Assassination of a High School President (2008)

Director:

Brett Simon

Writers:

Tim Calpin (written by)
Kevin Jakubowski (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Politics, popularity, paranoia, pharmaceuticals. Are you in?

Plot:

At a Catholic high school, the popular girl teams up with a sophomore newspaper reporter to investigate a case of stolen SAT exams. Once the duo target their suspects, a larger conspiracy is unearthed.

Plot Keywords:

Newspaper Reporter | Teenage Boy | Paintball Gun | School Principal | Attempted Murder

Cast

Mischa Barton	...	Francesca Fachini
Nick Blaemire	...	Byron
Zachary Booth	...	Rocky
Gabrielle Brennan	...	Chrissy Moore
Emily Brownell	...	Ms. Smart
Josh Caras	...	Marty Mullen (as Josh Barclay Caras)
Tomas Deckaj	...	Ben Striedel (voice)
Melonie Diaz	...	Clara
Mohamed Dione	...	Ongatumamwe
John Farrer	...	Faculty priest
Tanya Fischer	...	Sam landis
Laura Ford	...	DMV Lady
Luke Grimes	...	Marlon Piazza
Aaron Himelstein	...	Tad Goltz
Marc John Jefferies	...	Elliott Duncan
Zoë Kravitz	...	Valerie
John Magaro	...	Cipriato
Emily Meade	...	Tiffany Ashwood
Kathryn Morris	...	Nurse Platt
Josh Pais	...	Senor Newell
Adam Pally	...	Freddy Bismark
Joseph Perrino	...	Dutch Middleton
Vincent Piazza	...	Ricky Delacruz
Maria Elena Ramirez	...	Nancy Margle
Michael Rapaport	...	Coach Z
Zach Roerig	...	Matt Mullen
Quinn Shephard	...	Eye Patch Girl
Ashley Springer	...	White kid with dreds
Patrick Taylor	...	Paul Moore
Robin Taylor	...	Alex Schneider
Reece Thompson	...	Bobby Funke
Bruce Willis	...	Principal Kirkpatrick
Michael Zegen	...	Stephen Lohman
Effrem J. Adams	...	Shocked Student / Prom Couple (uncredited)
Angelina Aucello	...	St. Donovan's Student (uncredited)
Andrew Stephen Bradley	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Alana Cadiz	...	Saint Donovan Friar Cheerleader (uncredited)
Gary Cherkassky	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Casey Cipriani	...	Student (uncredited)
Ryan Curtis	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Jason Etter	...	Comets Basketball Player (uncredited)
Cassidy Gard	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Cassie Hansen	...	Catholic School Girl (uncredited)
Jeanine Hill	...	High school student (uncredited)
Kimberly Magness	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Robert Malitsky	...	Comet Basketball Player (uncredited)
Ronnie McCoullough	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Joel Ney	...	St. Donovan's Student (uncredited)
Chris Nuñez	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Enrique Sebastian Rivas	...	St. Donovan's Student (uncredited)
Louis Rosario	...	St. Donovan's Student (uncredited)
Steven Rubinchik	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Ben Skinner	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Blake Young-Fountain	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Brett Simon

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tim Calpin		written by
Kevin Jakubowski		written by

Produced by
Brian Bell	....	line producer
Elsie Choi	....	co-producer
Doug Davison	....	producer
David Glasser	....	executive producer
Bradley Jenkel	....	executive producer
Roy Lee	....	producer
Gabriel Mason	....	co-producer
Eric Umali	....	co-producer
Bob Yari	....	producer
Irene Yeung	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Daniele Luppi

Cinematography by
M. David Mullen

Film Editing by
William M. Anderson
Thomas J. Nordberg

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith		(as Suzanne Crowley)

Production Design by
Sharon Lomofsky

Art Direction by
Anu Schwartz

Set Decoration by
Robert Covelman

Costume Design by
Amy Westcott

Makeup Department
Bert Reo Anderson	....	hair stylist
Barry Berger	....	assistant makeup artist
Fabian Garcia	....	hair department head
Sarit Klein	....	makeup artist
Tina LaSpina	....	makeup artist
Sherri Berman Laurence	....	additional makeup artist (as Sherri Berman Laurence)
Jason Shur	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Buddy Enright	....	executive in charge of production
Sean Garrett Fogel	....	assistant unit manager
Jill Greenblatt	....	post-production manager
Robert Hackl	....	post-production supervisor
Adam Park	....	executive in charge of post-production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thomas Fatone	....	first assistant director
Patrick Gibbons	....	second assistant director
Kim Thompson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Joe Cecchini	....	art department assistant
Almitra Corey	....	art department coordinator
Abariss Culjak	....	assistant props
Shannon Finnerty	....	buyer
Daniel Fisher	....	property master
David Scott Gagnon	....	lead man
Scott Griswold	....	set dresser
Hunter Harris	....	art department intern
Sean Ryan Jennings	....	art department production assistant
Victor Littlejohn	....	assistant property master
Peter Mayer	....	set dresser
Jeff Naparstek	....	set dresser
Eric Pastore	....	props
Timothy Powers	....	on-set dresser
Bob Provenzano	....	set dresser
Peter Regnier	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Kyle Billingsley	....	foley mixer
Barney Cabral	....	supervising sound editor
Sanaa Cannella	....	foley artist
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Dwan Jr.	....	supervising dialogue editor
Teferra McKenzie	....	second boom operator
Perry Robertson	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Sanders	....	supervising sound designer
Gabriel J. Serrano	....	sound recordist
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Paul Tirone	....	adr recordist
Thomas Varga	....	sound mixer
Kevin Zimmerman	....	first assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Andrew Mortelliti	....	special effects foreman

Stunts
Jared Burke	....	co-stunt coordinator
Douglas Crosby	....	stunt coordinator
Vince Cupone	....	stunt double
Vince Cupone	....	stunt driver
Clayton Guida	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Blahut	....	electrician
Vincent Camuto	....	video playback technician
Anthony Gamiello	....	key grip
Philip Gleason	....	additional video assist
Noah Philip Lagin	....	camera production assistant
Brian C. Mackey	....	camera loader
John Francis McCarthy	....	camera intern
Jeff Muhlstock	....	Steadicam operator
Jeff Muhlstock	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Jeff Niggemeyer	....	electrician
Wayne Paull	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Ian Pratt	....	grip
Leigh Rathner	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Frank Rinato	....	key first assistant camera
Jon W. Rosenbloom	....	dolly grip
Frank Schumo	....	key rigging grip
Dara Selbert	....	camera production assistant
Walter Thomson	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Mihal Freinquel	....	extras casting associate
Jessica Kelly	....	casting associate
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Erin Byrne	....	costumer
James Deanes	....	costumer
May Elbaz	....	stitcher
Kathy Karbowski	....	wardrobe supervisor
Estella Marie	....	seamstress
Estella Marie	....	set costumer
Katie Martin	....	wardrobe assistant
Tracy Nishimoto	....	set costumer
Lenore Pemberton	....	assistant costume designer
Shelby Saboy	....	set costumer
Nicci Schinman	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Dan Aguilar	....	digital intermediate editor
Bob Curreri	....	colorist
Ben Hasler	....	post-production coordinator: Yari Film Group
Travis Sittard	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Kevin Fink	....	soundtrack coordinator
Richard A. Harrison	....	music editor
Liza Richardson	....	music supervisor
H. Anton Riehl	....	programmer: musical score
H. Anton Riehl	....	score mixer
Jason Ruder	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Timothy Paustian	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Giles Andrew	....	production assistant
Elizabeth A. Bell	....	senior vice president & general counsel
Stuart Burkin	....	executive in charge of post
Greg Chiodo	....	location scout
Scotch James Diaz Crisostomo	....	assistant accountant
Charlie Crowell	....	location scout
Tomas Deckaj	....	set production assistant
Anne Marie Dentici	....	set production assistant
Farnaz Fahid	....	assistant: David C. Glasser
Dan Gloeckner	....	set production assistant
Orit Greenberg	....	location scout
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative
Michelle Israel	....	assistant: director
Melissa Kalbfus	....	script supervisor
Cynthia Kao	....	production secretary
Richard Keeshan	....	assistant production coordinator
Nelson Khoury	....	location scout
Ronnie Kupferwasser	....	location manager
Eric LaFranchi	....	set production assistant
Stephanie A. Marquardt	....	script supervisor
Clement McIntosh	....	production assistant
Linda L. Miller	....	production executive
Karen S. Neasi	....	product placement
Malee Nerenhausen	....	production executive
Brendan O'Rourke	....	assistant location manager
Darin J. Patterson	....	additional production assistant
Kevin Pazmino	....	key production assistant
Jean Pesce	....	assistant location manager
Jaime Phelps	....	production assistant
Michelle Reed	....	assistant: Mr. Immerman
Jennifer Roberts	....	set production assistant
Kimberly Simpson	....	assistant: Elizabeth A. Bell
Michelle Stella	....	assistant: Brian Bell
Michael Stewart	....	additional production assistant
Skye Stolnitz	....	assistant: Linda L. Miller
Steve Tsentserensky	....	production assistant
Alex Vonhungen	....	contract administrator
John Whitley	....	payroll accountant
Christa Zofcin	....	senior business affairs executive
Peter Conboy	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Thanks
Stephen J. Eads	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Vertigo Entertainment
• Yari Film Group (YFG)

Distributors

• Yari Film Group Releasing (2008) (USA) (all media)
• MG Film (2008) (Croatia) (all media)
• Freestyle Releasing (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One (2009) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Capelight Pictures (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Pyramid (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• EarCandy  sound post-production
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• MS-Pro/MusicSupervisor.com  post-production (music services)
• PostWorks, The Lab  processing
• Postworks New York  dailies
• Soundtrack  adr facility
• Wildfire Studios  adr recording facility
• Wildfire Studios  sound post-production

Also Known As:

The Sophomore (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content, some nudity, language, and drug and alcohol use - all involving teens.

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Vertigo Entertainment

Trivia:

Although the location is never clearly stated, Principal Kirkpatrick, played by Bruce Willis, has the state flag of New Jersey in his office. Willis grew up in Penns Grove New Jersey.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Right after the first basketball game, Byron buys a Pepsi in a bottle out of the machine in the school hallway. He pops the bottle cap off using the opener on the machine, but when he brings the bottle up to drink, the level in the bottle is already down several inches, indicating this was a re-take of the shot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Bobby Funke: [narrating] You want to know the truth about high school? You've got to break it down into its elements. Unfortunately, at St. Donovan's, the periodic table is more crooked than a case of scoliosis. Just give me the chance and I'll set it all straight. Case in point...

Movie Connections:

References Chinatown (1974)

Soundtrack:

Everybody in da House

Skip it and watch Brick(2005) instead

High School. Four of the most important years of your life. But it isn't always dances and keg parties and sucking face in your parents' mini-van. Sometimes it's ugly and hard and complicated. As complicated as a conspiracy to overthrow the president. There's something rotten at St. Donovan's High and sophomore newspaper reporter Bobby Funke is on it like pink rubber bands on your little sister's braces. When senior hottie Francesca Facchini solicits Funke's help tracking down a set of stolen SATs, Funke uncovers a story dirtier than the lunch lady's mustache. After he fingers the school president (figuratively) for the crime, Funke becomes one of the most popular kids at St. Donovan's High. No longer known simply as the freshman who was once tied to a giant snowman penis, Funke wins the respect of everyone from the Desert-Storm-hero-turned-educator Principal Kirkpatrick to the kid that farts on him in Spanish class. When Francesca takes Funke to homecoming, even the in-school suspension delinquents turn nice and offer guidance on how to keep his boner in check during slow dances. But high school's not always what it seems. As Funke's popularity grows so do his suspicions. Did the president really steal the SATs? Or is Funke just a pawn in a conspiracy as complicated as adolescence itself? Determined to find the truth, Funke digs deeper and unearths the sordid underbelly of St. Donovan's. Student council members, college bookies, public school brats, everyone seems to play a part. Armed only with a learner's permit and the spirit of Woodward and Bernstein, Funke must crack the case before it cracks him...Assassination of a High School President is a high school noir comedy with a good performance by its lead actor, Reece Thompson but besides this performance there's not much here worth seeing. Although the film does create a mysterious and tense atmosphere, the effort to do so is constantly undermined by ridiculous jokes and ridiculous characters that basically turn the film into a parody.The story unveils nicely but at the same time, it's not that interesting and it's definitely not original.Bruce Willis who plays the Principal, overacts during his entire screen time and fails miserably at being the comic relief and Misha Barton seems to have lost all her acting-skills since leaving The O.C.. Definitely not worth seeing, but if you really want to watch a film-noir with a high school setting, watch Brick(2005),a much more interesting, and better written film.

5.5/10