Strangers with Candy (2005)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Paul Dinello

Writers (WGA):

Stephen Colbert (series Strangers with Candy) &
Paul Dinello (series Strangers with Candy) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 July 2006 (Sweden)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Going to high school for the first time is always scary... Especially the second time around.

Plot:

A prequel to the critically acclaimed series featuring Jerri Blank, a 46 year-old ex-junkie, ex-con who returns to high school in a bid to start her life over. |

Plot Keywords:

School | High School | Prequel | High School Student | Based On Cult TV Series

Cast

Amy Sedaris	...	Jerri Blank
Paul Sedaris	...	Bus Driver
Chandra Wilson	...	Inmate
Kristy Thomas	...	Inmate
Dee Finley	...	Inmate (as Dee Finely)
Deborah Rush	...	Sara Blank
Ian Holm	...	Dr. Putney
Dan Hedaya	...	Guy Blank
Joseph Cross	...	Derrick Blank
Elisabeth Harnois	...	Monica
Alexis Dziena	...	Melissa
Ivette Diaz Dumeng	...	Melanie
Carlo Alban	...	Megawatti
Greg Hollimon	...	Principal Blackman (as Gregory Holliman)
Hechter Ubarry	...	Nico
Allison Janney	...	Alice
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Henry
Stephen Colbert	...	Chuck Noblet
Paul Dinello	...	Geoffrey Jellineck
Dolores Duffy	...	Iris Puffybush (as Delores Duffy)
Maria Thayer	...	Tamela 'Tammi' Littlenut
Timothy Hsu	...	Mascott
Tom Guiry	...	P John (as Thomas Guiry)
Wallace Little	...	Trace
David Pasquesi	...	Stew
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Peggy Callas
Matthew Broderick	...	Roger Beekman
David Rakoff	...	Boswell
Cal Robertson	...	Les Tuckles (as Cal Robinson)
Billy Erb	...	Teacher
Callie Thorne	...	Teacher
Chris Pratt	...	Brason
Sarah Thyre	...	Coach Wolf
Kristen Johnston	...	Coach Divers
Justin Theroux	...	Carlo Honklin
Lian Moy	...	Lian
Olivia Oguma	...	Olivia
Jeremy Chu	...	Jeremy
Evelyn McGee	...	Clair Noblet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alicia Ashley	...	Rolanda (uncredited)
Randy Blair	...	Student (uncredited)
Jonah Bobo	...	Shamus Noblet (uncredited)
Leanne Cabrera	...	Gym Student (uncredited)
Lionel Anthony Cook	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Angelina Cruz	...	Carmen (uncredited)
Thomas Daniel	...	Parent (uncredited)
Lorena David	...	Teacher (uncredited)
Ryan Donowho	...	Stanley (uncredited)
Lori Finkel	...	(uncredited)
Rob Hinderliter	...	Squat Thrust Team Captain (uncredited)
Tony Lagarto	...	Buster Highman (uncredited)
Christopher Larkin	...	Kim (uncredited)
Tony Longoria	...	Flatpoint Faculty (uncredited)
Meghan Maro	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Todd Oldham	...	Mr. Oldham (uncredited)
Sarah Peters	...	Student (uncredited)
Jessica Rothert	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Gina Vetro	...	Prison Inmate (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Dinello

Writing credits (WGA)
Stephen Colbert		(series Strangers with Candy) &
Paul Dinello		(series Strangers with Candy) &
Amy Sedaris		(series Strangers with Candy) &
Mitch Rouse		(series Strangers with Candy)
Stephen Colbert		(written by) &
Paul Dinello		(written by) &
Amy Sedaris		(written by)

Produced by
Jennifer Booth	....	line producer
Rob Burnett	....	executive producer
Stephen Colbert	....	co-producer
Lorena David	....	producer
David Letterman	....	executive producer
Fred Nigro	....	executive producer
Mark A. Roberts	....	producer (as Mark Roberts)
Valerie Schaer Nathanson	....	producer
Max Velez	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Marcelo Zarvos

Cinematography by
Oliver Bokelberg

Film Editing by
Michael R. Miller

Production Design by
Teresa Mastropierro

Art Direction by
Mylene Santos

Set Decoration by
Siobain Flaherty

Costume Design by
Victoria Farrell

Makeup Department
Angela Gallagher	....	assistant makeup artist
Fabian Garcia	....	hair stylist
Kabuki	....	key makeup artist
Steven Kirkham	....	key hair stylist
Mandy Lyons	....	hair stylist
Dionne Pitsikoulis	....	makeup artist
Carla White	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Rosemary Lombard	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniela Barbosa	....	additional second second assistant director
Jeffrey Lazar	....	first assistant director
Scott Lazar	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Dawn M. Baker	....	scenic artist
Robert Currie	....	assistant property master
Ray Fisher	....	leadman
Isaac Gabaeff	....	set dresser
Adam Goodnoff-Cernese	....	set dresser
Alayna Hughes	....	art department intern
Akeo Ihara	....	property master
John Peter Melendez	....	stand-by set dresser
Alyssa Motschwiller	....	art department intern
Mark 'Steel Wool' Salinas	....	key art department intern
Josephine Shokrian	....	art department assistant
Adriano Valle	....	art production assistant

Sound Department
Sandy Berman	....	sound designer
Sandy Berman	....	sound supervisor
David Esparza	....	sound effects editor
Anguibe Guindo	....	boom operator
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Pouthier	....	second boom operator
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	adr editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	dialogue editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor
Steve Schatz	....	sound effects editor
Steve Schatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	sound editor
Noah Timan	....	sound mixer
Bill Meadows	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Neil Ruddy	....	pyrotechnician

Visual Effects by
Nick Anderson	....	visual effects

Stunts
Nicole Callender	....	utility stunts
Stephanie Finochio	....	stunts
Joanne Lamstein	....	stunts
Tina Mckissick	....	stunt double
Tina Mckissick	....	stunt double: Amy Sedaris
Joanna Shelmidine	....	stunt performer
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Cesar Baptista	....	grip
Howard Davidson	....	key grip
Susan Heller	....	electrician
Gary Jackiewicz	....	grip
Jendra Jarnagin	....	company electrician
Anne Joyce	....	still photographer
Hernan Michael Otaño	....	camera operator
Chris Scarfi	....	electrician
Andrew Voegeli	....	first assistant camera
Stephanie Zimmer	....	camera intern

Casting Department
Lauren Grey	....	casting associate
Sandy Holt	....	adr voice casting
Meredith Jacobson	....	extras casting
Barbara McNamara	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christine Schultz	....	set costumer
Katie Stern	....	costume intern
Michelle Elaine Teague	....	wardrobe supervisor
Julia Van Vliet	....	costumer
Antonia Xereas	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
John Scott Cook	....	first assistant editor
Joshua Duncan	....	assistant editor
Ethan Henerey	....	editorial intern
George Koran	....	colorist

Music Department
David Bondelevitch	....	music editor
Joel C. High	....	music supervisor
Michael Jay	....	music editor
Lawrence Manchester	....	score mixer
Lawrence Manchester	....	score recordist
Daniel McIntosh	....	music playback
Rebecca Rienks	....	music coordinator
Steven A. Saltzman	....	music editor (as Steven Saltzman)
Lodge Worster	....	composer: additional music

Other crew
Ashley Bearden	....	production coordinator
John Bloom	....	intern
Donna Cipriani	....	production accountant
Dan Cooley	....	location assistant
John Daro	....	title designer: end credits
Lindsay Feldman	....	assistant production office coordinator
Scott Ferlisi	....	assistant location manager
Trish Gray	....	scout
Mariana Hellmund	....	script supervisor
Micky Hohl	....	production assistant
Joshua Huffman	....	office production assistant
Anslem King	....	key production accountant
Ronnie Kupferwasser	....	location manager
Erin Lander	....	adr loop group
Matt Lappin	....	comedy consultant
Elizabeth MacSwan	....	key set production assistant
Meghan Maro	....	intern
Sean Murray	....	set production assistant
Don Napoli	....	post-production accountant
David W. Schoner Jr.	....	film commissioner
J.P. Summerskill	....	payroll accountant
Amy Teitter	....	production assistant
Max Velez	....	producers' associate
Olivia Wolfe	....	production assistant

Thanks
Tony Lagarto	....	thanks
John Miller-Monzon	....	special thanks
Kathy Sedaris	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Comedy Central Films
• Roberts/David Films
• Silverstar Productions
• Worldwide Pants

Distributors

• THINKFilm (2006) (USA) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• T&T Optical Effects Company (opticals)

Other Companies

• All-Star Animals  animal handlers

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content, language and some drug material.

Runtime:

USA:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Sweden:7 | Finland:K-11 | Australia:M | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Bayonne High School - Avenue A & 28th Street, Bayonne, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Comedy Central Films

Trivia:

The role of Alice was originally intended for Natasha Richardson, but she was in France at the time that the scene was to be filmed. If Allison Janney hadn't been available, the next actress on their wish list was Joan Allen. They also considered the possibility of re-tailoring the part for Jennifer Coolidge.

Quotes:

Roger Beekman: What's going on Geoffrey? I have work to do. Why aren't you doing it?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Colbert Report: (2006-07-10)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

She's a Fig Neutron

Amy Sedaris' Borat-Level Transformation Only Goes So Far in a Fitfully Funny Comedy

What remains remarkable in the translation from Comedy Central TV show to mainstream feature film is Amy Sedaris' complete lack of vanity in replaying her comic alter-ego, the aptly named Jerri Blank, a 47-year old ex-con who decides to return home after a lengthy prison term and finish high school. The original concept for the three-season cult series was a fun idea full of possibilities, satirizing the high-minded seriousness of the ABC Afternoon Specials in the 1970's by having the hapless Jerri learn some significant life lesson after going through some humiliating situation. Probably a disappointment to dedicated fans of the show, the 2006 movie is really no different except the paper-thin plot feels dragged out to its eighty-minute length (wisely cut from its 97-minute length in theaters). It has the additional burden of feeling repetitive of the series without providing much more in the way of texture or complexity.

Director Paul Dinello (who plays effete art teacher Geoffrey Jellineck), along with co-writers Sedaris and Stephen Colbert (who plays closeted science teacher Chuck Noblet), uses the opportunity to fill in a bit of Jerri's back story in coming back to the family home and dealing with her father's comatose state. According to kindly Dr. Putney, the only cure lies with Jerri's efforts to do her father proud by winning the school science fair. Of course, the easily misdirected Jerri wants to be part of the in-crowd, in particular, getting horizontal with Brason, the school's hunky squat-and-thrust champion. This consequently means turning her back on her science project team, the Fig Neutrons, which includes Tammi, Jerri's best friend and object of Sapphic desire, and Megawatti, the Indonesian geek who has an unexplainable crush on Jerri. Lots of hijinks ensue until the inevitable conclusion, including the insertion of several star cameos - Allison Janney and Philip Seymour Hoffman as bickering school board members, Sarah Jessica Parker as self-absorbed grief counselor Peggy Callas, Ian Holm as Dr. Putney, Dan Hedaya as Jerri's comatose father; and Kristen Johnston as a wheelchair-bound coach. Matthew Broderick actually has a bigger role as Noblet's adversary, the preening Roger Beekman.

Much of the TV series cast is here as well with Colbert the standout as the blustery, uptight Chuck who secretly yearns for Geoffrey, who spurns him to be Roger's idea man. For most of the time, it is fitfully funny if only because the scabrous screenplay takes no prisoners in its approach. Consider this the comic flipside to "Sherrybaby" with plenty of familiar elements from "Carrie" and "Napoleon Dynamite" thrown in for good measure. But most of all, it is a tribute to Sedaris' Borat-like transformative skills as a comic actress. The 2006 DVD has a commentary track by Sedaris, Colbert and Dinello, and although they are obviously having a good time together, much of that rapport surprisingly does not translate well for the viewer. There are eighteen minutes worth of deleted scenes, most understandably excised though interestingly, it looks like Parker's counselor was the chief victim of the cuts. Also included are the theatrical trailer (another case of a promising trailer that's a lot funnier than the movie itself) and a music video for Delano Grove's "Atomic Car".