P.S. (2004)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Dylan Kidd

Writers:

Helen Schulman (novel)
Helen Schulman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 April 2005 (Greece)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Romance | Fantasy

Tagline:

What would you do for a second chance?

Plot:

A romantic story about a late 30's divorced woman who gets to live her fairy tale when she is reunited with a high school sweetheart who had died previously and reincarnated in a mid 20's year old cutie.

Plot Keywords:

Best Friend | Columbia University | Art | Artist | College

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Laura Linney	...	Louise Harrington
Gabriel Byrne	...	Peter Harrington
Lois Smith	...	Ellie Silverstein
Paul Rudd	...	Sammy Silverstein
Topher Grace	...	F. Scott Feinstadt
Jennifer Carta	...	Work-Study
Becki Newton	...	Rebecca
Chris Meyer	...	Ricky
Daniel C. Levine	...	Desk Clerk
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Missy Goldberg
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ross A. McIntyre	...	Jimmy (uncredited)
Susan Porro	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Stacy Lynn Spierer	...	Stacey (uncredited)

Directed by
Dylan Kidd

Writing credits
Helen Schulman		(novel)
Helen Schulman		(screenplay) and
Dylan Kidd		(screenplay)

Produced by
Allen Bain	....	co-producer
Wouter Barendrecht	....	executive producer
Anne Chaisson	....	producer
John Hart	....	producer (as John N. Hart)
Michael Hogan	....	executive producer
Julian Iragorri	....	executive producer
Robert Kessel	....	producer
Jeff Sharp	....	producer (as Jeffrey Sharp)
Michael J. Werner	....	executive producer (as Michael Werner)
Nina Wolarsky	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Craig Wedren

Cinematography by
Joaquín Baca-Asay		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Kate Sanford

Casting by
Sig De Miguel
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich
Wendy Weidman

Production Design by
Stephen Beatrice

Art Direction by
Dina Varano

Set Decoration by
Lisa Scoppa
Peter John Zumba

Costume Design by
Amy Westcott

Makeup Department
Jason Hayes	....	key hair stylist
Susan Reilly LeHane	....	key makeup artist
Tania Ribalow	....	makeup artist
Amanda Ross-McDonald	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Paul Leonardo Jr.	....	post-production supervisor
Aaron Waiton	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roger M. Bobb	....	first assistant director
Daniel Elefante	....	second second assistant director
Jason Graham	....	second assistant director
Josh Newport	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Charles Ard	....	additional scenic artist
Philip Berger	....	art production assistant
Joel Thomas 'JT' Camp	....	property master (as J.T. Camp)
Scott Canfield	....	lead man
Neil Driscoll Jr.	....	on-set dresser
Midge Duffy	....	prop assistant (as Mary 'Midge' Duffy)
Bryan Hodge	....	set dresser
Julie Ho	....	art production assistant
Sam Horine	....	carpenter
Greg Izzo	....	set dresser
Joe James	....	set dresser
Suzanne Kent	....	scenic artist
Cathryn Mazer	....	additional on-set dresser
Leslie Seigel	....	art production assistant
Brandon Smith	....	art department assistant
Robert Castillo	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marko Constanzo)
Mark Filip	....	sound effects editor
Albert Gasser	....	dialogue editor
Elisabeth Giglio	....	sound studio manager
Philip Gleason	....	second boom operator
Lewis Goldstein	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lewis Goldstein	....	supervising sound editor
George A. Lara	....	foley supervisor (as George Lara)
Brian Miksis	....	sound mixer
Cate Montana	....	adr editor
Aaron J. Rudelson	....	boom operator (as Aaron Rudelson)
Paul Sacco	....	sound consultant: Dolby
David Warzynski	....	foley recordist
Dan Wesson	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Luke DiTommaso	....	visual effects
Mitch Paulson	....	digital preview colorist
Jennifer Russomanno	....	title designer
Keith Yurevitz	....	visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
K.C. Bailey	....	still photographer
Joshua Bar-Lev	....	vtr operator
Hugo Bonilla	....	additional electrician
Dave Bowers	....	best boy grip
Bernard X. Brongniart	....	additional grip (as Bernard Xavier Brongniart)
Michael Callaghan	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Liz Campbell	....	additional grip
Jean Chen	....	additional electrician
Erica Colegrove	....	camera loader
Alisa M. Colley	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Alisa Colley)
Matthew Craig	....	best boy electric
Magdelena Filardo	....	additional grip (as Magdalena Filardo)
Bill Floyd	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Brian Scott Gale	....	camera production assistant
Matthew H. Giordano	....	additional electrician (as Matthew Gordano)
Lisa-Marie Gleeson	....	generator operator
Rick Griggs	....	dolly grip
Melissa Guimaraes	....	additional electrician
Amy Hall	....	additional grip
James Heerdegen	....	additional grip
Mai Iskander	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Jeffrey Kim	....	additional electrician
Doug Kofsky	....	second assistant camera
Josh Kraszewski	....	additional electrician
Deidre Lally	....	electrician
Marcus Lehmann	....	electrician
Rachael Levine	....	camera operator
Dennis A. Livesey	....	first assistant camera
Lance Mayer	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Mike Morini	....	additional grip
Mike Morini	....	grip
Paul Niccolls	....	best boy grip
Matt Schuman	....	additional grip
David Stern	....	key grip
Mark Stetz	....	additional electrician
Timothy M. Sweeney	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (as Timothy Sweeney)
Derek E. Tindall	....	electrician
Bobby Vercruse	....	electrician (as Robert Vercruse)
Derek Walker	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Reuben Wilder	....	grip
John Woods	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Jason McCallum	....	extras casting assistant
Kristen Paladino	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Avila	....	wardrobe production assistant
Karen Malecki	....	costume assistant (as Karen Waiton)
Lisa Marzolf	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Don Ciana	....	color timer
Sam Daley	....	colorist: video mastering
Joe Violante	....	color coordinator
Laura Weinberg	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Lee Mars	....	music scoring mixer
Jonathan McHugh	....	music supervisor
Nicole Pouliot	....	music coordinator
Sally Swisher	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Peter Reith	....	transportation captain

Other crew
David Beatrice	....	assistant: Dylan Kidd
Christy Benanti	....	office production assistant
Andrew Cesana	....	additional production assistant
Eileen Choi	....	assistant: John Hart
Kenneth Chu	....	production assistant
Dennis Ciccone Jr.	....	additional production assistant (as Dennis Ciccone)
Amy Dempsey	....	assistant production office coordinator
Luke DiTommaso	....	titles
Kat Donahue	....	assistant location manager
Jesse Fox Chaney	....	production assistant (as Jesse Chaney)
Lauren Fritz	....	location scout
Melissa Gelernter	....	additional production assistant
Laurie Gershon	....	product placement/clearances
Patrick Huber	....	production assistant
Joshua W. Ingalls	....	key production assistant
Markus Janner	....	titles
Nicholas Owen Langholff	....	key set production assistant
Matt Maisto	....	production assistant
Chris Marsh	....	location manager
Ross A. McIntyre	....	director of development: Dirty Rice
Natalia Parsons	....	production assistant
Derek Pastures	....	parking coordinator
Anthony Pettine	....	script supervisor
Jennifer Russomanno	....	titles
Clarence Sharpe	....	additional key production assistant
Michael Sledd	....	additional production assistant
Daryl Sledge	....	production assistant
Roodly St. Eloi	....	additional production assistant
Gayle Vangrofsky	....	location scout
Elizabeth Verghese	....	key production accountant
John Verni	....	location scout (as J.P. Verni)
Daniel Wagner	....	production office coordinator
Brett Williams	....	production executive
Keith Yurevitz	....	titles

Thanks
Laylee Olfat	....	special thanks
Campbell Scott	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Hart-Sharp Entertainment

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Newmarket Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alberto Bitelli Intl. Films (2005) (Brazil) (all media)
• Prooptiki Video (2005) (Greece) (DVD)

Other Companies

• C-5  adr recorded at
• C-5  post-production sound
• Du Art Digital  titles and opticals
• Du Art Film and Video  video dailies
• Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein  legal services
• Koch Records  soundtrack
• Noëlle Penraat  negative cutting
• Postworks New York  HD video mastering
• Sound One Corporation  adr recorded at

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexuality.

Runtime:

97 min | Canada:100 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Singapore:M18 | UK:15 | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Malaysia:(Banned) | Germany:12 | Argentina:13 | Netherlands:AL | USA:R (certificate #40985) | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Columbia University - Broadway & 116th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Hart-Sharp Entertainment

Quotes:

Missy Goldberg: You can't tell somebody they're dead. They'll go into shock.

Soundtrack:

Dreaming

Ensemble film that shouldn't fade into obscurity

Basically the film is about a lonely 39 year old woman named Louise (Laura Linney) whose only friend (self-admitted) is her ex-husband. She lives her safe and humdrum life working at Admissions for Columbia, talking to her best friend (Marcia Gay Harden) who is going through her own adulthood misery, and watching happier, younger couples from her office aloft. So, when an application with the name F. Scott Fienstadt (Topher Grace), the same name as the young love of her life who died, comes along she has no problem going completely out of her comfort zone and daily routine to meet, seduce, and compare the new to the old, or rather her indestructible memory of the old.

It's a dangerous plot premise-- already you've got the Mrs. Robinson comparisons, as well as the tiptoe out of reality with the same name as her dead love, and the adulthood alienation script. However, it seems that every single person in the movie was completely aware of the danger and paid so much care to their work that you don't even recognize it. Laura Linney, in a demanding role, manages to not only evoke sympathy while she tortures the younger man with her cynicism but also gives a complexity and innocence to the female character that most every actress in Hollywood strives for but seldom achieves. Topher Grace, as her paramour, gives a smart performance that mixes the self-confidence of youth with a restrained, intellectual, old soul backbone that really serves to offer himself up as more than a teenage, primetime face. Marcia Gay Harden is wonderful and real as always, she could have hammed up this character, but she played it very nicely -- so much so you could see the girl in the woman, which is exactly what she needed to do. The rest of the supporting cast is solid, and since it is such a small ensemble, heavily appreciated.

Yes, the ending isn't what it could have been but the relationship and the plot could have been a whole lot worse. If anything, I highly recommend it for people who love the small ensemble films that attempt to deal openly and honestly with out of the box relationships and being who you are at the age you are now. 6/10.