Young Adam (2003)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

David Mackenzie

Writers:

Alexander Trocchi (novel)
David Mackenzie (writer)

Release Date:

4 September 2003 (Netherlands)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

A young drifter working on a river barge disrupts his employers' lives while hiding the fact that he knows more about a dead woman found in the river than he admits.

Plot Keywords:

River | Drifter | Barge | Police | Murder

Awards:

7 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Ewan McGregor	...	Joe Taylor
Tilda Swinton	...	Ella Gault
Peter Mullan	...	Les Gault
Emily Mortimer	...	Cathie Dimly
Jack McElhone	...	Jim Gault
Therese Bradley	...	Gwen
Ewan Stewart	...	Daniel Gordon
Stuart McQuarrie	...	Bill
Pauline Turner	...	Connie
Alan Cooke	...	Bob M'bussi
Rory McCann	...	Sam
Ian Hanmore	...	Freight Supervisor
Andrew Neil	...	Barman
Arnold Brown	...	Bowler Hat Man
Meg Fraser	...	Stall Woman
Stuart Bowman	...	Black Steet Pub Man
Wullie Brennan	...	Black Steet Pub Man
Rony Bridges	...	Black Steet Pub Man
John Kazek	...	Black Steet Pub Man
Duncan McHardy	...	Black Steet Pub Man
Stewart Porter	...	Black Steet Pub Man
Malcolm Shields	...	Black Steet Pub Man
Tam Dean Burn	...	Black Street Barman
Michael Carter	...	Prosecutor
Struan Rodger	...	Judge
Mathew Zajac	...	Forensics Expert (as Matthew Zajac)
Mhairi Steenbock	...	Cathie's Flatmate
John Comerford	...	Jury Foreman
Anne Marie Timoney	...	Mrs. Gordon
John Yule	...	Clerk of the Court
Sandy Neilson	...	Defence Counsel
Des Hamilton	...	Witness
Eddie Dahlstrom	...	Blind Man

Directed by
David Mackenzie

Writing credits
Alexander Trocchi		(novel)
David Mackenzie		(writer)

Produced by
Gillian Berrie	....	associate producer
Leonard Crooks	....	associate producer: Glasgow Film Office (as Lenny Crooks)
Robert Jones	....	executive producer: UK Film Council
Stephan Mallmann	....	associate producer
Steve McIntyre	....	associate producer: Scottish Screen
Nick O'Hagan	....	co-producer
Jim Reeve	....	co-producer
Alexandra Stone	....	co-producer
Jeremy Thomas	....	producer
Peter Watson	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Byrne

Cinematography by
Giles Nuttgens		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Colin Monie

Casting by
Des Hamilton

Production Design by
Laurence Dorman

Art Direction by
Stuart Rose

Set Decoration by
Judy Farr

Costume Design by
Jacqueline Durran

Makeup Department
Candice Banks	....	hair stylist
Candice Banks	....	makeup artist
Tony Lilley	....	hair stylist
Tony Lilley	....	makeup artist
Meg Speirs	....	hair designer
Meg Speirs	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Michael Campbell	....	unit manager
Clare Maclean	....	post-production supervisor (as Clare Oliver)
Janet Riddoch	....	production manager (as Janet S. Riddoch)
Beverley Syme	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Elliott	....	first assistant director (as Mike Elliott)
Ben Johnson	....	third assistant director
Paul Smythe	....	second second assistant director
Anthony Wilcox	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Mat Bergel	....	stand-by props
Sandy Borthwick	....	chargehand painter
Phil Bowen	....	construction manager
Susan Collin	....	art department assistant
Stewart Cunningham	....	dressing props
Colin Davidson	....	carpenter
Laura Donnelly	....	stand-by art director
Gordon Fitzgerald	....	property master
Bobby Gee	....	stand-by painter
Derek Gray	....	storyboard artist
Richard Hassall	....	stand-by carpenter
Michael Higson	....	stagehand
John Hughes	....	painter
Piero Jamieson	....	dressing props
Scott Keery	....	stand-by props
Mary Mackenzie	....	art department runner
Sue Morrison	....	production buyer
Jim O'Donnell	....	painter
Jim O'Donnell	....	painter
Alex Robertson	....	supervising carpenter
Andy Thomson	....	assistant art director
David Weatherstone	....	storeman

Sound Department
Tim Alban	....	dubbing mixer
Kieran Boyne	....	sound trainee
Edward Bulman	....	foley editor
Edward Bulman	....	foley recordist
Tony Cook	....	boom operator
Richard Davey	....	assistant dubbing mixer
Rory Farnan	....	dialogue editor
Mike Grimes	....	assistant sound editor
Louis Kramer	....	additional sound recordist
Melissa Lake	....	foley artist
Micheal MacKinnon	....	adr recordist: Glasgow
Sandy Miller	....	boom operator
Colin Nicolson	....	sound recordist
Jeremy Price	....	supervising sound editor
James Seddon	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Lionel Selwyn	....	foley artist
Chris Sinclair	....	adr recordist: Glasgow
Barnaby Smyth	....	adr recordist
David Turner	....	sound technical coordinator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tony Auger	....	special effects supervisor
Graham Hills	....	special effects foreman
Martin 'Marty' McLaughlin	....	senior snow effects technician
David 'Pinkie' Thomas	....	snow effects technician
Perry Costello	....	rain effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Phil Attfield	....	visual effects supervisor
Robin Beard	....	digital effects artist
Simon Carr	....	visual effects supervisor
Mark Dollery	....	digital imaging
Tom Hocking	....	digital artist
Gruff Owen	....	digital artist

Stunts
Nina Armstrong	....	stunts
Kelly Dent	....	stunts
Rowley Irlam	....	stunt double: Ewan Mcgregor
Gareth Milne	....	stunt coordinator
Lyndal Smith	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Anna Benbow	....	camera trainee
Jim Boorer	....	grip
Lewis Buchan	....	focus puller
Neil Davidson	....	still photographer
Arthur Donnelly	....	electrician
Steven Hall	....	cinematographer: second unit
John Harper	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Bob Hunt	....	best boy
Andy Long	....	gaffer
Frank McConologue	....	electrician (as Frank McConalogue)
Dean Morrish	....	underwater first assistant camera
Derrick Peters	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Lilia Sellami	....	clapper loader
Pat Sweeney	....	rigging gaffer
Mike Valentine	....	underwater camera operator
Billy Wilson	....	stand-by rigger

Casting Department
Kahleen Crawford	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lesley Abernethy	....	costume assistant
Vickie Hallam	....	costume breakdown (as Vicki Hallam)
Barbara Harrington	....	costume assistant
Hazel Mall	....	costume trainee
Sara Meek	....	assistant costume designer
Emma Walker	....	costume breakdown

Editorial Department
Layla Blackman	....	post-production assistant (as Layla Evans)
Giles Burgess	....	first assistant film editor: London
Steven Ferguson	....	editor trainee
Anna Mehta	....	first assistant film editor: Glasgow
Chris Sinclair	....	post-production assistant
John Stanborough	....	film grader

Music Department
Lisa Aferiat	....	musician
Michael Bannister	....	assistant music mixer
Caroline Barber	....	musician
Allon Beauvoisin	....	musician: Hung Drawn Quartet
Georgia Boyd	....	musician
Stuart Brown	....	musician: Hung Drawn Quartet
Barry Burns	....	musician
David Byrne	....	music arranger: strings
Richard Colburn	....	musician
Tony Doogan	....	music mixer
Keith Edwards	....	musician: Hung Drawn Quartet
Dick Gaughan	....	consultant: folk music
Donald Gillan	....	musician
Janice Ginsberg	....	music supervisor
Robert Irvine	....	musician
Greg Lawson	....	musician
Malcolm Lindsay	....	music arranger: strings
George Lyle	....	musician: Hung Drawn Quartet
Raymond MacDonald	....	music arranger: strings
Raymond MacDonald	....	musician: Hung Drawn Quartet
Una McGlone	....	musician
Johnny McGlynn	....	musician: guitar "Rio Grande"
Ken McLuskey	....	music tutor
Gill Mills	....	musicians coordinator
Gregor Philp	....	musician
Alasdair Roberts	....	musician
Michael Sangster	....	assistant music mixer
John Somerville	....	musician
Fiona Stephen	....	musician
Graeme Wilson	....	musician: Hung Drawn Quartet

Transportation Department
Michael Allen	....	driver: minibus
Jas Brown	....	unit driver
Graeme Brownlee	....	unit driver
Tommy Bryce	....	unit driver
Jim Cardy	....	driver: wardrobe truck
Neill Cinnamond	....	barge driver
Jeff Derby	....	driver: make-up truck (as Jeff Darby)
Roddy Garden	....	driver: dressing props vehicle
Dave Love	....	driver: camera car
Craig McQueenie	....	driver: generator
Andy Nielson	....	stand-by driver
Ross Weir	....	barge driver

Other crew
Matthew Baker	....	assistant: Alexandra Stone
Guy Barker	....	production accountant
Stephen Burt	....	location manager
Jo Cameron Brown	....	voice and dialect coach
Jennifer Cargey	....	production runner
Gillian Clyde	....	business affairs
Dorothy Connolley	....	script supervisor (as Dot Connolley)
David Davidson	....	marine coordinator
Harry Dixon	....	legal script consultant
Clair Dobbs	....	unit publicist
Tony Duncan	....	security officer
Larry Eydmann	....	health and safety advisor
Kara Finlay	....	assistant: David Byrne
Julie Gardner	....	production coordinator (as Julie Connor)
Amy Gilliam	....	floor runner
Anne Marie Gormley	....	assistant accountant
Vinnie Holden	....	production financing (as Vincent Holden)
Sarah Hughes	....	clearance
Kelly Johnson	....	accounts trainee
Jocelyn Jones	....	assistant: Jeremy Thomas
Robbie Kirkpatrick	....	floor runner
Florence Larsonneur	....	business affairs: Recorded Picture Company
Stuart MacDonald	....	marine consultant
Iain MacLean	....	location assistant
Layla Mall	....	production trainee
Glynis McKeand	....	consultant: courtroom
Luke Morris	....	production executive
William Morris	....	body double: Peter Mullan
Brock Norman Brock	....	production executive
Ciara Parkes	....	unit publicist
Caroline Perjesi	....	assistant: Nick O'Hagan
Laura Quinn	....	stand-in
Norman Campbell Rees	....	stand-in (as Norman Rees)
Kristy Ryan	....	promotions manager: Australia
David Sheasby	....	body double: Ewan McGregor
Josie Smith	....	body double: Emily Mortimer
Jay Spence	....	body double: Emily Mortimer
Paul Swann	....	laboratory contact
Stef Swiatek	....	unit nurse
Jessica Thomas	....	additional epk
Avril Watt	....	script supervisor
Julia Willis	....	assistant: Peter Watson and Stephan Mallmann
Norman Campbell Rees	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Alastair Mackenzie	....	special thanks
Tony Rolink	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Film Council
• Future Films
• HanWay Films
• Recorded Picture Company (RPC)
• Scottish Screen
• Sigma Films (in association with)
• Studio Canal
• Sveno Media
• Young Adam Productions

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alamode Film (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (2004) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Elephant Picture (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Limon Yapim (2003) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Mongrel Media (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Quasar Films (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Three Lines Pictures (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• Xenix Filmdistribution (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Focus Film Facts (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS) (rental)
• Golden Village (Singapore)
• Impuls Home Entertainment (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (all media)
• Mikado
• Prime Time Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS) (retail)
• Pyramid (Russia)
• Vision Distribution (France)
• Vértigo Films (Spain)

Special Effects

• Men From Mars
• Snow Business International (snow effects)

Other Companies

• ARRI Media  grip equipment
• Aeroshoot Film Services  facilities vehicles
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Big Fish Casting  casting
• Classic Car Hire  action vehicles
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Frameline Productions  end titles
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Musco Mobile Lighting Ltd.  lighting
• Picture Production Company  epk services
• Public Eye Communications  publicity
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• South Holland Marine and Fabrication  barge
• Splashsports  safety boats
• Thistle Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Young Adam (France)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for some explicit sexual content.; Rated R for strong sexual content, some disturbing behavior and language. (edited version)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Iceland:L (original rating) | Singapore:R21 | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:MA | Canada:R | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM18 | Japan:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 | USA:R (edited version)

Filming Locations:

Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, UK

Company:

Film Council

Trivia:

This was the first film which Mcgregor did not take his family along for the shoot.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: The chords heard as Les plays the guitar change, but his fingers don't move.

Quotes:

Les Gault: What'd you do that for?
Joe Taylor: I had no use for it.
Les Gault: Must be worth something, though.
Joe Taylor: Not to me.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Long Way Round" (2004)

Soundtrack:

HAITIAN FIGHT SONG

Relentless character study of a man on the run

The films focus on translating the novels first person perspective is clearly an obsession for this director. Never is the audiences attention allowed outside of Joe's point of view. We see only what he sees, we hear nothing more and we remember his life in little snatches, moments of dark disgusting and secret clarity he keeps from the world.

The film starts with a corpse, a barely dressed woman floating in the Clyde that is fished out by Joe; a young man working the barges for reasons that are not immediately clear. This brutal beginning in which we see Joe lay a tender hand on the cold dead flesh of the girl begins the film with a level of tension that rarely leaves the screen. Through his actions and - more importantly - his inactions we peel away the outer layers of a man on the run from himself, from responsibility and from guilt. We see him commit two murders by mission of inaction and we see him quietly dealing with that in one last lingering shot that tells us he will never change.

Joe is sexually driven to destroy life around him and he uses sex as a weapon against himself and against the possibility of settling or creating a future. He could be a writer, but he lacks the courage to read his own work. He could be a father, but he cannot face the thought of commitment. He could be a lover, but he makes love to women only as a means to an end, rejecting and pushing them away once the act is completed.

And this is the film in a nutshell. A relentless character study of an unpleasant man who punishes those around him for his own failings. Yes there is gratuitous sex in this film, but it has its place, it defines the moments of change in everyone else's lives while underlining the static character of Joe, played with utter brilliance by Ewen McGregor. The sex is cold, rather than erotic, reflecting the characters contempt for those he uses. Without the detailed sex scenes the film would be less than it is, but audiences expected to be titillated will come away disappointed.

Not without flaws this film has that perplexing title and a scene in which Joe beats his girlfriend after covering her with custard. The scene is alien to both the film and the character of Joe who gives no indication of being violent, rather a man that will walk out on a problem rather than face the awful possibility of confrontation. In fact Ewen McGregor seems embarrassed to play this scene, as though he too cannot link this outburst to the character he is playing.

But this minor quibble apart the film remains an artistically shot work, played with brilliance by everyone. Its rare to see a film where the whole cast are brilliant, where the script is clearly cut and the direction thought through. The visual aspect of the film is also tremendous with each shot being laid out in front of us like a painting, a wondrous work of art that moves and flows to show us the 60's post war Brittan with utter clarity.

Hollywood please take note.