Whatever (1998)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Susan Skoog

Writer:

Susan Skoog (writer)

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

1981. In an era of just say no, they said yes.

Plot:

A teen faces her impending adulthood in the carefree sex and drug revolution years of the early 80's prior to fears of AIDS...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Sex | High School | New Jersey | Art Teacher

Cast

Liza Weil	...	Anna Stockard
Chad Morgan	...	Brenda Talbot
Frederic Forrest	...	Mr. Chaminski
Kathryn Rossetter	...	Carol Stockard
Marc Riffon	...	Martin
Dan Montano	...	Zak
John G. Connolly	...	John Woods
Gary Wolf	...	Eddie
Tony Torn	...	Mr. Stanley
Trey Compton	...	Sam
Joe Mantragna	...	Chris
Matt Rumbaugh	...	Tony
Jim Neville	...	Rob
Garret Spencer	...	Joe
Destiny Matranga	...	Lynn
Mary Jo Roth	...	Amy Peck
Evie Mazzone	...	Mrs. Wilson
Michelle Yahn	...	Principal
Lenora Nemetz	...	Principal
Peter Gannon	...	Henry Talbot
Jean Cardello	...	Karen Talbot
Harold G. Herthum	...	Howard (as Harold Herthum)
Sean O'Brien	...	Mr. Tibbets
Frank Licato	...	Real Estate Agent
Charlie Schroeder	...	Tom
Zach Chapman	...	Gus
Christie Yahn Mazur	...	Lady with Baby
McKenzi Yahn Mazur	...	Baby Eddie
Susan Skoog	...	Roxanne
Ed Mattson	...	Danny Boy

Directed by
Susan Skoog

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Susan Skoog		writer

Produced by
Ellin Baumel	....	producer
Kathy Bray	....	associate producer
Bill Durkin	....	executive producer
Paul Kolsby	....	producer
Jim Pedas	....	executive producer
Ted Pedas	....	executive producer
George Pelecanos	....	executive producer (as George P. Pelecanos)
Kevin Segalla	....	producer
Susan Skoog	....	producer
Nondas Voll	....	associate producer
Michelle Yahn	....	producer
Irwin Young	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Walter Salas-Humara

Cinematography by
Michael F. Barrow
Michael Mayers

Film Editing by
Sandy Guthrie

Casting by
Adrienne Stern

Production Design by
Dina Goldman

Set Decoration by
Lisa Schilling

Costume Design by
Jill Kliber

Makeup Department
Nuria Sitja	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Terra Abroms	....	post-production supervisor
Debi Zelko	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joe Turner Lin	....	second assistant director: New York
Andrew Urtz	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Sean Baxter	....	swing: New York
Cybel Martin	....	painter: paintings
Naji Sidki	....	swing: New York
Wendy Stefanelli	....	props

Sound Department
Pembrooke Andrews	....	assistant dialogue editor
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist (as Michael Broomberg)
Harry Cohen	....	sound effects editor
Andrew DeCristofaro	....	supervising sound editor
Matthew T. Duncan	....	sound re-recording assistant (as Mathew Duncan)
Elisabeth Flaum	....	sound effects editor
Brian Geer	....	foley mixer
Michael Gonda	....	second sound mixer
Aleksandr Gruzdev	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Kamper	....	sound effects editor
Jason Lezama	....	foley editor
Curtis Mattikow	....	sound recordist
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Colin Rogers	....	adr recordist
Joel E. Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Eric Thompson	....	foley mixer
Brandon Walker	....	sound supervisor
Tim Walston	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Emmerick	....	grip
Joe Foley	....	second gaffer
Carol Forman	....	second assistant camera
John Giammatteo	....	still photographer
Mitchell Gross	....	first assistant camera (as Mitch Gross)
Mitchell Gross	....	photographer: second unit (as Mitch Gross)
Steve Krafft	....	grip
Ed Mattson	....	key grip
Sarah Mayer	....	electrician
Jonathan Stephens	....	camera production assistant
Atsushi Takaoka	....	gaffer
Rich Wilson	....	still photographer
Benjamin P. Wolf	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Becky Glupczynski	....	extras casting: New York
Tina King	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kim Cook	....	wardrobe intern
Pascal Gosset	....	wardrobe supervisor
Carrena Lukas	....	wardrobe coordinator

Editorial Department
Tina Gazzerro	....	assistant editor
Julie Janata	....	assistant editor
April Lawrence	....	first assistant editor
Dan O'Grady	....	negative cutter
Julie O'Grady	....	negative cutter
Angelo Russo	....	color timer

Music Department
Barklie K. Griggs	....	music supervisor
Chris Kinsman	....	music coordinator
Liz Sroka	....	music re-recording mixer

Other crew
Annette Apitz	....	script supervisor
Evan Bergman	....	location manager: New York
Barbara Blazeski	....	production secretary
Cortney Comack	....	production intern
Mark Eddy	....	production assistant
Mariam George	....	craft service
Linda Grindley	....	production associate
Judy Herman	....	office production assistant
Joe Hindman	....	production assistant
Holly Kempner	....	title designer
Christine Kozem	....	production intern
Jody Melto	....	production associate
Judy Moy	....	production consultant
Megan Park	....	production associate
Regina Park	....	location manager
Renee Rhoades	....	production associate
Laurie Rhodes	....	post-production accountant
Karen Richardsky	....	production assistant
Beena Salastekar	....	production secretary
Renee Starky	....	production assistant
Sue Beth Warren	....	production associate
Angela Weber	....	production assistant

Thanks
Aaron Jay Kenny	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Anyway Productions
• Circle Films
• DuArt

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Argentina) (theatrical)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (VHS)

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive teen drug and alcohol use, language including sexual dialogue, sexuality and some violence.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Red Bank, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Anyway Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Sam can be seen in at least two scenes wearing Batman: The Animated Series pajamas. BTAS debuted in 1992. Whatever takes place in 1981.

Soundtrack:

Tom Sawyer

I loved it!

What a movie!!! A pleasant surprise I caught purely by accident the other night on the Sundance channel. As a person who was 13 in 1981, this movie struck a chord in me that wasn't just nostalgia. Most of the characters were memorable and more than just a little familiar to me; Ana, VERY real, I knew half a dozen girls like her, including me. Her English professor, the spiteful and vindictive Mr. Stanley, who didn't have a pain in the ass teacher like this? All of the various heads, drunks and sluts that flocked to Friday night keggers and house parties. Even her ever-hopeful, yet terribly sad mother was a brilliant touch. The script was so well written, in that, while there wasn't much of a real storyline, a few days in the life really, even the secondary characters were anything but one dimensional.

I loved the soundtrack as well, not only did it make me want to break out some of my highschool vinyl, it did a great job of enhancing scenes without taking over and drowning out the actors.

The best thing about this movie though, no FAKE, sugary Hollywood ending!