordinator
Johnnie Ruth Richey	....	production coordinator
Stephan Roux	....	assistant location manager
Tara A. Senior	....	production legal counsel
R. Bryan Wright	....	location manager
Brian Buquoi	....	production assistant (uncredited )

Production Companies

• Lleju Productions (presents)
• Loma Nasha (as Loma Nasha Films)
• Gordonstreet Pictures (as Gordon Street Pictures)
• Rhône-Alpes Cinéma (co-production)
• Restons Groupés Production (co-production)
• Vendredi Film (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Orange Cinéma Séries (participation)
• Région Rhône-Alpes (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)

Distributors

• Gaumont (2010) (France) (theatrical)
• Lleju Productions (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• Double Dutch Films (2011) (Canada) (all media)
• Pathé Films (2010) (Switzerland) (all media)

Other Companies

• Caballero Casting  casting: location
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera car
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Hollywood Trucks  entertainment transportation
• Incentivised  production services
• LEAP Film Fund  tax credit financing
• Reder & Feig  production legal counsel
• Visions from the Roof  Cortney Tidwell's music administered by

Also Known As:

"Le caméléon" - France

MPAA:

Rated R for language, brief drug use and nudity

Runtime:

France:106 min | 94 min (DVD)

Country:

Canada | France | USA

Language:

English | French | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Lleju Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: (At 14:33) Brendan Kerrigan (Nick Stahl) is driving a burgundy colored Camaro with a spoiler on the trunk, and (at 43:18) he is clearly driving a burgundy colored Trans Am with no spoiler.

Movie Connections:

References Thriller (1983) (TV)

Thuddingly Dull

CHAMELEON, we are told at the beginning of this film, is based on a true story about a French lad who disguises himself as other people as a way of gaining attention and 'love' which is apparently missing in his life as a near orphan. Written by Natalie Carter and writer/director Jean-Paul Salomé it misses the opportunity to use a factual story and transpose it to the screen in such a way that we care enough about the characters to become involved in the unfolding of this charade. Unfortunately the writing and the casting and directing work against this and the result is a surprisingly uninvolving, fairly boring tale.

Nicholas Barclay (Marc-André Grondin) has been missing since age 13, for reasons unclear to the town's people in Baton Rouge. LA. Nicholas shows up in Spain after an auto accident, is treated for PTSD and is mutely amnesic until he suddenly talks and lets the hospital people know that he is Nicholas Barclay, a missing person. He states he was kidnapped and forced into a child prostitution ring that involved rape, abuse and torture - the reasons he gives for his lack of memory. Nicholas's sister Kathy (Emilie de Ravin) spends her last money to fly to France to pick up her lost brother and return him 'home' - to his chain-smoking depressed mother Kimberly (Ellen Barkin in a surprisingly monotone, phoned-in performance), Kathy's husband Brian (Brian Geraghty) and his sociopathic brother Brendan (Nick Stahl). Nicholas's identity is not clear to his family, except for his sister Kathy who offers compassion and fights for Nicholas' rights: the others doubt that their Nicholas is alive because of events they know to be true. The FBI in the persons of Tory Kittles and Famke Janssen investigate, doubting that Nicholas is who he says he is. After a dysfunctional attempt to relate to most of his family, his story starts to unravel and the true story of what happened to Nicholas starts to emerge: 'Nicholas' is Frédéric Bourdin, who after having plundered all the centers for runaway minors and delinquents in Europe, even though he has come of age, now passes himself off as Nicholas Barclay, shaves his body hair, and attempts to a carry off another 'chameleon caper' in the US.

The cinematic aspects of the film fail to make the story involving: the colors are so washed out that it appears to be made on cheap film, the story is disjointed with such scenes as Nicholas shaving his body hair really adding little to the tale, the surprisingly dull performance by Ellen Barkin is a shock, and Marc-André Grondin is simply not up to making us realize the potential of this fascinating story. Famke Janssen and Brian Geraghty make the most of the roles they are given, but otherwise the cast is unremarkable.

Grady Harp