Lymelife (2008)

Director:

Derick Martini

Writers (WGA):

Derick Martini (written by) &
Steven Martini (written by)

Release Date:

23 October 2009 (Poland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

The American Dream Sucks

Plot:

A family unit begins to bow under the pressure of a failing marriage.

Plot Keywords:

Infidelity | First Love | Lyme Disease | Coming Of Age | Real Estate

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Rory Culkin	...	Scott Bartlett
Alec Baldwin	...	Mickey Bartlett
Jill Hennessy	...	Brenda Bartlett
Emma Roberts	...	Adrianna Bragg
Timothy Hutton	...	Charlie Bragg
Cynthia Nixon	...	Melissa Bragg
Logan Huffman	...	Blaze Salado
Brandon Thane Wilson	...	Stuart
Adam Scarimbolo	...	Todd O'Leary
Kieran Culkin	...	Jimmy Bartlett
Phillip Pennestri	...	Father Pazzo
Louis Ruffolo Jr.	...	Bartender

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content, violence and drug use.

Runtime:

USA:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Dolby SR (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Montclair High School - 100 Chestnut Street, Montclair, New Jersey, USA

Company:

A Martini Bros. Production

Trivia:

Emile Hirsch, 'Ryan Gosling' and Kieran Culkin were originally cast in the film. By the time the funding was complete Emile and Kieran had become too old for their respective roles and were re-cast, while Gosling had become too big a star to do a supporting role.

Quotes:

Scott Bartlett: Maybe you should've had a girl, they tell their mothers everything.
Brenda Bartlett: Maybe you should have asked God for a mother who doesn't care about her children!

Movie Connections:

References "M*A*S*H" (1972)

Soundtrack:

Bells of St. Mary's

A quality addition . . .

"You can take the girl outta Queens, am I right?" Mickey Bartlett (Alec Baldwin as Mickey Bartlett)

Dysfunctional families as a theme reached its apotheosis ten years ago in Sam Mendes' American Beauty, a rich blend of realism and fancy involving real estate, coming of age, and infidelity. Just about the same territory is covered in Derick Martini's Lymelife, only this time the metaphors seem forced, the characters less developed, and the denouement less ambiguous.

Lymelife, however is a quality addition to the deconstruction of the American dream. It's 1979 America, and Mickey Bartlett (Alec Baldwin) has a burgeoning business developing upscale homes on Long Island. His family life is in decline as witnessed by 15 year old central character Jimmy Bartlett (Kieran Culkin), the only one whose prospects with babe next door, Adrianna Bragg (Emma Roberts), get better with each of his endearing humiliations. Mickey is a philanderer (he is played by Baldwin, after all), a spendthrift, and family neglecter, all of which must be addressed by the film's ambitious albeit incomplete plot.

The story moves gently but inexorably to a strong conclusion, where things seem to settle into their appointed fates, more an affirmation that American life between here and American Beauty hasn't changed much with its defeats and victories abundant. While Lymelife (a reference to the disease present in Long Island and a cumbersome metaphor) gains no new insights about our materialism and sexual exploration, it does present a true look at a time when this American life might have been more complicated than it is now.