Directed by: Paul Dinello
Produced by:
• Roberts/David Films, Inc. (Mark Roberts, Lorena David)
• Worldwide Pants, Inc. (Valerie Schaer Nathanson)
Cast:
Amy Sedaris … Geraldine ‘Jerri’ Antonia Blank
Stephen Colbert … Charles ‘Chuck’ Noblet, Science teacher
Paul Dinello … Geoffrey Jellineck, Art teacher
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carlo Alban … Megawatti Sacarnaputri
Alicia Ashley … Rolonda
Randy Blair … Student in Noblet’s class
Jonah Bobo … Shamus Noblet
Matthew Broderick … Roger Beekman, Science teacher
Jeremy Chu … Jeremy
Joseph Cross … Derrick Blank
Lorena David … Flatpoint Faculty (in the Teachers Lounge)
Dolores Duffy … Iris Puffybush, Blackman’s assistant
Alexis Dziena … Melissa
Billy Erb … Mr. Herb
Thomas Guiry … P.John
Elisabeth Harnois … Monica
Dan Hedaya … Guy Blank
Philip Seymour Hoffman … Henry, Board of Education
Gregory Hollimon … Onyx Blackman, Principal of Flatpoint High School
Sir Ian Holm … Dr. Putney
Timothy Hsu … Mascot
Allison Janney … Alice, Board of Education
Kristen Johnston … Coach Muffy Divers
Tony Lagarto … Buster Highman, Metal Shop teacher (in the Teachers Lounge; uncredited; character name is my own invention)
Matt Lappin … Demon with 100 eyes
Christopher Larkin … Kim
Wallace Little … Trake
Tony Longoria … Flatpoint Faculty (in the Teachers Lounge)
Evelyn McGee … Clair Noblet
Lian Moy … Lian
Olivia Oguma … Olivia
Todd Oldham … Mr. Oldham, Wood Shop teacher (in the Teachers Lounge)
Sarah Jessica Parker … Peggy Callas, Grief Counselor
David Pasquesi … Stew, a meat man
Chris Pratt … Brason
David Rakoff … Mr. Boswell, Beekman’s autobiographer
Michael Rivera … Maniaco
Cal Robertson … Les Tuckles
Deborah Rush … Sara Blank
Kathy Sedaris … Prisoner on bus
Paul Sedaris … Prison bus driver
Maria Thayer … Tammi Littlenut
Justin Theroux … Carlo Honklin, Drivers Education teacher
Kristy Thomas … Wanda
Callie Thorne … Mrs. Thorne
Sarah Thyre … Coach Cherri Wolf
Hechter Ubarry … Nico
Chandra Wilson … Reba
Crew:
Oliver Bokelberg … Director of Photography
Robert Currie … Assistant Prop Master
Victoria Farrell … Costume Designer
Scott Ferlisi … Assistant Locations Manager
Angelo Gallagher … Makeup Artist
Fabian Garcia … Hair Stylist
Lauren Grey … Casting Associate
Mariana Hellmund … Script Supervisor
Akeo Ihara … Prop Master
Drew Jiritano (SPFX Kablouwee) … Special Effects
Kabuki … Key Makeup Artist
Steven “Perfidia” Kirkham … Key Hair Stylist
Ronnie Kupferwasser … Locations Manager
Matt Lappin … Comedy Consultant
Jeff Lazar … 1st Assistant Director
Mandy Lyons … Sarah Jessica Parker’s Hair Stylist
Teresa Mastropierro … Production Designer
Joseph Middleton … Casting Director
Michael R. Miller … Editor
Richard Move … Choreographer
Mylene Santos … Art Director
The Stereotypes … Song (“Atomic Car”)
Antonia Xereas … Assistant Costume Designer
Marcelo Zarvos … Music
Release Date:
No date has been set at this time for the Fall release (I didn’t say “full release”), but after the film debuted on January 24, 2005 at Sundance it was picked up by Warner Brothers Independent for distribution. They’re planning the premiere for after the Summer blockbuster season and it will probably be limited to a few major cities at first. If the movie does well it should then be coming to a theater near you. Check here periodically for more updates.
Plot outline: Jerri Blank, a fortysomething former user, boozer, loser is just being released from prison. She decides to pick up her life exactly where she left off decades earlier, so she returns to her hometown of Flatpoint and learns that not only did her mother die during her extended absence but that her father has recently fallen into a coma. Jerri gets involved with a popular jock named Brason and joins science teacher Chuck Noblet’s Science Fair team, the Fig Neutrons, along with Tammi Littlenut and Megawatti Sacarnaputri. Noblet isn’t pleased to learn that Flatpoint High School’s Principal Blackman has hired a ringer, Dr. Roger Beekman, to head up a competing team to ensure that Flatpoint takes the top prize, no matter what happens. And through it all, Jerri has to put up with her resentful stepmother Sara and annoying half-brother Derrick, deal with her father’s illness, try to get in good with the alpha girls, fight temptation around every corner, and attempt to do all the wrong things the right way.
The film shoot took place in New Jersey from June 28th to July 30th (Note: filming actually wrapped at 7:00am on the 31st). Some missing scenes were later filmed on Friday, November 5th, 2004.