The Seat Filler | |
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Directed by | Nick Castle |
Written by |
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Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Suki Medencevic |
Edited by |
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Music by | Robbie Lewis |
Production companies |
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Distributed by | The Momentum Experience |
Release dates |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $8 million |
Box office | $27.9 million |
The Seat Filler is a 2004 American romantic comedy musical film directed by Nick Castle and written by Mark Brown, Duane Martin, and Tisha Campbell-Martin. It stars Martin, Kelly Rowland, Mel B, DeRay Davis, Patrick Fischler, and Shemar Moore. The film premiered at the Urbanworld Film Festival on August 5, 2004, and was released in theaters the United States on July 20, 2005, by The Momentum Experience. It received mainly average reviews. It is also recognized as Martin's first (and to date, only) appearance in a musical film and Rowland's most successful film in a leading role.
Derrick, an aspiring lawyer who is studying for the bar exam, struggles to keep his head above water financially. His best friend and roommate E.J. suggests Derrick join him at his job as a seat filler at awards shows. When seat filling at the Video Beat awards gala, Derrick meets popular R&B singer Jhnelle, who mistakes him for a regular guest. Believing that he is Alonzo Grant, entertainment lawyer to the stars, Jhnelle asks Derrick out on a date.
During the date Derrick tells Jhnelle that he is not Alonzo Grant and that he cannot afford the meal, but she explains she was planning to pay for it anyway and laughs, believing Derrick to be kidding. They leave the restaurant with plans for a second date.
Derrick plans on cancelling the date because he cannot afford it, but E.J. tells him not to worry and that he's got everything covered as long as he takes him along. Derrick, Jhnelle, E.J., and Jhnelle's friend Sandie take a Bentley that E.J. "borrowed" while pretending to be valet and head to a club. Jhnelle's ex-boyfriend Trent is there and causes problems while E.J. tells Derrick that the rightful car owner is also at the club. Derrick, who didn't know about the stolen car, gets upset and walks away from E.J. who chases after Sandie while Jhnelle and Derrick leave the club. Jhnelle asks to take the car home but Derrick suggests taking the bus instead. They get off and walk around town, where Derrick again tries to tell Jhnelle the truth, but she interrupts him with a kiss.
The next day Jhnelle leaves a message on Derrick's phone saying she wants to have lunch and that she'll meet him at "his" office. Derrick panics over what to do and E.J. yells at him to run. He quickly gets dressed and runs to the building where Alonzo works and is just in time to meet Jhnelle there, suggesting they do something "better than lunch" which is a movie at a theater in the hood. Meanwhile, Trent goes to Alonzo's office to confront him.
Trent goes to Jhnelle and begs her to go with him to a TV award show. She agrees, but only as a friend. There they meet Derrick who is seat filling. Trent accuses him of looking awfully good considering Alonzo Grant has been in the hospital for the past two weeks, and asks a worker there what his real name is, who answers Derrick Harver. Jhnelle begins to cry and begs Al to say something, but Derrick replies, "My name is Derrick" and she runs off. Derrick punches Trent and tries to run after her but is stopped by security.
Over the next few days Derrick tries persistently to call Jhnelle but Sandie answers and to Jhnelle's request tells him she's out. Sandie tries to get Jhnelle to talk to him for closure but Jhnelle refuses saying she just wants to work on her album.
With VIP access given to him by Sandie, Derrick tries to meet Jhnelle at a shoot for her music video. He tells her that he's sorry and that what he felt for her was real, but she accuses him of being a liar and explains she can't believe that, then walks away with Derrick calling after her.
Derrick falls into a slump until E.J. tells him to stop acting like him and start acting like himself. Derrick goes on to pass his Bar Exam, get a job and get a nice apartment. While unpacking he turns on the television and sees Jhnelle on screen at an award show. Inspired, he calls up E.J and they go posing as seat fillers. While she's performing, Derrick and the other seat fillers begin to stand up holding white carnations, inspired by a story Jhnelle once told him about her grandparents. He tries to walk up to her but is stopped by security. She tells them to wait and goes to him and the two embrace.
Kenny Lattimore and Chante Moore make cameo appearances as themselves. Eriq La Salle makes an uncredited cameo appearance as Alonzo Grant, the man whose identity Derrick uses to impress Jhnelle.
Actress/singer Tisha Campbell, wife of star Duane Martin, receives a co-writing credit.
"I Need a Love" | |
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Single by Kelly Rowland | |
Released | April 27, 2004 |
Recorded | 2004 |
Genre | Pop, R&B |
Length | 3:47 |
Label | Blacktrak Entertainment |
Songwriter(s) | Kelly Rowland, Rob Lewis, Courtney Harrell, Cookie Lewis |
Producer(s) | Rob Lewis |
No soundtrack album was released for the film. Instead a promo single by Kelly Rowland, "I Need a Love", was released. Rowland contributed a total of five songs to the film.
Songs used in the film include:
The film debuted 18 in the box office top twenty for the week, grossing $4,812,287 in 287 cinemas. It averaged $4,410 at 2,905 sites, and earned a total domestic gross ticket sales of $10,238,923. Worldwide, the film grossed $17,972,898.
The film has received mainly average reviews. Garnering a rating of 3/5 stars, Vince Leo of Qwipster.net states that "While it isn't a must-see film by any means, never rising above a level of being merely pleasantly enjoyable, for those that enjoy romantic comedies, this one has enough moments of cleverness and natural charm to justify seeking out". [2] Andy Dursin of The Aisle Seat gave the film 2.5/4 stars staying "This romantic comedy with an African-American cast was capably directed by Nick Castle (“The Last Starfighter”) and offers an appealing cast, with the two leads generating believable chemistry throughout". [3] HomeTheaterInfo.com also gave the film 2.5/4 stars praising Rowland by stating that she "has what it takes to be a romantic comedy success, she is pretty, talented and be the girl next door or the sought after star. She also connects well with her fellow actors here providing a performance that the audience to become emotional invested with her character." [4]
The film was released on DVD in the United States on February 21, 2006, by Magnolia Home Entertainment. On its second week of release, it entered the United States Billboard DVD Chart (top 40) at number 14 and sold over 160,000 copies. After seven weeks of release it has made an estimate of $6,847,722 in sales.
Special features
Gloria is a 1980 American neo-noir crime thriller film written and directed by John Cassavetes. It tells the story of a gangster's girlfriend who goes on the run with a young boy who is being hunted by the mob for information he may or may not have. It stars Gena Rowlands, Julie Carmen, Buck Henry, and John Adames.
Kelendria Trene Rowland is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During the group's three-year hiatus, Rowland released her debut solo studio album, Simply Deep (2002), which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 3 million copies worldwide. It included the Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Dilemma", as well as the UK top-five hits "Stole" and "Can't Nobody". Rowland also ventured into acting with starring roles in the successful films Freddy vs. Jason (2003) and The Seat Filler (2005).
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The Brothers is a 2001 romantic comedy drama film starring Morris Chestnut, D.L. Hughley, Bill Bellamy, and Shemar Moore. The film was written and directed by Gary Hardwick, who has directed other films and television series such as Deliver Us from Eva and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. Gabrielle Union, Tatyana Ali, Jenifer Lewis, Tamala Jones, and Clifton Powell also star in the film's ensemble cast. Dubbed as the male version of the 1995 film Waiting to Exhale, this film traces the journey of four African-American men as they take on love, sex, friendship, honesty and commitment.
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"Train on a Track" is a song by American singer Kelly Rowland. It was written by Rob Fusari, Sylvester Jordan Jr., Balewa Muhammad, and Tiaa Wells and recorded by Rowland for her solo debut album Simply Deep (2002), while production was helmed by Fusari. A light and breezy pop rock song that is built around an acoustic guitar-driven instrumentation, the love song has Rowland singing about a person whom she considers her equal in every manner. The song's musical composition, as well as Rowland's harmonies and the poetic wordplay of its lyrics, positively surprised critics.
Sweet November is a 1968 American romantic comedy film written by Herman Raucher and starring Sandy Dennis, Anthony Newley and Theodore Bikel. The film originally had been written as a stage play by Raucher, but before it was performed, Universal Pictures got wind of the project and paid Raucher $100,000 to stop work on the play and adapt it as a screenplay.
Motives is a 2004 erotic thriller film starring Vivica A. Fox, Shemar Moore, Golden Brooks, Sean Blakemore and Keshia Knight Pulliam. The direct-to-video sequel, Motives 2, was released in 2007.
3 Ring Circus is a 1954 American comedy film directed by Joseph Pevney and starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. The picture was shot from February 17 to March 31, 1954, and released on December 25 by Paramount Pictures. The supporting cast includes Joanne Dru, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Wallace Ford, Sig Ruman, Nick Cravat, and Elsa Lanchester.
Unhook the Stars is a 1996 American drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes, and starring his mother Gena Rowlands, Marisa Tomei, Gérard Depardieu, and Jake Lloyd in his film debut.
Shark Bait is a 2006 computer animated adventure film. The plot revolves around Pi and his attempt to win the heart of Cordelia while dealing with a tiger shark that is terrorizing him and the reef's inhabitants.
Shelter is a 2007 American romantic drama film produced by JD Disalvatore and directed and written by Jonah Markowitz. It stars Trevor Wright, Brad Rowe, and Tina Holmes. It was the winner of "Outstanding Film – Limited Release" at the 2009 GLAAD Media Awards, Best New Director and Favorite Narrative Feature at the Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, and the People's Choice Award for Best Feature at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. Shelter represents the feature directorial debut of Markowitz.
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Robert Lyndel Lewis is an American music arranger, music composer, record producer, musical director, film composer, musician, entrepreneur, and impresario. In his 20-plus years in the music industry, Lewis has worked on several Grammy Award winning singles and albums, and his production, songs, and arrangements have been featured on #1 albums, gold and platinum albums, films, live productions, and television shows.
Blond Cheat is a 1938 romantic comedy film directed by Joseph Santley and starring Joan Fontaine, Derrick De Marney, and Cecil Kellaway. The film was produced by William Sistrom, and originally released by RKO Radio Pictures. The original story is by Aladar Lazlo. The screenplay is by Harry Segall, Charles Kaufman, Paul Yawitz, and Viola Brothers Shore. The tagline for the movie was: "A happy blend of blackmail, robbery, treachery, and love!"
Sandie Shaw is a retired English pop singer. One of the most successful British female singers of the 1960s, she had three UK number one singles with "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" (1964), "Long Live Love" (1965) and "Puppet on a String" (1967). With the latter, she became the first British entry to win the Eurovision Song Contest. She returned to the UK Top 40, for the first time in 15 years, with her 1984 cover of the Smiths song "Hand in Glove". Shaw retired from the music industry in 2013.
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The Way, Way Back is a 2013 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash in their directorial debuts. It stars Liam James as Duncan, an introverted 14-year-old who goes on summer vacation to Wareham, Massachusetts with his mother and her overbearing boyfriend. It also stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, and Maya Rudolph, with Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, Faxon, and Rash in supporting roles.
Rendezvous with Annie is a 1946 comedy film directed by Allan Dwan and written by and Mary Loos and Richard Sale. The film stars Eddie Albert, Faye Marlowe and Gail Patrick. The supporting cast features C. Aubrey Smith and William Frawley. The plot involves a World War II serviceman who surreptitiously flies back from England to the States to see his wife for several hours and impregnates her, accidentally leaving her to deal with the consequent scandal when the townsfolk do the math and erroneously conclude that her husband could not possibly be the resultant baby's father. The film was released on July 22, 1946 by Republic Pictures.
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