WiseGirls (2002)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

David Anspaugh

Writer:

John Meadows (written by)

Release Date:

6 December 2002 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Mira. Mariah. Melora. Mayhem.

Plot:

A new waitress working at an Italian restaurant in New York City finds herself entangled in a mob-run underworld of drug dealing and murder. |

Plot Keywords:

Female Criminal | Girl Power | Mafia | Restaurant | Waitress

Cast

Mira Sorvino	...	Meg Kennedy
Mariah Carey	...	Raychel
Melora Walters	...	Kate
Arthur J. Nascarella	...	Mr. Santalino (as Arthur Nascarella)
Saul Stein	...	Umberto
Joseph Siravo	...	Gio Esposito
Christian Maelen	...	Frankie Santalino
Anthony Alessandro	...	Lorenzo
Louis Di Bianco	...	Deluca (as Louis DiBianco)
Noam Jenkins	...	Garcia
Jeremiah Sparks	...	Detective Levine
Dax Ravina	...	Tony
Karen Giordano	...	Angela Fontaine
Michael Egan	...	Joey Jr. (as Mike Egan)
Jere Gillis	...	No Nose
Steve Alonso	...	DEA Officer
Tina Bruno	...	Mrs. Saladino
Isa Thomas	...	Grandmother Nell
Jan Glenham	...	Cadaver
Lisa Ward	...	Frankie's Girlfriend
Peter Baylis	...	Collegiate Man
Lisa Croft	...	Bartender
Rudolfo Meloni	...	Restaurant Patron
Omar Corsetti	...	Bar Patron
Dimitri Iatrou	...	Bar Patron
Joseph Dibari	...	Bar Patron (as Joe Dibari)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Howard Gibson	...	Featured

Directed by
David Anspaugh

Writing credits
John Meadows		(written by)

Produced by
Mark Austin	....	associate producer
Bill Blake	....	producer
Peter Block	....	co-producer
Bill Blum	....	producer
Richard Brams	....	producer
Nichole Cherill	....	associate producer
Anthony Esposito	....	producer
Jean Fox	....	co-producer
Ashley R. Friedman	....	line producer (as Ashley Friedman)
Patrick F. Gallagher	....	executive producer
Dick Hansen	....	co-executive producer
John Kelly	....	co-producer
Dana Landry	....	co-producer
Dale Poniewaz	....	co-executive producer
Shelly Poniewaz	....	associate producer
Jessica Russell	....	executive producer
Gena Scriva	....	executive producer (as Gena Scriva Esposito)
Jack Sojka	....	producer
Dave Steck	....	line producer
Guy Stodel	....	co-producer
Christopher Zimmer	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Keith Forsey

Cinematography by
Johnny E. Jensen

Film Editing by
Christopher Cibelli

Casting by
Sig De Miguel

Production Design by
Linda Burton
Laura MacNutt

Set Decoration by
Barbara Luxton

Costume Design by
Stephen Brown

Makeup Department
Caroline Barselotti	....	makeup artist
Kristofer Buckle	....	makeup artist: Ms. Carey
Gloria Digdon	....	hair stylist
Jen Foster	....	makeup artist
Roque Jimenez	....	hair stylist: Ms. Carey
Barbi Jollota	....	hair stylist (as Barbara Jollota)
Wayne Kelly	....	hair stylist
Elizabeth Kuchurean	....	key makeup artist
Blair Levin	....	hair stylist: Ms. Carey
Lois MacDonald	....	key hair stylist
Adrien Morot	....	special makeup effects artist
Shane Paish	....	key makeup artist: second unit

Production Management
Heather Arthur	....	assistant production manager
Randall Badger	....	assistant production manager
Peter Hollocker	....	production supervisor: second unit
Bill Milling	....	production supervisor: second unit
James B. Nicholson	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Erika Beringer	....	first assistant director
Tom Bond	....	technical assistant director
Wade Clark	....	first assistant director: second unit
Don Duffield	....	second assistant director: second unit
Michele E. Dutka	....	second assistant director
Adam Escott	....	first assistant director: second unit
Ben Hong	....	technical assistant director
Kate Mahoney	....	technical assistant director
Laura Phelan	....	third assistant director
Annie Tan	....	second assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Mark Arnold	....	carpenter
Michael Atwell	....	art department consultant (as Mike Atwell)
Pete Baillie	....	painter
Paul Bates	....	set dresser
Patrick Baxter	....	painter
Brenton Brown	....	on-set dresser
Chris Brown	....	set dresser
Chris Brown	....	set dresser
Brian Cooper	....	lead carpenter
Rob Croll	....	set dresser
Teresita Doucet	....	props assistant
David Duggan	....	painter
Mary Fahey	....	carpenter
Richard Fraser	....	construction coordinator
Tina Gorrell	....	assistant art director
Marc Kuitenbrouwer	....	construction supervisor
David Langley	....	head painter
Sung Yun 'Sandra' Lee	....	art department production assistant
Bruce MacEachern	....	carpenter
Monte Murray	....	carpenter
Paula Musial	....	props
Raymond Phillippo	....	carpenter
Kevin Reid	....	lead carpenter
D.R. Ritchie	....	property master
Bruce Ross	....	head carpenter
Paul Schofield	....	scenic artist
Heather Snider	....	scenic artist
Dan Statler	....	property master: second unit
Jim Tumblen	....	key scenic artist
Paul Vernon	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Denis Bellingham	....	boom operator
Adam Boyd	....	sound effects editor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	sound supervisor
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Dario DiSanto	....	foley editor
Kris Fenske	....	sound effects editor
Megan Goudsward	....	walla editor
Mark Klausmayer	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Lee	....	production sound mixer
Bill Mellow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jean Raymond	....	foley mixer
Paul A. Sharpe	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Paul Sharpe)
David Shea	....	adr mixer (as Dave Shea)
Shane Shemko	....	foley artist
Charlie Shepard	....	sound designer
Kevin Townshend	....	dialogue editor
Cam Wagner	....	foley artist
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Clark R. Biesele	....	special effects technician
Gary Coates	....	special effects coordinator
Christine Davis	....	special effects best boy (as Chris Davis)
Bruno Gatien	....	special effects makeup assistant

Visual Effects by
Sue Klabunde	....	mosaic tile artist

Stunts
Randy Boliver	....	stunt coordinator
Derek Covey	....	stunts
Peter James	....	stunts (as Jamie Symington)
Christine Knickle	....	stunts
Sandy Lund	....	stunts
Collette Nickerson	....	stunts
Colleen Pace	....	stunts
Lawrence Rench	....	stunts
Carla Rut	....	stunts
Heather Salsberry	....	stunts
Steve Staples	....	stunts
Brad Supple	....	stunts
Ray Tench	....	stunts
John Van Nord	....	stunts
Ian Tench	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian A. Adams	....	grip (as Brian Adams)
Christopher Ball	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Amy Bostwick	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Louis Boudreau	....	best boy electric
Chris Byers	....	key grip: second unit
Maria Calvaruso	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Tom Cantrell	....	lamp operator: second unit
William Christie	....	dolly grip: second unit
Jayson Clute	....	first assistant camera
Chris Cochlin	....	video playback operator
Gilles Corbeil	....	Steadicam operator
Gilles Corbeil	....	camera operator
Porfirio Dominguez	....	best boy grip: second unit
Brad Edmiston	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Eric Emery	....	dolly grip (as Eric 'Pappy' Emery)
Peter Fraser	....	grip
Marcel Gallant	....	electrician
Stephen Gillis	....	best boy grip
Bob E. Krattiger	....	gaffer: second unit (as Bob Krattiger)
James E. Krattiger	....	best boy electric: second unit (as Jim Krattiger)
Julliet Lashunsky-Revene	....	camera loader: second unit
Guy R. LeBlanc	....	gaffer
Ken Le Blanc	....	best boy electric
Peter MacDonald	....	electrician
Kevin MacNeil	....	key grip
David McNeil	....	grip
Gary Mitchell	....	generator operator
Mark Nener	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Carl Nigi	....	grip crane operator
Carla-Ann Oud	....	camera trainee
Dean Skerrit	....	grip rigger
Alan Sweet	....	grip
Kirsta Teague	....	assistant camera
Andrew Tench	....	still photographer
Chris Weiss	....	second assistant camera
Jason Young	....	electrician

Casting Department
Gail Carr	....	casting: Toronto
Sheila Patrone	....	extras casting
Deb Taylor	....	casting: Halifax

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Denise Barrett	....	costume designer: Canada
Fumie H. Carrera	....	seamstress
Marta Font	....	key costumer: Mariah Carey
Blair Levin	....	wardrobe supervisor: second unit
Helena Marriott	....	seamstress
Diana Redmond	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Natalie Angelucci	....	assistant editor: Canada
Michael Cibelli	....	apprentice editor
Alfredo Frasson	....	color timer
Deborah Rosenberg	....	assistant editor: USA (as Deborah Komatsu)

Music Department
Brian Reeves	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Brian Best	....	transportation captain
Richard Colp	....	head driver
Phil Hatcher	....	driver
Bob MacIsaac	....	transportation coordinator
Richard Rollison	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Mark Austin	....	location manager
Perry Babineau	....	extras wrangler
Joscelynne Bordeaux	....	stand-in: Ms. Walter
Marriane Bougadis	....	set production assistant
Josée Brodeur	....	key production accountant
Tammy Chadwick	....	assistant production coordinator
Nichole Cherill	....	assistant: Mr. Esposito (as Nichole M. Cherill)
Catherine Currie	....	post-production accountant
Gale Doyle	....	production coordinator
Brian Enright	....	production assistant: second unit
Ericka Ewert	....	stand-in: Ms. Sorvino
Libby Gilbert	....	assistant: Mr. Anspaugh
Karen Giordano	....	acting consultant: Ms. Carey
Arlete Gomes	....	assistant: Ms. Carey
Sabrina Helas	....	production assistant: second unit
Sam Holt	....	assistant craft service
Ben Hong	....	set production assistant
Elizabeth Kavanagh	....	key production accountant
Matthew Kelly	....	location production assistant
Ernest Lansdale	....	location production assistant
Peter Madamba	....	script researcher
Nathan Maruccio	....	craft service
Sasha Marusich	....	key production accountant
Margret McGee	....	publicist
Tony Micieli	....	title designer
Todd Morrissey	....	office production assistant
Ariano Munoz	....	production assistant: second unit
Collette Nickerson	....	stand-in: Ms. Carey
Susan Ransom	....	key set production assistant: second unit
Michael Richardson	....	tour and road manager: Ms. Carey
Rogny Rodriguez	....	production assistant: second unit
Sheena Ross	....	second assistant accountant
Heidi Schiller	....	script supervisor
Theo Sporopolous	....	assistant craft service
Vanessa Marie Suarez	....	production assistant: second unit
Tracy Tidgwell	....	craft service
Brian Villeneuve	....	set production assistant
Al Vrkljan	....	gun handler
Renny Williams	....	board operator

Production Companies

• Lions Gate Films
• Leading Pictures
• Intermedia Films
• Anthony Esposito
• Champion Entertainment (in association with)
• Lions Gate Entertainment
• Essential Films (in association with)
• RGH/Lions Share Pictures (in association with)
• imX Communications

Distributors

• Intermedia (2002) (worldwide) (all media) (rights)
• Cinematografica Distributori Indipendenti (CDI) (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Europa Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2003) (Finland) (VHS)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Special Effects Atlantic

Other Companies

• Barb Swift Neg Cutting  negative cutting
• Big Time Picture Company  post-production services
• Film Opticals  titles and opticals
• Hand Prop  props supplied by
• Lightstruck Editorial  post-production services
• Magno Sound  adr
• Movie Armaments Group  firearms supplied by

Also Known As:

Wise Girls (USA) (alternative spelling)
Wisegirls (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, violence and some drug content.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA | UK | Canada

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R (certificate #38620) | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:16 | Canada:14A | Germany:16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:R-18 | Italy:T | UK:15 (video premiere)

Filming Locations:

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Trivia:

Eric Louzil was once attached as executive producer.

Goofs:

Continuity: Durning the birthday scene, two of the sparklers go out on the cake while they are toasting, but then when they finish they each grab one of the sparklers which are all lit.

Quotes:

[to a drunk patient who grabs her ass]
Raychel: A,B,C, your next time you're sober. D, there's the door.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Behind the Scenes of 'Wisegirls' (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

200 Meadows

waitress and the mob

A waitress who has been to med school who should have stayed and became a doctor. Now she finds herself working in a restaurant which is run by the mob.

She witnesses killings and tries to get out but comes into contact with the cops who force her to get some evidence on these mob guys.

Not a movie I would recommend.

I thought it would be worth a watch with some more action or some more scenes to show how bad these guys are. While there is plenty of evidence to show how bad they could be, we're not shown it.

Mariah Carey's acting is OK, she doesn't need to do too much here. Mira is convincing as she slowly realises shes in a life threatening position after seeing too much, but it simply isn't enough.