Incendiary (2008/I)

Director:

Sharon Maguire

Writers:

Chris Cleave (book)
Sharon Maguire (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 October 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

The truth can blow you apart.

Plot:

An adulterous woman's life is torn apart when her husband and infant son are killed in a suicide bombing at a soccer match.

Plot Keywords:

Grief | Mother | Caravan | Suicide Bombing | Beach

Cast

Michelle Williams	...	Young Mother
Ewan McGregor	...	Jasper Black
Matthew Macfadyen	...	Terrence Butcher
Nicholas Gleaves	...	Lenny
Sidney Johnston	...	The Boy
Usman Khokhar	...	Bomber's Son
Sasha Behar	...	Bomber's Wife
Edward Hughes	...	Danny Walsh
Alibe Parsons	...	Pearl
Stewart Wright	...	Charlie
Al Ashton	...	Male Survivor (as Al Hunter Ashton)
Benjamin Wilkin	...	Young Policeman
Robin Berry	...	Dazed Supporter
Mercy Ojelade	...	Nurse Mena
Joe Marshall	...	Gary / VT Man
Nicholas Courtney	...	Archbishop of Canterbury
Jonathan Andrews	...	Police Officer at Station
Monty Fromant	...	Security Guard
Victoria Alcock	...	Stropy Woman
Toby Hales	...	New Born Baby
Emil Elhaji	...	Sonny Ghorbani
Alan Parry	...	Match Commentator
Jeremy Thompson	...	Sky Presenter
Kay Burley	...	Sky Presenter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ehti Aslam	...	(uncredited)
Gavin Brocker	...	Detective Tony Jackson (uncredited)
Chris Mansfield	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Ricci McLeod	...	(uncredited)
Terry McShane	...	Mourner (uncredited)
Satu Suominen	...	(uncredited)
Michael Thompson	...	(uncredited)
Tola	...	Football Player / Supporter (uncredited)
Chris Wilson	...	CO19 Officer (uncredited)
Simon John Wilson	...	Commuter on Train (uncredited)

Directed by
Sharon Maguire

Writing credits
Chris Cleave		(book)
Sharon Maguire		(screenplay)

Produced by
Philip Erdoes	....	executive producer
Simon Fawcett	....	executive producer
Rebby Gregg	....	associate producer
Daria Jovicic	....	executive producer
Adrienne Maguire	....	producer
Kami Naghdi	....	co-producer
Andy Paterson	....	producer
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
Guy Tannahill	....	line producer
Anand Tucker	....	producer

Original Music by
Barrington Pheloung
Shigeru Umebayashi

Cinematography by
Ben Davis

Film Editing by
Valerio Bonelli

Casting by
Priscilla John
Orla Maxwell

Production Design by
Kave Quinn

Art Direction by
Paul Inglis		(supervising art director)
Chris Lowe
Alexandra Walker

Set Decoration by
Gemma Ryan

Costume Design by
Stephanie Collie

Makeup Department
Christine Allsopp	....	hair designer
Christine Allsopp	....	makeup designer
Natalie Reid	....	makeup artist
Lucy Sibbick	....	junior makeup assistant

Production Management
Annalise Davis	....	post-production supervisor
Kelly Howard-Garde	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Bennett	....	third assistant director
Jonny Benson	....	second assistant director: additional photography
Bruno Cassoni	....	third assistant director: second unit
James Chasey	....	crowd second assistant director
Miranda Colman	....	third assistant director
Mark Hopkins	....	third assistant director
Ben Howarth	....	first assistant director
Bryn Lawrence	....	third assistant director
Michael Lebor	....	third assistant director
Barrie McCulloch	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Terry McShane	....	second assistant director: second unit
Georgia Merton	....	third assistant director
Lisa Radin	....	third assistant director
Daniel Smith	....	third assistant director
Samantha Smith	....	second assistant director
Anand Tucker	....	second unit director

Art Department
Giles Asbury	....	storyboard artist
Martin Asbury	....	storyboard artist
Ben Bagley	....	stand-by props
Ben Barrington-Groves	....	stand-by art director
Tina Charad	....	graphic designer
Kimberley Fahey	....	production buyer
Jane Gilchrist	....	store woman
Gavin Grant	....	props
Darren Hayward	....	carpenter
Martin Kane	....	props
James Mannell	....	props
Kenny Palmer	....	props
Mark Papworth	....	stand-by props
Carly Reddin	....	art department assistant
Steve Register	....	property master
Georgiana Sayer	....	additional dresser
Dorothy Sullivan	....	assistant buyer
Luke Whitelock	....	art department assistant
Toby Marrow	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dafydd Archard	....	sound studio assistant
Rachel Boot	....	sound studio assistant
Chris Burdon	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Arthur Fenn	....	boom operator
Nick Foley	....	adr mixer
Richard Fordham	....	dialogue editor
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Simon Hayes	....	production sound mixer
Robin Johnson	....	boom operator
Nick Kray	....	adr mixer
Markus Moll	....	sound mix technician
Tim Surrey	....	sound assistant
Ivor Talbot	....	sound recordist
Oliver Tarney	....	supervising sound editor
Mark Taylor	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ceri Thomas	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Stuart Brisdon	....	special effects supervisor
Mark Haddenham	....	special effects senior technician
Steve Knowles	....	senior special effects technician
Tez Palmer	....	special effects technician (as Terry Palmer)
Anne Marie Walters	....	special effects technician: dailies
Nigel Wilkinson	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Paul Alexiou	....	visual effects film editorial: MPC
Rob Andrews	....	cg lead
Angela Barson	....	visual effects supervisor: MPC
Matthew Bristowe	....	digital lab producer: MPC
Stuart Bullen	....	compositor
Helen Clare	....	visual effects line producer: MPC
Graham Day	....	roto/prep artist
Michael Elson	....	executive producer: MPC
Miles Glyn	....	cg artist
Dave Griffiths	....	compositor
Jeremy Hey	....	compositor
Martin Hobbs	....	visual effects producer
Henry Jefferson	....	compositor
Drew Jones	....	visual effects executive producer
Marc Jones	....	matchmove artist: MPC
Begoña Lopez	....	digital lab producer: MPC
Martin Newcombe	....	modeler and texture artist
Alban Orlhiac	....	head of texture: MPC
Simon Payne	....	technical director
Tony Peck	....	compositor
Ben Perrott	....	compositor
Olivier Pron	....	digital matte painter
Steve J. Sanchez	....	compositing supervisor
Adam Walker	....	modeller: MPC
Jason Wen	....	cg artist
Robert A. Willis	....	roto/prep artist
Martyn Drake	....	systems: MPC (uncredited)

Stunts
Richard Bradshaw	....	stunt coordinator
Ray De-Haan	....	stunts
Jamie Edgell	....	stunts
Rick English	....	stunts
Neil Finnighan	....	stunts
James Grogan	....	stunt performer
Paul Herbert	....	stunts
Derek Lea	....	stunts
Maurice Lee	....	stunts
Matthew Stirling	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Xavier Amoros	....	additional focus puller
Aldo Camilleri	....	additional gaffer
Neil Flaherty	....	second assistant camera: dailies
Kevin Fraser	....	key grip
Keith Hamshere	....	still photographer
Phil Humphries	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Vince Madden	....	best boy electric
Vince Madden	....	best boy
Michael McDermott	....	gaffer
Julian Morson	....	Steadicam operator
Julian Morson	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Andy Mountain	....	lighting console operator
Tim Phillips	....	second assistant camera
Clive Prior	....	focus puller
Sam Renton	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Martin Shepherd	....	first assistant camera: dailies
Zoe Whittaker	....	video operator

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Kevin Riddle	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alison Beard	....	costume assistant
John Cowell	....	key costume breakdown
Yvonne Duckett	....	costume supervisor
Vidya Krishnamurthy	....	assistant costume designer
Georgiana Sayer	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Paul Ensby	....	digital color timer
Rosetta Hagon	....	negative cutter
Todd Kleparski	....	digital intermediate producer
Lee McComish	....	negative cutter
Jerry Ramsbottom	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Hiroyuki Atika	....	assistant engineer
Andy Brown	....	music contractor
Caroline Dale	....	musician: cello
Paul Golding	....	music engineer
Forbes Henderson	....	musician: guitar
Youichi Kohno	....	assistant engineer
Toshiyuki Kuwahara	....	assistant music programmer
Sachiko Miyano	....	orchestrator
Robin Morrison	....	music editor
Toru Okitsu	....	score recording engineer
Barrington Pheloung	....	conductor
Barrington Pheloung	....	music producer
Heather Pheloung	....	music assistant
Andy Richards	....	score mixer
Matthew Slater	....	music assistant
Matthew Slater	....	music preparation services
Yohei Takita	....	assistant engineer
Minoru Tanaka	....	music mixer
Minoru Tanaka	....	music recorder
Yoshiko Uchida	....	assistant music preparation
Shigeru Umebayashi	....	conductor
Shigeru Umebayashi	....	music programmer
Tadashi Yatabe	....	music programmer

Transportation Department
Lee Isgar	....	driver: Ewan Mcgregor
Pete Newman	....	unit driver
Lol Smith	....	unit driver

Other crew
Brashna Agha	....	pre production runner
Jennifer Archibald	....	floor runner
Simon Baber	....	location manager: pick up shots
Philip Ball	....	stand-in
Danielle Bennett	....	floor runner
Charles Bodycomb	....	armorer
Roisin Carty	....	dialect coach: Michelle Williams
Mel Churcher	....	acting coach
Toby Cook	....	floor runner
Nick Darvill	....	location scout
Warren Demer	....	assistant accountant
Amy Elliot	....	body double: Michelle Williams
Amy Elliot	....	stand-in: Michelle Williams
Ian Ellis	....	assistant location manager
Richard George	....	location manager: additional photography
Richard George	....	location scout
Will Haynes	....	production runner
Alexander Hodgson	....	assistant to director
Nathan Holmes	....	assistant: ms. williams
Tom Howard	....	assistant location manager
Andrew Jack	....	dialect coach
Gabby Le Rasle	....	production coordinator: pick-up shots
Aranka Matits	....	assistant to co-producer
Libby Mourant	....	assistant to producer
Sylvia Parker	....	script supervisor
Tom Petch	....	location scout
Emory Ruegg	....	floor runner
Charlie Somers	....	location manager
Douglas Tannahill	....	floor runner
Carly Taverner	....	key floor runner
Jane Thurlow	....	tutor
Helen Varty	....	assistant: Tessa Ross
Jason Wheeler	....	location scout

Production Companies

• Aramid Entertainment Fund
• Archer Street Productions
• Capitol Films
• Film4 (financed by)
• Incendiary
• Sneak Preview Films
• UK Film Council
• Wild Bear Films

Distributors

• Kinepolis Film Distribution (KFD) (2009) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• CN Entertainment (2009) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• MG Film (2008) (Croatia) (all media)
• Optimum Releasing (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• THINKFilm (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Velocity Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Moving Picture Company (MPC)

Other Companies

• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• DNA Music  talent agency
• De Lane Lea  sound post-production
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Film4  funding
• Joe Dunton & Company  video assist equipment
• Kodak  motion picture film supplied by
• Movie Lot, The  security
• Panavision UK  camera equipment provided by
• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• Professional Negative Cutting  negative cutting
• SA19  extras casting
• Soundelux  sound post-production
• Soundtrack  adr facility

Also Known As:

Blown Apart (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for a strong sex scene and brief language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Ireland:16 | Finland:K-13 | USA:R | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:R21

Filming Locations:

Camber Sands, Camber, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

Aramid Entertainment Fund

Trivia:

Natalie Dormer filmed two days, playing the role of Ewan McGregor's girlfriend, but her role ended up on the cutting room floor. Nevertheless, she called it a "great experience".

Goofs:

Plot holes: When Ewan MacGregor's character is checking the attendees list for the May Day game the game shows as Chelsea v Arsenal indicating that Chelsea were the home team, however the explosion was said to be in North London, presumably at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, and the Chelsea ground is in West London.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The Boy: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Go...
The Boy: Mommy you blinked, I won.
Young Mother: Yes you did. Now in you get. Tomorrow we're going to the sea-side.
Young Mother: [narration - boy running on the beach] So, if I'm going to show you my life, better start here. My boy, in Camber Sands. Why this and why now? I'll come back to that.
The Boy: Mommy!
Young Mother: [narration] A force of nature was what the midwife called him when he came howling into this world 4 years ago. And he hasn't stopped since.
The Boy: Mommy!
Young Mother: [narration] Me and him spend a lot of time together on account his dad is a right miserable bugger. To be fair, he wasn't always miserable. Or maybe he was and I just didn't see it. I wouldn't be the first one in my family to have her nickers charmed off her by some fellow in the Army. Any way, for better or worse, I got my boy and he got me.
The Boy: [dangling a sand worm] Mommy! Mommy!
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features "Top Gear" (1978)

The Many Faces of Terrorism

INCENDIARY comes as a surprise release on DVD: did it even have a theatrical release? Based on a book by Chris Cleave and adapted for the screen by director Sharon Maguire, this little film is notable on many levels. First, the story is another look at the topic of terrorism, revealing the effects of these senseless catastrophes much like America's 9/11 tragedy on all players - the survivors of the victims, the survivors of the perpetrators, and the way so much of life changes in the wake of explosive surprises and the strength to survive in the aftermath of these traumas.

A Young Mother (an astonishingly fine performance by Michelle Williams) opens the film with thoughts and demonstrations of the love she holds for her young son (Sidney Johnson) while she copes with the too frequent absences of her husband Lenny (Nicholas Gleaves): Lenny is part of London's Anti-terrorism division of the police force. The feeling of unfulfilled desires by this isolated young woman are magnified as she watches her newspaper reporter neighbor Jasper Black (Ewan McEwan) across the street escorting yet another tipsy dolly into his apartment. Lenny leaves, the mother lovingly puts her son to bed, then she goes out to a bar where she encounters none other than Jasper trying to tempt her to his lair. The needy mother submits to Jasper's intentions and in a brief moment of desire succumbs to her physical needs.

Another day passes and as Lenny and their son depart for the soccer game, the mother is again willingly seduced by Jasper, only to have their assignation interrupted by an explosion at the stadium where Lenny and her son are watching the game. The guilt-ridden adulterous mother flees to the stadium where she is injured attempting to find her family. Now hospitalized with injuries she faces visits from Jasper as well as from her husband's co- worker Terrance (Matthew Macfadyen). Once released form the hospital she discovers the withheld name and picture of one of the suicide bombers responsible for the attack and deaths - and she learns that the bomber was a suspect being watched by Terrance who could possibly have prevented her loss. She learns the name of the suicide bomber's family, meets the bomber's son (Usman Khokhar) and wife (Sasha Behar) and eventually allows herself to meet them. The consequences of all of this information and chance meetings and the afterburn of her association with Jasper and Terrance (both of whom profess love for her) make for a startling ending, but an ending that for once helps us understand the psychology of our current world of terrorism threat and the need to heal and move on.

The performances are excellent, with special attention paid to the gifts of Michelle Williams whose perfect British accent will be a surprise to most viewers: this is a career altering role for her. The film develops slowly, deals with a lot of internal dialog, but in the end the effect is one of powerful impact. Highly recommended.

Grady Harp