Employee of the Month (2004)

Director:

Mitch Rouse

Writers (WGA):

Mitch Rouse (written by) &
Jay Leggett (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Congratulations, you're fired!

Plot:

"Employee of the Month" is about a guy whose day spirals from bad to worse when he gets fired from his...

Plot Keywords:

Bank | Engagement | Hooker | Bank Robbery | Employment Dismissal

Cast

Matt Dillon	...	David Walsh
Steve Zahn	...	Jack
Christina Applegate	...	Sara Goodwin
Andrea Bendewald	...	Wendy
Dave Foley	...	Eric
Jay Leggett	...	Dorff
David Pasquesi	...	Kyle Lacopa
Peter Jason	...	Bill Gartin
Paul Dooley	...	Reverend Ben Goodwin
Noel Gugliemi	...	Chicken (as Noel Guglielmi)
Renee Albert	...	Martha
Enrique Almeida	...	Ruben
Mark Beltzman	...	Hank
Brian Blondell	...	Paulo, the Waiter
John Timothy Botka	...	Yuppie
E.J. Callahan	...	Homeless Man (as EJ Callahan)
Mike Coleman	...	Crash Scene Cop
Jewel Donohue	...	Specialty Dancer
Wendy Mirts	...	Specialty Dancer
Jenna Fischer	...	Whisper
Fiona Gubelmann	...	Amber
Jamie Fox	...	Strip Club Girl
Jody Hart	...	Strip Club Guy
Jeremy Fitzgerald	...	Strip Club Guy
Peter A. Hulne	...	Carl (as Pete Hulne)
Michael Kosik	...	Hare Krishna Guy
Paula Killen	...	Anita Rodriguez
Marc Lynn	...	Detective Hines
Austin Marques	...	Jacob Crabtree
Jeff Michalski	...	Detective Michalski
Lynn Milgrim	...	Mrs. Chapman
Mary-Joan Negro	...	Helen Goodwin (as Mary Joan Negro)
Diana-Maria Riva	...	Deloris Crabtree (as Diana Maria Riva)
Stef Tovar	...	Kenny (as Stefan Tovar)
Mitch Rouse	...	Jimmy Riggs
Christopher Allen Nelson	...	Squeegy Man (as Chris Nelson)
Lucas Nease	...	Guy in Break Room
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeff Yesko	...	Walla group
Nicole Cavazos	...	Marilyn (uncredited)
Rebecca Corry	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Eric Q. Hargrove	...	Kid on Bus (uncredited)
Cherilyn Hayres	...	Business Woman (uncredited)
Christy Bella Joiner	...	Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
Ariane Von Kamp	...	Girl in Bank (uncredited)
Amber Loy	...	(uncredited)
Mic Nuggette	...	Man in Bank (uncredited)
Patrick O'Sullivan	...	SUV Driver (uncredited)
Jon Prutow	...	Bank Employee (uncredited)
Lucille Soong	...	Old Korean Lady (uncredited)
Scott Voss	...	Buff Guy (uncredited)
Scott Vostad	...	Buff Guy (uncredited)

Directed by
Mitch Rouse

Writing credits (WGA)
Mitch Rouse		(written by) &
Jay Leggett		(written by)

Produced by
Mark Curcio	....	producer
Betsy Danbury	....	co-producer
Jay Leggett	....	associate producer
Jed Manocherian	....	executive producer
Tom Nunan	....	producer
Cathy Schulman	....	producer
Bob Yari	....	producer
Lisa Yesko	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Doug DeAngelis
Kevin Haskins

Cinematography by
John Peters

Film Editing by
Hughes Winborne

Casting by
Blythe Cappello
Jeanne McCarthy

Production Design by
Aaron Osborne

Art Direction by
Erin Cochran

Set Decoration by
Jeannie Gunn
Susan E. Lomino

Costume Design by
Genevieve Tyrrell

Makeup Department
Pharel Baker	....	hair stylist: Christina Applegate
Kimberly Greene	....	makeup artist: Christina Applegate
Eva Lohse	....	assistant makeup artist
Eva Lohse	....	special makeup effects artist
Deborah Merle	....	key makeup artist
Christopher Allen Nelson	....	special makeup effects artist (as Chris Nelson)
Raissa Patton	....	key hair stylist
Debra Schrey	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Betsy Danbury	....	unit production manager
Mads Hansen	....	production supervisor
Robert Katz	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard L. Fox	....	first assistant director
Jeff Fuller	....	second second assistant director
Michelle Gold	....	key second assistant director

Art Department
Scott Ambrose	....	property master
Rick Anderson	....	swing gang
Cliff Bernay	....	swing gang
Steven DeSantis	....	construction coordinator
Vincent DeSantis	....	general foreman
Paul 'Butch' Kitchen Jr.	....	assistant property master
Maureen Kropf	....	lead scenic
Susan E. Lomino	....	set designer (as Susan Lomino)
Michael F. Loomer	....	props assistant
Scott Patton	....	sculptor
Lisa Peardon	....	art department intern
Andrew L. Rael	....	on-set dresser
Stephen Runningen	....	graphic designer
John M. Schenk	....	on-set dresser (as John Michael Schenk)
Ron Sica	....	lead man (as Ronald Sica)
Jonathan Woods	....	storyboard artist (as Jonathan B. Woods)
Jack White	....	food stylist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
Nick Carbone	....	utility sound technician (as Nicolas Carbone)
Claudia Carle	....	sound recordist
Julio Carmona	....	adr recordist
Craig Clark	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Sandy Gendler	....	supervising sound editor
Hector C. Gika	....	sound effects editor (as Hector Gika)
Ann Hadsell	....	adr mixer
Phillip A. Hamilton	....	adr recordist
Daniel S. Irwin	....	dialogue editor
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
J. Stanley Johnston	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Stanley Johnston)
Sean Keegan	....	foley mixer
David Kudell	....	first assistant sound editor
Doug Madick	....	foley artist
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Ryan Murphy	....	sound recordist
Nancy Parker	....	foley artist
Benjamin Patrick	....	sound mixer
Stu Rudolph	....	boom operator
Craig Schafer	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Melissa Sherwood Hofmann	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Melissa Hofmann)
Frederick H. Stahly	....	dialogue editor
Jon Title	....	sound effects editor
Richard Van Dyke	....	production sound mixer
Brad North	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Scott M. Austin	....	special effects foreman
Kamar Bitar	....	special effects supervisor
Veronica Torres	....	special effects coordinator
Ron Trost	....	special effects director

Visual Effects by
Elton Garcia	....	main title designer
David Fred Masselink	....	film I/O coordinator

Stunts
Chris Carnel	....	stunt double: Matt Dillon
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunt double
Nicole Randall	....	stunt double
Monica Staggs	....	stunt performer: Woman on Fire
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Amy Alarian	....	electrician
Richard Alarian	....	gaffer
Brian Bartolini	....	electrician
Andrew Bikichky	....	first assistant camera
Joe Broderick	....	Steadicam operator
Justine Ariel Cook	....	electrician
Charles Crivier	....	dolly grip
Ian Dodd	....	camera operator
Raymond Hernandez	....	assistant camera loader
Colin Hudson	....	Steadicam operator
Frank Hughes	....	set lighting technician
Gary Lowrance	....	electrician
Joel Schwartz	....	first assistant camera
Jim Sheldon	....	still photographer
Kirk Tedeski	....	video playback coordinator

Casting Department
Raquel Osborne	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Spencer Bernstein	....	wardrobe intern
Adrienne Birge	....	wardrobe intern
Molly Grundman	....	key costumer
Heidi Higginbotham	....	costume supervisor
Laura E. Little	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
John Breinholt	....	additional editor

Music Department
Lisa Brown	....	music supervisor
Amanda Sobeck	....	music coordinator
Erich Stratmann	....	music editor

Transportation Department
David R. Blakely	....	driver
Roger Bojarski	....	transportation captain
Lance Cherniet	....	driver
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Eric Moon	....	driver
Michael Perrotti	....	transportation coordinator
George A. Sack	....	driver

Other crew
Mark Asaro	....	production coordinator
Rita Ball	....	assistant: Steve Zahn
Jonathan Behar	....	office production assistant
John Timothy Botka	....	stand-in: Matt Dillon (as J.T. Botka)
Paul D. Boydston	....	location manager
Danielle C. Carroll	....	production assistant
Jeff Castelluccio	....	production assistant
Pedro Max Cornejo-Lopez	....	computer/video playback operator
John Federico	....	production assistant
Jordan Brendan Finnegan	....	set production assistant
Felicia Flick	....	assistant to producer
Suraj Gohill	....	production lender
Michael Hansen	....	publicist
Jonathan Heine	....	production financing
Shelly Heyward	....	set production assistant
Autumn Humphreys	....	assistant: Mr. Dillon
K.C. Lewis	....	key set production assistant
Nathon S. Lewis	....	on-set assistant: Matt Dillon
Robert Lewis	....	assistant: Christina Applegate
Robert Lewis	....	on-set assistant: Christina Applegate
Michael J. Linowes	....	legal counsel
Richard McDonough	....	assistant to director
Don Mink	....	post-production accountant
Hoppy Munz Jr.	....	craft service (as Hoppy Munz)
William Ostroff	....	additional set production assistant
Tanoa Parks	....	production accountant
Michael Pasqualone	....	office production assistant
Steve Soffer	....	stand-in: Steve Zahn
Elizabeth Speckman	....	post-production accountant
Summer Spooner	....	production assistant
Shelly Strong	....	production executive
Daniel Stutz	....	business and legal affairs executive
Tiffany Thomas	....	first assistant accountant
Amy Walford	....	stand-in: Andrea Bendewald
Stephanie Wescott	....	payroll accountant
Chase White	....	stand-in
Colin Woode	....	assistant: Christina Applegate
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Patrick G. Ingram	....	construction medic (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Employee of the Month
• Bob Yari Productions
• Bull's Eye Entertainment
• Bullseye Entertainment Group

Distributors

• DEJ Productions (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Alpha Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS) (DVD)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Bull's Eye Entertainment
• Employee of the Month
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Manga Films (2005) (Spain) (all media)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Comerica Bank of California  production financing
• Eddie Michaels & Associates  unit publicity
• Linowes & Burkin  legal consulting
• Roundabout Entertainment  additional sound re-recording

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | USA:R | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Employee of the Month

Trivia:

The number on the bus David rides after being fired is 5150, which is a police code meaning 'danger to self and/or others.'

Goofs:

Continuity: After Matt Dillon gets done peeing on the bank manager's picture, it is dry again a few moments later.

Quotes:

[in the sauna]
Jack: You ever watch figure skating, man?
David Walsh: Please don't talk. I've got a lot on my mind.
Jack: I'm not into the sushi, but Michelle Kwan...
David Walsh: What are you doing? Can we just sit here and not talk? Can we do that? Let's just try and do that.
Jack: ...I'd suck sake out of her ass in front of my grandmother.

Movie Connections:

References The Crying Game (1992)

Outsmarted

Mitch Rouse's "Employee of the Month" was a good discovery. Not having seen it when it was released, we took a chance at it the other night, and it paid off. Mr. Rouse is a man that has worked extensively on television, as well as his co-screen writer, Jay Leggett, who also has a minor role in the film. These men prove they can write and keep their public involved.

The start of the film shows David and Sara toasting to their happiness, something that will be broken in the course of the movie. On the surface, we are watching David at his bank job. He seems to be successful and going places, until he receives the bad news from the bank's director that he is being fired because of his poor performance, when all indicates he is a good employee. On top of that, Sara, who is seen with her parents at a dinner in a restaurant, proceeds to tell him she is walking out on him because she has found out he is having an affair with Wendy, another bank employee, and a friend. How much can a guy take?

The film then changes as David decides to take things into his own hands seeking justice. What we are not prepared for is for the deception on most of the people around, and even David seems to be guided by greed. The surprise ending, in retrospect, seems to make a lot of sense because David is outsmarted by the same ones we didn't have a clue were involved, at all.

Matt Dillon is a good actor to watch. He carries the film because he is the most interesting character of all the ones we meet in the film. Steve Zahn, as the crazy Jack, does amazing things. Christina Applegate and Andrea Bendewald are also good as the duplicitous women who seem to have figured out their men and what make them tick.

The film is great fun. Forget the expectations and just have a good time.