You Can Count on Me (2000)

Director:

Kenneth Lonergan

Writer (WGA):

Kenneth Lonergan (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 2000 (Slovenia)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A single mother's life is thrown into turmoil after her struggling, rarely-seen younger brother returns to town.

Plot Keywords:

Rain | Pancake | Atm Machine | Countryside | Dysfunctional Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 27 wins & 24 nominations

Cast

Laura Linney	...	Samantha 'Sammy' Prescott
Mark Ruffalo	...	Terry Prescott
Matthew Broderick	...	Brian Everett
Rory Culkin	...	Rudy Prescott
Jon Tenney	...	Bob Steegerson
J. Smith-Cameron	...	Mabel
Gaby Hoffmann	...	Sheila
Amy Ryan	...	Rachel Louise Prescott
Michael Countryman	...	Thomas Gerard Prescott
Adam LeFevre	...	Sheriff Darryl
Halley Feiffer	...	Amy
Whitney Vance	...	Young Sammy Prescott
Peter Kerwin	...	Young Terry Prescott
Betsy Aidem	...	Minister
Lisa Altomare	...	Waitress

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some drug use and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:LH (video rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Iceland:L (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:M | Norway:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Margaretville, New York, USA

Company:

Hart-Sharp Entertainment

Trivia:

When he first saw it, Lonergan was very unhappy with the location scout's choice of a trailer park for the fight scene between Terry and Rudy's dad. After setting up the shots Lonergan realized it actually was a perfect choice, and he now admits that the day he spent filming that scene was the one he enjoyed the most and experienced the least pressure.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The film is set in Scottsville, New York, which is in the far west of the state, south of Rochester. However, a sign is seen for NY Rt28, which does not run anywhere near Scottsville. This is because the film was shot in and around Phonecia, New York, through which NY Rt28 runs.

Quotes:

Sammy: I don't know what the church's official position is on fornication and adultery these days, and I felt really hypocritical not saying anything to you about it before, but... what *is* the official position these days?
Ron: Well... it's a sin.
Sammy: Good, I think it should be!
Ron: But we try not to focus on that aspect right off the bat.
Sammy: Why not? I think you should.
Ron: Well...
Sammy: Maybe it was better when they screamed at you from the box for having sex with your married boss, they told you what a terrible thing it was, they were really mean to you. Maybe it would be better if you just told me that I'm endangering my immortal soul and that if I don't stop, I'm gonna burn in hell. Don't you ever think that?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 2001 IFP/West Independent Spirit Awards (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben

you can definitely count on this movie

In one of the many manifestations of the power of the indie flicks during the past ten years, rebellious young Terry Prescott (Mark Ruffalo) comes to visit his sister Samantha (Laura Linney) and her son Rudy (Rory Culkin), upsetting their normal lives. "You Can Count on Me" is very much a script- and character-driven movie, a far cry from a Hollywood cliché movie. As for the characters themselves, Samantha and Rudy are quite respectable; Terry is hard to classify, as he almost seems to be wasting his life but is the sort of rebel who we all wish to be; Matthew Broderick - as Samantha's boss - made my skin crawl, and I suspect that you'll feel the same.

All in all, this is certainly a movie that I recommend, and I'm eager to see Kenneth Lonergan's next movie.