Excess Baggage (1997)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Marco Brambilla

Writers (WGA):

Max D. Adams (story)
Max D. Adams (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 August 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

You would NOT believe what a girl's got to do, just to get a little attention.

Plot:

Emily has always been the rich brat who tries to pull every imaginable stunt to get attention. But one day...

Plot Keywords:

Gagged And Bound | Trunk | Male Female Relationship | On The Road | Fake Kidnapping

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Alicia Silverstone	...	Emily
Benicio Del Toro	...	Vincent
Christopher Walken	...	Ray
Jack Thompson	...	Alexander
Harry Connick Jr.	...	Greg
Nicholas Turturro	...	Stick
Michael Bowen	...	Gus
Robert Wisden	...	Detective Sims
Leland Orser	...	Detective Barnaby
Sally Kirkland	...	Louise
Hiro Kanagawa	...	Jon
Brendan Beiser	...	Man on Pay Phone
Demetri Goritsas	...	Surveillance Van Cop
Jorge Vargas	...	Mini Mart Clerk
Danielle Saklofsky	...	Monique
Stacy Grant	...	Car Showroom Receptionist
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Motel Manager (as Callum Rennie)
Carrie Cain-Sparks	...	Waitress at Diner (as Carrie Cain Sparks)
Nicole Parker	...	Waitress at Knotty Pines
Bill Croft	...	Trucker
C. Ernst Harth	...	Trucker
Adrien Dorval	...	Trucker
Claire Riley	...	Dream Reporter
Dean Wray	...	Barge Mate
Fulvio Cecere	...	Sharp Shooter
David Longworth	...	RV Gas Pumper
Alfonso Quijada	...	Garage Attendant (as Alfonso Quijada Jr.)
Hrothgar Mathews	...	Fisherman Cop
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Kaye	...	Kevin Bradley (uncredited)
Matthew Robert Kelly	...	Lt. Kimble (uncredited)
Corey Large	...	Thug (uncredited)
April Telek	...	News Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Marco Brambilla

Writing credits (WGA)
Max D. Adams		(story)
Max D. Adams		(screenplay) and
Dick Clement		(screenplay) &
Ian La Frenais		(screenplay)

Produced by
Bill Borden	....	producer
Casey Grant	....	co-producer (as B. Casey Grant)
Carolyn Kessler	....	producer
Alicia Silverstone	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
John Lurie

Cinematography by
Jean-Yves Escoffier		(director of photography) (as Jean Yves Escoffier)

Film Editing by
Stephen E. Rivkin		(as Stephen Rivkin)

Casting by
Allison Cowitt
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Missy Stewart

Art Direction by
Richard Hudolin

Set Decoration by
Elizabeth Wilcox

Costume Design by
Beatrix Aruna Pasztor

Makeup Department
Ian C. Ballard	....	key hair stylist (as Ian Ballard)
Victoria Down	....	key makeup artist
Ronnie Specter	....	makeup artist: Ms. Silverstone
Debra Wiebe	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Penny Gibbs	....	assistant production manager
Casey Grant	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Cowan	....	first assistant director
Christine Derek	....	third assistant director
Colleen Mitchell	....	second assistant director
Michael Shandley	....	dgc trainee

Art Department
Bryan Korenberg	....	property master
Bridget McGuire	....	assistant art director
Derick McLeod	....	construction coordinator
David Rosychuk	....	assistant property master (as David Rosychuck)
Shirley Wiebe	....	assistant set decorator
D.N. Pettipas	....	property buyer (uncredited)
Gareth Procter	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eric Batut	....	production sound mixer (as Eric J. Batut)
Mark Berger	....	sound re-recording mixer
Leslie Bloom	....	foley artist (as Leslie Bloome)
Jay Boekelheide	....	sound editor
Yin Cantor	....	assistant sound editor
Kim B. Christensen	....	sound editor (as Kim Christensen)
Francesca Dodd	....	sound editor
Patrick Dodd	....	adr editor
Patrick Dodd	....	supervising sound editor
Ezra Dweck	....	sound re-recording mixer
Stephen Hart	....	foley mixer
Scott Koué	....	assistant sound editor (as Scott Koue)
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist (as Marne Moore)
John Motyer	....	boom operator (as Johnny Motyer)
John Nutt	....	sound editor
Richard Quinn	....	sound editor (as Rich Quinn)
Paul Drenning	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Richard Partlow	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William H. Orr	....	special effects

Stunts
Kevin J. Andruschak	....	stunts
James Bamford	....	stunt double: Benicio del Toro
James Bamford	....	stunt double: Harry Connick, Jr
Ernie Jackson	....	stunts
David Jacox	....	stunts
Michael Langlois	....	stunts
David Mylrea	....	stunt driver
Gerald Paetz	....	stunt double: Robert Wisden
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts
Melissa R. Stubbs	....	assistant stunt coordinator (as Melissa Stubbs)
Melissa R. Stubbs	....	stunt double: Alicia Silverstone
Sonny Surowiec	....	stunts (as Sonny Surowic)
Betty Thomas	....	stunt coordinator
Lauro Chartrand	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dean Choe	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jim Dunn	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brad Loree	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mike Mitchell	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dillard Brinson	....	key grip
Peter G. Capadouca	....	assistant chief lighting technician
John Clothier	....	camera operator
Gavin B. Craig	....	second grip
Les Erskine	....	chief lighting technician
Gil Forrester	....	dolly grip
Tom Gregg	....	second grip
Doug Lavender	....	second assistant camera
Rob McEwan	....	still photographer
Klaus Melchior	....	video assist operator (as Klaus Melchois)
Cam North	....	first assistant camera
Carrie Wilson	....	second assistant camera
Sarah Baldwin	....	remote head technician (uncredited)
Ken Decker	....	lamp operator (uncredited)
Jim Filippone	....	pilot: camera helicopter (uncredited)
Dylan Goss	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)
Gaetan Jalbert	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)
John Le Roy	....	key rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Stuart Aikins	....	casting: Canada
Rachel Davies	....	casting assistant
William Haines	....	casting associate: Canada
James Forsyth	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michelle Baines	....	key costumer
Carla Hetland	....	costume designer: Canada
Karin Nosella	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)
Alexis Scott	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jordan Acomba	....	assistant film editor: Canada
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Gloria Kaiser	....	color timer
Ray Neapolitan	....	assistant film editor
Kevin Nolting	....	first assistant film editor
Stan Salfas	....	additional editor
Michael Smith	....	assistant film editor: Canada
Pietro Cecchini	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Steven Bernstein	....	conductor
Steven Bernstein	....	orchestrator
Anita Camarata	....	music supervisor
Patrick Dillett	....	music mixer (as Pat Dillett)
Patrick Dillett	....	music recordist (as Pat Dillett)
Amanda Goodpaster	....	assistant music editor
Lia Vollack	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Rodney Beech	....	transportation captain (as Rod Beech)
Red Murphy	....	transportation captain
Rob Vreugde	....	transportation coordinator (as Rod Vreugde)

Other crew
Michelle Almaz Tadege	....	production coordinator
Laura Curry	....	assistant: Ms. Silverstone
Will Fearn	....	location manager
Ann Goobie	....	assistant location manager
Gretchen Goode	....	production secretary
Kasandra Greene-Griebel	....	production assistant
Leesa Green	....	craft service
Leesa Green	....	first aid
John Keel	....	assistant: Mr. Borden
Lee Anne Muldoon	....	unit publicist
Don Orlando	....	production accountant
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Rob Stark	....	assistant: Mr. Brambilla
Peter Weireter	....	technical advisor
Pat Williams	....	assistant production accountant
Christine Wilson	....	script supervisor
Jennifer Harland	....	background coordinator (uncredited)
Scott Steyns	....	playback coordinator (uncredited)
Ian Zweig	....	chef (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• First Kiss Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2002) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (Spain)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)

Other Companies

• B.C. Film Commission  special thanks
• Cable News Network (CNN)  pre-recorded videotape supplied by
• City of Victoria, British Columbia  special thanks
• DGC  acknowledgment
• Focus on Food  catering
• Greater Vancouver Regional District  special thanks
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision Canada  cameras and lenses
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound services
• Technicolor  prints by (as Technicolor®)
• VIS-ART Copyright  courtesy of (Tom Wesselman artwork)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, drinking and sex-related dialogue.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #34335) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:11 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Was delayed from a planned Christmas 1996 release due to troublesome test screenings. This led to several reshoots, which expanded on the relationship between Alicia Silverstone and Benicio Del Toro's characters.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Emily leaves her house and gets into the Cadillac, the license plate reads 'ATH 3' but when she and Vincent are in the parking garage it reads 'ATH 2'.

Quotes:

Vincent: How old are you?
Emily: Twelve.
Vincent: Okay. If you say so.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Defunct (2008)

Soundtrack:

Earth Vs. Me

Much better the second time.

I saw this movie a couple of years ago when my sister and her friends rented it. I remember thinking it was strange, but that's all. I came across it in the video store last night and was curious as to why I couldn't remember much about it. Well let me tell you, I'm glad I tried it again. The movie isn't great, the story drags a bit in the middle, and the two mob guys weren't the least bit scary. I also had a hard time with Silverstone's portrayal of Emily, who I understand was supposed to be a "troubled teen", but whose behavior was so unbelievably bad that I felt only distaste for her instead of the expected sympathy. But Walken and Del Toro are absolutely marvelous. They made it completely worth watching. Walken is his usual sinister self, but at the same time manages to make his Uncle Ray character seem very fatherly and concerned for Emily. In fact, they could have done away with the rather weak father altogether and nobody would even have noticed. Del Toro is fascinating as the shy, befuddled Vincent. Everything that came out of his mouth made me laugh, and you've got to like anyone who can see the good in a whiny wretch like Emily. He turns out to be exactly what she needs, and by the end of the movie she had mellowed so much that I didn't even hate her anymore. Watch for the scenes in the hotel room and next morning by the lake where the tentative lovers make a surprisingly touching connection. This was the best five minutes of the movie for me. All in all, a simple but fairly sweet movie, made better by the outstanding, endearing performances by the two male leads. Don't go into it expecting too much, and you'll have fun with this little bit of fluff that far too many people have been scared away from because of the bad reviews. Just give it a chance. Trust me.