Heavy (1995)

Director:

James Mangold

Writer:

James Mangold (written by)

Release Date:

5 June 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

The life of an overweight, unhappy cook is forever changed after a kind, beautiful college drop-out comes to work as a waitress at he and his mother's roadside restaurant.

Plot Keywords:

Waitress | Loneliness | Unrequited Love | Pizza | Seduction

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Victor Modino
Shelley Winters	...	Dolly Modino
Liv Tyler	...	Callie
Deborah Harry	...	Delores
Joe Grifasi	...	Leo
Evan Dando	...	Jeff
David Patrick Kelly	...	Grey Man in Hospital
Marian Quinn	...	Darlene
Meg Hartig	...	Donna
Zandy Hartig	...	Jean
Peter Ortel	...	Tony
George Alvarez	...	Orderly
Cordis Heard	...	Nurse
J.C. MacKenzie	...	Gas Man (as J.C. Mackenzie)
Allan D'Arcangelo	...	Sonny
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Vince Parenti	...	Trucker (uncredited)
Dennis Prager	...	Radio Talk Show Host (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
James Mangold

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James Mangold		written by

Produced by
Herbert Beigel	....	executive producer
Scott Ferguson	....	associate producer
Gretchen McGowan	....	line producer
Richard Miller	....	producer
Jane Wright	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Thurston Moore

Cinematography by
Michael F. Barrow		(as Michael Barrow)

Film Editing by
Meg Reticker

Casting by
Todd M. Thaler		(as Todd Thaler)

Production Design by
Michael Shaw

Art Direction by
Daniel Goldfield

Set Decoration by
Kara Cressman

Costume Design by
Sarah Jane Slotnick		(as Sara Jane Slotnick)

Makeup Department
Elaine Kuhn	....	assistant hair stylist
Tracy Warbin	....	hair stylist
Tracy Warbin	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Trish Hofmann	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Scott Ambrozy	....	second assistant director
Chad Braden	....	third assistant director
Scott Ferguson	....	second unit director
Priscilla Guastavino	....	first assistant director
Ashley Johnson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Rachel Janocko	....	property assistant
F. Ron Miller	....	graphic designer
Peter Ortel	....	set dresser
Peter Ortel	....	storyboard artist
David Schanker	....	property master
Charles Winters	....	carpenter

Sound Department
David Alvarez	....	additional production sound mixer
Laurel Bridges	....	boom operator (as Laurel Ann Bridges)
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Rick Dior	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eugenia Fiumi	....	boom operator
David Frankel	....	assistant sound editor
Fredrick Helm	....	boom operator
Sarah E. Hill	....	assistant sound editor
Bradford L. Hohle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	sound editor
Lenny Manzo	....	boom operator
Jan McLaughlin	....	production sound mixer
Tim O'Shea	....	sound editor
Mary Ellen Porto	....	supervising sound editor
V. Renee Taylor	....	first assistant sound editor
Paul J. Zydel	....	adr mixer (as Paul Zydel)
Paul J. Zydel	....	foley mixer (as Paul Zydel)
Rick Dior	....	additional production sound mixer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Will Arnot	....	additional electrician (as William Shackleton Arnot)
Evans Brown	....	best boy electric
Meredith Collins	....	second assistant camera
Jeffrey A. Eplett	....	gaffer (as Jeff Eplett)
Ray Flynn	....	best boy electric (as Raymond Flynn)
Raphaelle Gosse-Gardet	....	third electrician
Justin Keith	....	best boy grip (as Justin 'Dusty' Keith)
Dennis A. Livesey	....	first assistant camera
John Mantel	....	still photographer
Gene Page	....	additional still photographer
Rocco Palmieri	....	additional electrician
Andrew Sweeney	....	third grip
Justin Vanson	....	key grip
Elizabeth Wick	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
R.J. Kelly III	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jessica Fish	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
David Frankel	....	assistant editor
Noëlle Penraat	....	negative matcher (as Noelle Penraat)
David Pultz	....	color timer
Jim Villone	....	associate editor
Vera Wagman	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
John Bowen	....	additional music editor
Michelle Kuznetsky	....	music supervisor
Thurston Moore	....	musician: all instruments
Ray Palagy	....	music editor
Jennifer Pyken	....	music supervisor
Mary Ramos	....	music supervisor
Lee Ranaldo	....	score mixer
Lee Ranaldo	....	score recordist
Meg Reticker	....	music editor
Jim Villone	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Joe Orlowski	....	transportation captain
Matthew Salvato	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Bebe Buell	....	creative consultant
John Doby	....	production assistant
Michael Dosoro	....	production assistant
Penny Elliott	....	script supervisor
Jill Footlick	....	production coordinator
Jason Fuchs	....	additional production assistant (as Jason W. Fuchs)
Jennifer Gardella	....	intern
Pamela Haber	....	additional production assistant
Don Jacobs	....	tutor: Ms. Tyler, Eduactional Resource Services
Patricia Kennedy	....	intern (as Patty Kennedy)
Rosalind Lichter	....	production consultant
Melissa Lintinger	....	post-production accountant
F. Ron Miller	....	title designer
Mick Reed	....	production assistant
Steve Schottenfeld	....	production assistant (as Stephen Schottenfeld)
Lisa Snodgrass	....	tutor: Ms. Tyler, Educational Resource Services
Diana Strauss	....	location manager
Julie St. Thomas	....	location assistant
Natascha Tillmanns	....	assistant production coordinator
Mary Werboneth	....	production assistant
Jane Wright	....	chief production accountant
Mary Wynn	....	assistant: Ms. Winters

Thanks
Mel Carney	....	special thanks
Milos Forman	....	very special thanks
John Goodenow	....	special thanks: Horton Memorial Hospital
Michael Hausman	....	very special thanks
John Hendrickson	....	very special thanks
Sara Hendrickson	....	very special thanks
Sol LeWitt	....	very special thanks (as Sol Lewitt)
Keith MacKechnie	....	special thanks (as Keith Mackecknie)
Martin Mackechnie	....	special thanks
Peg Mackecknie	....	special thanks
Ross Mackecknie	....	special thanks
Alexander Mackendrick	....	very special thanks
Leslie Mangold	....	very special thanks
Robert Mangold	....	very special thanks
Sylvia Plimock Mangold	....	very special thanks
Craig McKay	....	very special thanks
Joe Mecca	....	very special thanks (as Joseph Mecca)
Eddie Mellon	....	special thanks
Dr. Anthony Miller	....	very special thanks
Mrs. Sheena Miller	....	very special thanks
David Parsons	....	very special thanks
Robert Ryman	....	very special thanks
Arthur Shapiro	....	very special thanks
Stefan Sharff	....	very special thanks

Production Companies

• Available Light Productions

Distributors

• Artificial Eye (UK)
• Cine Company S.A. (Spain)
• Ciné 360 (USA)
• Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) (1996) (USA)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Pretty Pictures (France)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• novemberfilm (Sweden)

Other Companies

• A Little Bit of Everything  catering
• Dawn Animal Agency  "Nanny" owned and trained by
• Double 'M' Vending  special thanks
• Eduaction Resource Services  tutoring
• F-Stop Film & Video  end titles
• Horton Memorial Hospital  special thanks
• PIE International  "Farrah Red Bathing Suit" poster courtesy of
• Reiff & Associates  production insurance
• The Culinary Institute of America  special thanks
• Todd-AO Studios (East)  post-production facilities
• Town of Highland Falls  special thanks
• WTZA Kingston  television news courtesy of

Also Known As:

Upstate Story (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | France:U | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Culinary Institute of America, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA

Company:

Available Light Productions

Trivia:

Charles Thompson (aka Frank Black) of the Pixies says on a deleted scene of loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies (2006), that he was approached for the part of Victor. He turned it down, saying he "didn't want to play that type of character".

Quotes:

Grey Man in Hospital: You're as big as an ox and no one sees you. I am the same way, I am loud and no one hears me, but when I whisper everyone looks around like something happened.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cop Land (1997)

Soundtrack:

To Dream Of Sarah

A little drifting but Vince holds the attention well

Victor works as a cook in his mother's diner along with waitresses Delores and Callie. Callie is the new girl who arouses jealousy in Delores but feelings of longings in Victor. With his mother in the hospital Victor realises that his life needs more to it – but his size puts him off being forward

Like the lead character this is a slow film that requires patience as everything is understated rather than shouted out. The story follows Victor as he tries to make progress from his shy, quiet life one step at a time. The eerie electronic score adds to the feeling of pace and thoughtfulness and in many ways the film backs it up. On the down side it does seem aimless at times and sometimes the plot feels like it isn't real.

These are minor flaws and the director has set a good story for a good cast to carry through on. Vince is especially good as Victor. He fits the role like a glove and his moving eyes and shy gestures bring the character to life and make him totally believable. Tyler is also very good – what a shame that her most successful roles have been in MTV-type of stuff, but she is very bright here. Both Winters and Harry put in good roles but less central than the former two.

Overall this is a very patient piece of work looking at the character of Victor. It may seem aimless and drifting at times but it is quite touching – mainly due to an understated performance from Vince.