Bart Got a Room
Bart Got a Room is a 2008 comedy film written and directed by Brian Hecker, and stars Steven Kaplan, Alia Shawkat, William H. Macy, and Cheryl Hines. Also appearing in the film are Ashley Benson, Brandon Hardesty, Kate Micucci, Jennifer Tilly, Dinah Manoff (in her last film role as of 2019) and Chad Jamian Williams as Bart. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 25, 2008. It had a limited US release in select theaters on April 3, 2009 and was released on DVD on July 28, 2009.
| Bart Got a Room | |
|---|---|
 Promotional film poster | |
| Directed by | Brian Hecker |
| Produced by | Plum Pictures |
| Written by | Brian Hecker |
| Starring | Steven Kaplan William H. Macy Cheryl Hines Alia Shawkat |
| Music by | Jamie Lawrence |
| Cinematography | Hallvard Bræin |
| Edited by | Danny Rafic |
| Distributed by | Anchor Bay Entertainment |
Release date |
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Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
The film chronicles nerdy high school senior Danny Stein (Steven Kaplan) and his unsuccessful attempts to secure a prom date while his divorced father and mother (played by William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines respectively) are on their own unsuccessful quests to find love. The film's name comes from the fact that the most unpopular kid in school, Bart Beeber (Chad Jamian Williams), not only secured a date for the prom, but got a hotel room after as well. This is a source of great anxiety for both Danny and his family.[1]
Cast
- Ashley Benson as Alice
- Steven Kaplan as Danny
- William H. Macy as Ernie
- Cheryl Hines as Beth Stein
- Alia Shawkat as Camille
- Brandon Hardesty as Craig
- Kate Micucci as Abby
- Jon Polito as Bob
- Jennifer Tilly as Melinda
- Katie McClellan as Gertie
- Dinah Manoff as Mrs Goodson
- Michael Mantell as Dr. Goodson
- Chad Jamian Williams as Bart
- Angelina Assereto as Marcie
- Sam Azouz as Uncle Walter
Production
Filming took place in Hollywood, Florida.[2] The film is a semi-autobiographical story inspired by Hecker's life growing up as a nerd in South Florida. Hollywood Hills High School was used for the shooting of some scenes in the film. This movie marked the first time that Alia Shawkat, Dinah Manoff, and Michael Mantell have worked together since their appearances on the 2001-2002 TV series State of Grace.
Reception
Bart Got a Room won "Best of Fest" awards at The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, The Asheville Film Festival, and The Chicago Gen Art Film Festival. The film currently has a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Soundtrack
In the opening sequence, the film features the song "Sing Sing Sing", played by the Hollywood Hills High School Band at the Hollywood Beach Bandshell.
References
- Brandon Hardesty's page on the film Archived June 26, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- Bart Got A Room IMDb