28 Days (2000)

Director:

Betty Thomas

Writer (WGA):

Susannah Grant (written by)

Release Date:

14 April 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The Life of the Party... before she got a life.

Plot:

A big-city newspaper columnist is forced to enter a drug and alcohol rehab center after ruining her sister's wedding and crashing a stolen limousine.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Car Accident | Family Relationships | Vomit | Accidental Death

Cast

Sandra Bullock	...	Gwen Cummings
Viggo Mortensen	...	Eddie Boone
Dominic West	...	Jasper
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Lily
Azura Skye	...	Andrea
Steve Buscemi	...	Cornell
Alan Tudyk	...	Gerhardt
Mike O'Malley	...	Oliver (as Michael O'Malley)
Marianne Jean-Baptiste	...	Roshanda
Reni Santoni	...	Daniel
Diane Ladd	...	Bobbie Jean
Margo Martindale	...	Betty
Susan Krebs	...	Evelyn
Loudon Wainwright III	...	Guitar Guy
Katie Scharf	...	Young Gwen
Meredith Deane	...	Young Lily
Elizabeth Ruscio	...	Mom
Kathy Payne	...	Aunt Helen
Lisa Sutton	...	Dr. Stavros
Joanne Pankow	...	Saleslady / Night Tech
Corinne Reilly	...	Vanessa
Andrew Dolan	...	Groom
Maeve McGuire	...	Groom's Mother
Jim Moody	...	Chauffeur
Christina Chang	...	Bridesmaid
Adam Pervis	...	Younger Boy at Gas Station
Dan Byrd	...	Older Boy at Gas Station
Ric Reitz	...	Father at Gas Station
Suellen Yates	...	Andrea's Mother
Frank Hoyt Taylor	...	Equine Therapist
Brittani Warrick	...	Traci
Elijah Kelley	...	Darnell
Mike Dooly	...	Marty
Wendee Pratt	...	Elaine
Bill Anagnos	...	NY Cabdriver
Jack Armstrong	...	Falcon in Soap Opera Cast
Judith Chapman	...	Deirdre in Soap Opera Cast
Suzanne Davis	...	Darian in Soap Opera Cast
Rod McCary	...	Dr. Griffin Hartley in Soap Opera Cast
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matt Cedeño	...	Bob Ramirez (uncredited)
Patricia M. Fairchild	...	Cafeteria Worker (uncredited)
Bruno Gioiello	...	Michael Anderson (uncredited)
Christopher Murphy	...	Paul (uncredited)
Harsh Nayyar	...	Newsstand Vendor (uncredited)
Brent Ponder	...	Partier (uncredited)
Stan Wood	...	Parker House Patient (uncredited)

Directed by
Betty Thomas

Writing credits (WGA)
Susannah Grant		(written by)

Produced by
Celia D. Costas	....	co-producer (as Celia Costas)
Jenno Topping	....	producer

Original Music by
Richard Gibbs		(music by)

Cinematography by
Declan Quinn		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter Teschner		(edited by)

Casting by
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Marcia Hinds		(as Marcia Hinds-Johnson)

Art Direction by
Bo Johnson

Set Decoration by
Debra Schutt

Costume Design by
Ellen Lutter

Makeup Department
Judith H. Bickerton	....	hairstylist
Dale Brownell	....	hairstylist (as Dale E. Brownell)
Colleen Callaghan	....	key hairstylist
Kymbra Callaghan	....	makeup artist
Sharon Ilson	....	key makeup artist
Stephen Kelley	....	makeup artist
Sandra S. Orsolyak	....	makeup artist (as Sandra Orsolyak-Allen)
Janine Rath	....	key hairstylist
Karen Reuter Fabbo	....	make-up: New York
Kerrie Smith	....	hair stylist: New York
Robert Steinken	....	hair stylist: Asheville
Pamela S. Westmore	....	key makeup artist (as Pamela Westmore)
Jim Beinke	....	makeup effects producer (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Rosanne Puchal	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Celia D. Costas	....	unit production manager (as Celia Costas)
Patricia Anne Doherty	....	unit production manager: New York (as Patricia Doherty Hess)
Monica Levinson	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chad Graves	....	second second assistant director
Richard Graves	....	first assistant director
Susan J. Hellmann	....	second assistant director
Michael Pitt	....	second second assistant director: New York
Bac DeLorme	....	second assistant director: second unit (uncredited)
Bruce Milton	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
C. Scott Baker	....	set designer
Diana Burton	....	property master: New York (as Diana E. Burton)
Rick Butler	....	art director: Asheville
Paul Cheponis	....	set dresser
Glen R. Feldman	....	assistant property master (as Glen Feldman)
Geoffrey S. Grimsman	....	set designer
Robert Guerra	....	art director: New York
Alan Hook	....	assistant art director
Tom Jones Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Ed Jones	....	greensman: Asheville
Bill King	....	set designer
Paul Oliver	....	lead scenic (as Paul W. Oliver)
Marthe Pineau	....	set dresser
Robert Butch Samarzich	....	greensman
'Polar Bear' Shaw	....	leadman (as Polar Bear Shaw)
Andrea 'Drew' Sywanyk	....	on-set dresser (as Andrea Sywanyk)
Margot Therre	....	charge scenic: New York
Dick Tice	....	leadman: New York (as Richard Tice)
Dean Wilson	....	property master
Kenneth Bryant	....	set dresser: North Carolina (uncredited)
Elisabeth Clay	....	assistant art department coordinator (uncredited)
Danielle Couture	....	painter (uncredited)
Chris Crowder	....	gang boss (uncredited)
Frank Didio	....	head carpenter (uncredited)
Thurston Edwards	....	construction auditor (uncredited)
Patrick Fuhrman	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Robert L. Girard	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Vincent Guarriello	....	key construction grip (uncredited)
Michael J. Hall	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
George W. Harding III	....	greensman: Columbia (uncredited)
Randy Kenan	....	mill foreman (uncredited)
Brian Kontz	....	scenic painter (uncredited)
Janet Kusnick	....	concept artist (uncredited)
Alicia Lowe	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
Lee Nesbitt	....	art department coordinator (uncredited)
James F. Oñate	....	scenic gang boss (uncredited)
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)
Roger Scruggs	....	general foreman (uncredited)
Michael Shapiro	....	set dresser (uncredited)
John Weeks	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael J. Benavente	....	supervising sound editor
Jeffree Bloomer	....	boom operator
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	re-recording mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist (as Michael Broomberg)
Ali Derakhshan	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Alison Fisher	....	dialogue editor
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Tricia Linklater	....	first assistant sound editor
Tod A. Maitland	....	sound mixer
Josephine Nericcio	....	assistant sound editor (as Josie Nericcio)
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Pappas	....	foley editor (as Mark Papas)
Jeena M. Phelps	....	dialogue editor
Michael Scott	....	boom operator (as Mike Scott)
George Simpson	....	sound effects editor
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound effects editor
Hugo Weng	....	adr editor
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer (uncredited)
Mark DeSimone	....	adr engineer (uncredited)
Alison Sanford	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Connie Brink	....	special effects coordinator
David Hill	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Walter Kiesling	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Daniel W. Barringer	....	stunt coordinator
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts (as Sandra Berumen)
Vic Bucossi	....	stunts (as Victor Bucossi)
Donna Evans	....	stunts (as Donna Evans Merlo)
Don Hewitt	....	stunts
Cal Johnson	....	stunts
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunts
Steve Mack	....	stunts
Dean Mumford	....	stunts
Don Picard	....	stunts
Jodi Michelle Pynn	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunts
Jim Stephan	....	stunts
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (as Richard Warlock)
Amy Yanagisawa	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
K.C. Bailey	....	still photographer
Patrick Capone	....	camera operator: "a" camera
John Choi	....	second assistant camera: New York
Thomas Ford	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Tommy Ford)
Harry K. Garvin	....	camera operator: New York (as Harry Garvin)
Harry K. Garvin	....	steadicam: New York (as Harry Garvin)
Carlos Omar Guerra	....	first assistant camera: New York (as Carlos Guerra)
Charles Laughon	....	video assist
Michael Maloney	....	rigging grip
David Noble	....	second grip
Mark O'Kane	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Mark O'Kane	....	steadicam operator
Patrick Quinn	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Gerard Sava	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Robert Sciretta	....	chief lighting technician
Derek Smith	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Kevin Smyth	....	key grip
Van Starling	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
John Verardi	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Troy N. Wade	....	dolly grip
Eddie Bowlin	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
Chris Dambra	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Tom Dean	....	electrician (uncredited)
Ben D. Griffith Jr.	....	rigging grip best boy: Asheville (uncredited)
Eric Jones	....	rigging key grip (uncredited)
Ben Noble	....	electrician (uncredited)
Cristiano Palermi	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Art Schultz	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Art Shultz	....	electrician (uncredited)
Sean Yaple	....	video assist assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Marty Cherrix	....	extras casting
Kathy Driscoll	....	casting associate (as Kathleen Driscoll-Mohler)
Shay Griffin	....	regional casting (as Shay Bentley Griffin)
Jon Scott Strotheide	....	casting associate
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting: New York (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lisa R. Frucht	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Lisa Frucht)
John Glaser	....	assistant costume designer
Vanessa Jenik	....	costumer (as Vanessa Carin Jenik)
Jessica S. Smith	....	costumer (as Jessica Smith)
Joel Voorhies	....	wardrobe
Pauline White-Kassulke	....	wardrobe supervisor
Deirdre N. Williams	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York (as Deirdre Williams)
Kate Sawyer	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Matt Friedman	....	digital assistant editor (as Matthew Friedman)
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Nina Kawasaki	....	first assistant editor
Tamara McDonough	....	second assistant editor
Carrie Puchkoff	....	assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Kelly Reese	....	dailies colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Randall Poster	....	musical supervision by
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator
Nick South	....	music editor
Jeff Vaughn	....	score recorded and mixed by
Brian Bulman	....	assistant music editor: temp tracking (uncredited)
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor (uncredited)
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)
James Raymond	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steven Baldwin	....	transportation captain: Asheville (as Steven A. Baldwin)
Robert Gillis	....	transportation co-captain
Neil Hyman	....	transportation captain (as Neil A. Hyman)
Brian Maxwell	....	transportation captain: New York
Stacy Barnhill	....	driver (uncredited)
John McLaughlin	....	driver (uncredited)
Robert Van Apeldoorn	....	transportation (uncredited)
Charlie Wright	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Declan Baldwin	....	location manager
Jason Behrman	....	assistant: Ms. Thomas
Kurt Bonney	....	production assistant
Robert Boyd	....	production assistant
Amanda Brand	....	unit publicist
Benita Brazier	....	script supervisor
Stephen M. Corbin	....	craft service (as Stephen Corbin)
Sundy Corbin	....	craft service (as Sundy)
David Curtis	....	production assistant
John DeSimone	....	production coordinator: New York (as John De Simone)
Carrie Durose	....	production coordinator (as Carrie DuRose)
Rachel Fish	....	production assistant
Laura Franses	....	assistant location manager: New York
Jason Frederick	....	assistant: Mr. Gibbs
Ariana Garfinkel	....	production assistant
John B. Griffin	....	location manager (as John B. Griffin Jr.)
J. Bradley Hennegan	....	production assistant (as John Hennegan)
Krista Jacobsen Hoey	....	assistant production coordinator: Asheville (as Krista Jacobsen-Hoey)
Lance Holland	....	assistant location manager: Asheville
Steven C. Kavovit	....	medic
Steven R. Klem	....	production assistant
Johanna Klingenberger	....	first assistant accountant
Lara Leonard	....	assistant: Ms. Bullock (as Lara L. Leonard)
Jesse Lutz	....	production secretary
Jen Roskind	....	assistant location manager: Asheville
Erin Stam	....	assistant: Mr. Topping
Anita Sum	....	assistant production coordinator: New York
Hank Troscianiec	....	production assistant
Pamela Williamson	....	first assistant accountant
Gregor Wilson	....	production accountant
Caleb Womble	....	assistant production coordinator (as J. Caleb Womble)
Heather P. Woods	....	production assistant
Beth Bargas	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Dar Billingham	....	stand-in: Sandra Bullock (uncredited)
Bass Hampton	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Sean Ilnseher	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Meg MacRae	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Les McDonough	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Frank McKenna	....	craft service (uncredited)
Thomas Parris	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Brent Ponder	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Olimpia T. Rinaldi	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Ryan Schaetzle	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Ben Selkow	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chad Slagle	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Rozanne Stark	....	set tutor (uncredited)
Gail Thomas	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Jodi Tripi	....	clearance coordinator (uncredited)
Rae Umsted	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (as Columbia Pictures)
• Tall Trees Productions (as a Tall Trees production)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (2000) (USA) (theatrical) (a Sony Pictures Entertainment company)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2000-2001) (worldwide) (all media)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2003) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Film (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Falcon (2000) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Columbia TriStar (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (200?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (200?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Net5 (2003) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Video (200?) (Japan) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Alterian (prosthetics) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Betty Ford Center, The  advisor: drug and alcohol rehab
• County of Nassau Department of Recreation and Parks, The  special thanks to
• Imaginary Forces  title design
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment (uncredited)
• Loop Troop  adr group voice casting
• Major League Baseball Properties  acknowledgement: the major league baseball trademarks depicted in this motion picture were licensed by (as Major League Properties, Inc.)
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks (as The New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Thertre and Broadcasting)
• North Carolina Film Office  special thanks (as The North Carolina Film Office)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  opticals
• Ribbsrec  score recorded at
• Sierra Tucson  advisor: drug and alcohol rehab (as Sierra Tucson, LLC)
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services (as Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, California)
• Sylvia Fay Casting  extras casting: New York
• Todd-AO Studios  score recorded at
• Tomkats Catering  catering (as Tomkats)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack published by (uncredited)
• Western North Carolina Film Commission  special thanks (as The Western North Carolina Film Office)
• Wilmington Regional Film Commission  special thanks (as The Wilmington Regional Film Office)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements involving substance abuse, language and some sensuality

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:12 | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #36735) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

A YMCA in North Carolina was used as the Serenity Glen rehab. The YMCA continued to operate during the shooting of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Gwen is getting off the bus in the woods, she has no leg brace on. As the scene progresses, it is back on.

Quotes:

Gwen Cummings:Is that available stitched on a pillow somewhere?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Critic: Episode #1.7" (????)

Soundtrack:

Joy to the World

tries to walk the line between comedy and drama...and trips on it

I suppose I'll lay out the positive aspects of the film first, for it does have a couple. First, and most surprising, is the fact that Sandra Bullock actually holds this film together. It is the first time she's produced a serious performance since, uh, ever. Even better is Steve Buscemi, who, unfortunately, doesn't have nearly big enough of a part. A final plus is the fact that the film's heart is in the right place, even if it is misguided.

Which leads me to the negative. 28 Days attempts to tackle an incredibly heavy topic, but only with limited success. Primarily, there is a single reason for this, and it is because the film tries to be both a comedy and a drama at once. Few films pull this feat off very well (and they are usually romantic comedies), and 28 Days isn't one of them.

For example, the film goes to great lengths to demonstrate just how bad off Bullock's character really is, but it doesn't stick with that direction. Within the first five minutes of the film, she's destroyed a house and ruined a wedding - and she doesn't seem to care. Unfortunately, this does little to foster audience sympathy for Bullock, but that's besides this particular point.

The way I see it, if the film really focused more on Bullock's dark side, it would be better. But, alas, the movie adds several one-sided stereotypes that apparently are supposed to bring comic relief; all of them are distracting and only serve to rob the film of any power it might conceivably have. There's the angry-screw-the-entire-world type, the soap-operas-are-the-key-to-happiness-teenage type, the celebrity-baseball-player-playboy type, and let's be sure not to forget the eccentric-foreign-accent-man type (I particularly hate him). In other words, I couldn't care less about any of them. In fact, the only character outside of Bullock's that is even remotely interesting is Steve Buscemi's counselor. However, Buscemi's character is introduced, given more background than any other character in the film including Bullock, then dropped by the wayside completely. In my opinion, 28 Days could have been much more interesting had it analyzed a relationship between Bullock and Buscemi, but, hey, what can you do?

A final complaint. Director Betty Thomas seems to have attended the Blair Witch Project school of directing because every time Bullock's character has a flashback (which is often - let me say that again - often), the camera shakes as if the cameraman were suddenly overtaken by some sort of seizure. This same technique occurs during the unreadable opening credits. I'm sure Thomas is trying to make some sort of statement on alcohol's effect on memory and motor function, but she's not telling me anything I don't know and IS making me noxious.

Still, overall, despite my numerous complaints, 28 Days is watchable, and this is, again, largely due to Bullock's performance. Nevertheless, though, you could walk out of this movie and decide you want a drink, and I don't think that's the effect the filmmakers were aiming for. 5/10