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	...	Herself
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 (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
Kevin Tayler	....	foley recordist

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
David Dutkus	....	electrician: new york
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
Richard Dacre	....	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:

Crew or equipment visible: During a scene in which Sidney and Alison are walking along a street in New York together, in one of the shots a shadow of the camera equipment and operator is clearly visible.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

References "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Enough Love

Should have been better but is still a reasonable enough comedy

Sidney Young runs a small alternative culture magazine in London dedicated to popping the bubble of celebrity. He hits the big time when he gets a call from Clayton Harding, the editor of Sharps magazine – a glossy celebrity magazine based in New York City. Sidney goes into the job thinking he can be different from the puff pieces the magazine is famous for and somehow has been employed as part of Harding's darker streak and longer for more. Sadly this instinct is dead wrong and Sidney finds himself a joke within the office and a failure within the world of celebrity and movie stars that he needs to work.

HTLF&AP (it's easier) is in the mould of The Devil Wears Prada as it is written as an insider's exposé of celebrity culture from someone who discovered it firsthand. Like that film, this one also struggles to tell this tale within a narrative structure that engages. It is helped though by having the central character be a major part of his own discovery, ie not only do we see the world of superficiality that is the celebrity scene but Sidney is more than a pair of eyes as he fails so impressively to assimilate himself into it. The problem is though that it is not savage enough on the celebrity culture and instead tries to draw a lot more humour from Sidney's various pratfalls and failures. This produces some moments of amusement but at the same time it robs the material of the teeth it really should have had. What is left is a reasonably funny comedy that goes where you expect it to, right down to the pat ending that was always going to be there.

Pegg has enough about his performance to be funny even though this is far below the films he has made with Wright. He makes it work better than it should at times but then he cannot bring out an edge that isn't there in the script. The starry supporting cast may be part of the reason that it doesn't tear at the hand that feeds it and indeed there are some solid turns here. Bridges, Anderson, Fox, Huston and others all do reasonably good work around Pegg. Dunst is at her best when in the "hate" part of her "love/hate" relationship with Pegg and I liked her until the film gradually started to use her character to turn the way we all knew it would go.

Not a brilliant film by any means then but still one that is amusing as it treads familiar paths to a weak ending. Should have been better but is still just about good enough to distract as a comedy.