Themes: Alcoholism, Down on Their Luck, Nothing Goes Right
Main Cast: Frank Whaley, Carla Gugino, Ethan Hawke, Lynn Cohen, Jillian Stacom
Release Year: 2002
Country: US
Run Time: 97 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Following up on his directorial debut, Joe the King, actor-turned-sometimes director Frank Whaley made this gritty character study of a man consumed by anger. Working as a clerk at a supermarket, Jimmy (Whaley) makes it a practice to steal anything and everything he can get away with, usually cases of beer. At home, he supports his neglected wife (Carla Gugino), his infant daughter, and his foul-tempered invalid grandmother, whom he has been caring for since he was a teen. A compulsive complainer, Jimmy is vitriolically bitter about his lack of a childhood. His latest dream, one in a series of failed schemes to make it big, is to be a standup comedian. Yet Jimmy's idea of a schtick is less one-liners and gags than a prolonged confessional rant about his marriage, the loss of his parents, and his grandmother. As the film progresses, Jimmy's monologues grow darker and ever more sinister. This film was scheduled to be screened at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
Stefan Walz - Art Director, James Calleri - Casting, Sabrina Atoori - Co-producer, Colin Bates - Co-producer, Dawn Weisberg - Costume Designer, Cecily Kaston - First Assistant Director, Frank Whaley - Director, Miran Miosic - Editor, Per Melita - Line Producer, Robert Whaley - Composer (Music Score), Anthony Grimaldi - Composer (Music Score), Judy Becker - Production Designer, Michael Mayers - Cinematographer, Mary Jane Skalski - Producer, Ben Atoori - Producer, Noah Vivekanand Timan - Sound/Sound Designer, Frank Whaley - Screenwriter, Willis Allen - Supervising Sound Editor, Trip Brock - Supervising Sound Editor, Jonathan Marc Sherman - Play Author
