How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Director:

Robert B. Weide

Writers:

Peter Straughan (screenplay)
Toby Young (book)

Release Date:

3 October 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Brace yourselves, America.

Plot:

A British writer struggles to fit in at a high-profile magazine in New York. Based on Toby Young's memoir "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People".

Plot Keywords:

Party | Writer | Starlet | Celebrity | Pig

Cast

Kelan Pannell	...	Young Sidney Young
Janette Scott	...	Mrs. Young
Simon Pegg	...	Sidney Young
Megan Fox	...	Sophie Maes
Gillian Anderson	...	Eleanor Johnson
Kelly Jo Charge	...	Apollo Awards Presenter
Christian Smith	...	Apollo Awards Guest
Katherine Parkinson	...	PR Woman
Felicity Montagu	...	Clipboard Nazi
Thandie Newton	...	Apollo Awards Guest
John Lightbody	...	Assistant Hotel Manager
Ian Bonar	...	Post Modern Review Staff #1
James Corden	...	Post Modern Review Staff #2
Fenella Woolgar	...	Post Modern Review Staff #3
Chris O'Dowd	...	Post Modern Review Staff #4
Hugh Thompson	...	Post Modern Review Staff #5
Emily Thorling	...	Post Modern Review Staff #6
Jeff Bridges	...	Clayton Harding
Miquel Brown	...	Clayton's Assistant
Miriam Margolyes	...	Mrs. Kowalski
Nathalie Cox	...	Bar Beauty
Kirsten Dunst	...	Alison Olsen
Sam Douglas	...	Barman
Charlotte Devaney	...	Bobbie
Gillian King	...	Sharp's Assistant
Danny Huston	...	Lawrence Maddox
Margo Stilley	...	Ingrid
Isabella Calthorpe	...	Anna
Hannah Waddingham	...	Elizabeth Maddox
Diana Kent	...	Rachel Petkoff
Max Minghella	...	Vincent Lepak
Emily Denniston	...	Maddox's Assistant
Ashley Madekwe	...	Vicky
Lisa McAllister	...	Sophie Maes' Assistant
Julia West	...	Mother Superior - Trailer
Brona C. Titley	...	Nun - Trailer
Charles De Bromhead	...	Young Priest - Trailer
Jane Perry	...	Mrs. Harding
Connie Wheeler	...	Harding Child #1
Lara Edmunds	...	Harding Child #2
Allen Lidkey	...	July 4th Party Guest #1
Robert B. Weide	...	July 4th Party Guest #2
Nathan Nolan	...	July 4th Party Waiter
Andy Lucas	...	Wizard / Dentist
Bill Paterson	...	Richard Young
Alexandra Aitken	...	Nightclub Girl
Sarah Mennell	...	Flight Desk Attendant
Liat Baruch	...	Couple on Blanket - Female
Eivind Karlsen	...	Couple on Blanket - Male
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Debbie Attwell	...	Red Carpet Fan (uncredited)
Michael Bennett	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Serena Catapano	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Heather Snow Clark	...	Beautiful Girl (uncredited)
Daniel Craig	...	Himself (uncredited)
Giada Dobrzenska	...	Fashion Party Girl (uncredited)
James Fiddy	...	Party Goer (uncredited)
Tim Glanfield	...	Bafta Awards Official (uncredited)
Brian Austin Green	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Chris Jameson	...	Apollo Awards Guest (uncredited)
Forbes KB	...	Hotel Security (uncredited)
Thor Knai	...	Sharp's Party Celebrity (uncredited)
Edward Lemont	...	Sharps Magazine Receptionist (uncredited)
Eliezer Meyer	...	Newsstand Vendor (uncredited)
Ben Morris	...	BAFTA Crowd Member (uncredited)
Tracy Redington	...	Model (uncredited)
Jenny Rieu	...	Girl on Blanket - Female (uncredited)
James Schram	...	Doorman / Bouncer (uncredited)
Robert Stone	...	BAFTA Security (uncredited)
Kate Winslet	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert B. Weide

Writing credits
Peter Straughan		(screenplay)
Toby Young		(book)

Produced by
Laurie Borg	....	co-producer
Carrie Fix	....	line producer: New York
Richard Hewitt	....	line producer
Elizabeth Karlsen	....	producer
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
Gary Smith	....	executive producer
Courtney Solomon	....	executive producer
Stephen Woolley	....	producer
Toby Young	....	co-producer
Allan Zeman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Arnold

Cinematography by
Oliver Stapleton

Film Editing by
David Freeman

Casting by
Justine Baddeley
Kim Davis
Jina Jay

Production Design by
John Beard

Art Direction by
Ray Chan		(supervising art director)
Anthony Gasparro

Set Decoration by
Sara Parks

Costume Design by
Annie Hardinge

Makeup Department
Ursula Adelhelm	....	daily makeup trainee
Tamsin Dorling	....	hair stylist
Tamsin Dorling	....	makeup artist
Nana Fischer	....	dailies hair stylist
Nana Fischer	....	makeup artist
Mandy Gold	....	crowd makeup supervisor
Persefone Karakosta	....	makeup artist
Peter King	....	hair designer
Peter King	....	makeup designer
Flora Moody	....	hair trainee
Flora Moody	....	makeup trainee
Susan Schectar	....	additional hair stylist
Lucy Sibbick	....	makeup dailies
Colleen Wheeler	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Polly Duval	....	post-production supervisor
Sacha Guttenstein	....	post-production delivery supervisor
Louise Lovegrove	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ethan Anderson	....	additional second assistant director
Simon Downes	....	second assistant director
Mark Hopkins	....	crowd third assistant director
Stuart Jones	....	daily assistant director
Alex Kaye-Besley	....	third assistant director: second unit
Henry Mackintosh	....	assistant director
Michelle McGrier	....	dga trainee
Matthew Penry-Davey	....	first assistant director
Charlie Reed	....	third assistant director
Rosemary Rodriguez	....	second unit director
Lance Roehrig	....	key second assistant director
Alfonso Trinidad	....	second assistant director: second unit
Mick Ward	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Peter Allburn	....	scenic artist: New York
Mat Bergel	....	props
Steve Bohan	....	construction manager
Tim Browning	....	assistant art director
Dan Bryant	....	dressing props
Jeff Butcher	....	property master: New York
Tristan Carlisle-Kitz	....	chargehand dressing props
James Collins	....	stand-by art director
Chris Cull	....	property master
Olenka Denysenko	....	third props
Paul Duff	....	construction supervisor
Ray Fisher	....	leadman: New York
Kley Gilbuena	....	assistant property master: New York
Gavin Gordon	....	supervising carpenter
Sean Haines	....	second on-set dresser
Dan Johnson	....	set dresser
Carol Kupisz	....	graphic designer
Dougie Lankston	....	props daily
Stephanie LaVigne	....	art department coordinator
Thomas Martin	....	assistant construction manager
Eugene Melvin	....	on-set dresser: New York
Marcus Migliore	....	set dresser
Sandra Phillips	....	draughtsman
Adrian Platt	....	dressing props
Stuart Read	....	dressing props: dailies
Simon Riley	....	stand-by props
Tom Roberts	....	stand-by props
Rebecca Thomas	....	art department assistant
Lloyd Vincent	....	prop storeman
Catherine Whiting	....	junior draughtsman
Lee Wiseman	....	props

Sound Department
Hugo Adams	....	foley editor
Niv Adiri	....	sound effects editor
Orin Beaton	....	boom operator
Ed Colyer	....	foley mixer
James Corless	....	sound mix technician
Paul Cotterell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Norman Durance	....	sound mixer
Glenn Freemantle	....	supervising sound editor
Glen Gathard	....	assistant foley mixer
Judah Getz	....	adr mixer
Jim Greenhorn	....	production sound mixer
Lee Herrick	....	dialog & adr editor
Lawrence Loewinger	....	sound mixer
Andrew Morgado	....	adr mixer
Richard Pryke	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nadine Richardson	....	assistant sound
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Richard Street	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Chris Bentley	....	digital lab operator
Alberto Buron	....	digital lab operator
James Clarke	....	digital lab supervisor
Tom Collier	....	digital compositor
Neil Culley	....	lead compositor
Stefan Drury	....	head of visual effects
Yanni Goudetsidis	....	systems engineer
Scott Goulding	....	assistant colourist
Katja Hollmann	....	producer: Lipsync Post (as Katja Lazare)
Lorea Hoye	....	visual effects producer
David Margolis	....	digital compositor
Aileen McIntosh	....	digital lab operator
Andrew Morley	....	head of 3D: Lipsync Post
Kevin Phelan	....	head of post-production: Lip Sync Post
Kate Porter	....	lead compositor
Angela Rose	....	digital compositor
Abigail Scollay	....	digital compositor
Jon Stanley	....	senior systems engineer
Paul Venn Stirling	....	digital compositor: LipSync Post
Daniel Tomlinson	....	digital lab operator
Samantha Tracey	....	visual effects coordinator
Sheila Wickens	....	visual effects supervisor
Blake Winder	....	digital compositor: LipSync Post
Dylan Wyn Owen	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Dani Biernat	....	stunt performer
Loyd Catlett	....	stunt double
Nick Chopping	....	stunt double
Jamie Edgell	....	stunt coordinator
Roy Farfel	....	stunt driver
Bradley Farmer	....	stunt performer
Paul Herbert	....	stunt coordinator
Jason Hunjan	....	stunt performer
Sid Karne	....	stunts
Jo McLaren	....	stunt performer
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator: New York

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert M. Andres	....	key grip: New York
Arthur Blum	....	dolly grip
Kerry Brown	....	still photographer
Pete Cavaciuti	....	Steadicam operator: "a" camera
Wailoon Chung	....	electrician
Howard Davidson	....	electrician
Mark Funnell	....	best boy
Sam Garwood	....	daily first assistant camera
Robert Hamilton	....	video operator
Oliver Hickey	....	jimmy jib operator
John Jordan	....	first assistant camera
Scott Lipkowitz	....	camera loader: New York
Rupert Lloyd-Parry	....	key grip
William Louthe	....	electrician
Jim McConkey	....	camera operator: New York
Joseph Metzger	....	second assistant camera
Simon Muir	....	grip trainee
Paul Niccolls	....	grip
Phil Penfold	....	rigging gaffer
Larry S. Prinz	....	gaffer
Ray Richards	....	electrician
Chris Silano	....	first assistant camera
Ryan Taggart	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Oliver Upton	....	still photographer
Peter Versey	....	camera operator: "b" camera
David Wall	....	electrician
Nick Wall	....	still photographer
Jeremy Weishaar	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera: New York

Casting Department
Meredith Jacobson	....	local extras casting
Erin Mayhugh	....	extras casting associate
Adam Vincentz	....	local extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Anzalone	....	costume supervisor
Rebecca Hofherr	....	assistant costume designer
Kate Laver	....	costume assistant
Janine Marr	....	costume assistant
Holly Smart	....	wardrobe assistant
Gabrielle Spanswick	....	costume supervisor
Aaron Timperley	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Mark Burton	....	first assistant editor
Stuart Fyvie	....	digital colorist
Sabine McDonald	....	negative cutter
Kelly Smith	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Peter Clarke	....	music editor
Chris Cozens	....	auricle control systems
Duffy	....	performer: "Enough Love"
Karen Elliott	....	music supervisor
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Stephen Hilton	....	musician: programming and keyboards
Rob Playford	....	music programmer

Transportation Department
Jeff Hudson	....	unit driver
Nick Kenyon	....	driver: cast
Pete Newman	....	unit driver
Barrie Williams	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Aaron Anderson	....	executive: uk film council
Peter Anders	....	caterer
Hannah Andrews	....	set runner
Susan Chika Anisiobi	....	assistant accountant
Hanly Banks	....	assistant to director: New York
James Bednark	....	production secretary
Julia Bembenek	....	production assistant
Max Berger	....	production intern
Sam Blackmore	....	set production assistant: dailies
David Blyth	....	floor runner: dailies
Katherine Butler	....	head of development: Film4
Neil Chaplin	....	production accountant
Tony Clarkson	....	location manager
Robin Davies	....	assistant: Elizabeth Karlsen
Francesca Dowd	....	production coordinator
Scott Ferlisi	....	assistant location manager: New York
Hollie Foster	....	assistant production coordinator
Lauren Fritz	....	assistant location manager
Jonathan Gray	....	production counsel
Orit Greenberg	....	location scout
Mark Grimwade	....	location scout
Eli Gurevich	....	first assistant accountant
Julia Hall	....	title designer
Ella Harris	....	production runner
Sam Haveland	....	set runner
Justin W. Hill	....	location manager: los angeles
Annabel Kennedy	....	development executive
Joanna Laurie	....	assistant: Stephen Woolley
Sam Lavender	....	developmental editor: Film4
Kate Lawrence	....	development executive
Joseph Lombardi	....	production accountant
Liz Magee	....	production assistant
Brad Marro	....	production assistant
Daniel McAuley-Burnett	....	floor runner: dailies
Dan Mudford	....	documentary filmmaker
Paul Myers-Davis	....	production assistant
Ana S. Pelaez	....	production coordinator: New York
Jimmy Price	....	location manager
Nicole Real	....	production assistant: New York
Joe Robinson	....	assistant production coordinator
Paul Secker	....	floor runner: dailies
Jon Shaw	....	set production assistant
Sascha Springer	....	assistant location manager
Helen Varty	....	assistant: Tessa Ross
Mark Walledge	....	unit manager
Howard Watkins	....	title designer
Jason Wheeler	....	location scout
William Henderson White	....	stand-in: Danny Huston
Beverly Winston	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Fabrizia Dal Farra	....	thanks
Janette Scott	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Number 9 Films
• Film4 (funding)
• Intandem Films
• Aramid Entertainment Fund (funding)
• Lipsync Productions (funding)
• UK Film Council (support)

Distributors

• Bontonfilm (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Mikado (2009) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2008) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2008) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• California Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• Falcon Films (2009) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)
• Luxor Entertainment (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Noori Pictures (2008) (South Korea) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Lip Sync Post (visual effects)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting
• Access Bookings  accommodation
• All-Star Animals  animal handlers
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies/mobiles
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• Dream Cars  picture cars
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Film4  development
• Gray Krauss  legal services
• Henry's International Cuisine  catering: New York
• Hothouse Music  music supervisor
• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• Lip Sync Post  digital intermediate
• Lip Sync Post  sound re-recording
• Mercury Records  soundtrack
• Mobile Mouthful  catering
• Polydor  soundtrack
• Post Modern Sound  ADR recording facility
• Production Copier Company  production equipment and services
• Sonic Magic  adr recording

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some graphic nudity and brief drug material.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

UK:15 | Ireland:15A | USA:R | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | South Africa:16 | New Zealand:M | Germany:o.Al. | Czech Republic:U | Portugal:M/12 | Sweden:Btl | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-13 | Mexico:B15 | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Café de Paris, Coventry Street, Soho, London, England, UK

Company:

Number 9 Films

Trivia:

The scene where Sidney leaves Elizabeth Maddox alone in the hallway after she tripped and fell is based on a similar incident involving Anna Wintour and a Vanity Fair intern.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Sidney's limo drives westbound past B.B. King's but the next shot is of Times Square which is to the east.

Quotes:

Sidney Young: [to his father] You thought Brad Pitt was a cave in Yorkshire.

Movie Connections:

References The Day of the Jackal (1973)

Soundtrack:

For Reasons Unknown

Predictable comic heroism.

Romantic comedy is not the correct way to describe "How to lose friends & alienate people". The underlying romance in the plot is, for the most part, displaced by a far more interesting "rags to riches" tale. Although the central line of the story is somewhat rushed passed, in several screen shots, it does have a sense of; getting the "nitty gritty" out of the way, focusing on those key relationships which make "office politics" and using those almost irrelevant scenes, used purely for comic effect. Yet it works so well, especially with Pegg in the front seat. The film is ultimately very clever, playing well on the trans-Atlantic relationship Pegg shares with his co-stars and merging the cross between the high and low -life society quite well and quite refreshingly in a storyline that despite predictability is somewhat of a unique journey. The different characters in the film are presented well and casting is definitely a plus point on the film. Both the "trading places" relationship between Pegg and Huston and the "love, hate" relationship between Pegg and Dunst do work so well in a story that is, for want of a better word, charming. Even Fox, whose main asset is of course sex appeal, shocks with what turns out to be quite a dark character and acts that "bimbo" role all to well. Its one of these films where every little detail does pay tribute to a great piece of work. From transsexual strippers to an amazing soundtrack it all meshes nicely into what can only be described as clever comedy.