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MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $1.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Factotum
"What matters most is how well you walk through the fire"
2005 1h 34m EN
😐
6.1
MID
★6.1TMDB · 232
Drama
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
This drama centers on Hank Chinaski, the fictional alter-ego of "Factotum" author Charles Bukowski, who wanders around Los Angeles, CA trying to live off jobs which don't interfere with his primary interest, which is writing. Along the way, he fends off the distractions offered by women, drinking and gambling.
“What matters most is how well you walk through the fire”
Where to watch · US
Cast
Matt Dillon
Henry Chinaski
Lili Taylor
Jan
Marisa Tomei
Laura
Fisher Stevens
Manny
Didier Flamand
Pierre
Adrienne Shelly
Jerry
Karen Young
Grace
Thomas Lyons
Tony Endicott
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Bent Hamer
- Writers
- Jim Stark, Bent Hamer
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- Norway, Germany, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 21 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 3 countries: Norway, Germany, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Bent Hamer, shot by John Christian Rosenlund. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Kristin Asbjørnsen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Pål Gengenbach shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Matt Dillon and Lili Taylor and Marisa Tomei carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "What matters most is how well you walk through the fire".
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Bent Hamer directs. John Christian Rosenlund behind the camera. Kristin Asbjørnsen scores. Pål Gengenbach cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in Norway, Germany, United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $1.0M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 2Released 21 years ago.
- 3International production across 3 countries: Norway, Germany, United States of America.
- 4Directed by Bent Hamer, shot by John Christian Rosenlund. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 5Original score by Kristin Asbjørnsen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 6Editor Pål Gengenbach shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 7Matt Dillon and Lili Taylor and Marisa Tomei carry the top of the cast.
- 8Marketing tagline: "What matters most is how well you walk through the fire".
- 9IMDB entry: tt0417658 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 10Classified under 14 themes, including "based on novel or book", "gambling", "horse race", "interview".
The technical file
- Cinematography
- John Christian Rosenlund
- Original score
- Kristin Asbjørnsen
- Editing
- Pål Gengenbach
- Production design
- Eve Cauley
- Costume design
- Tere Duncan
- Makeup / hair
- Sherry Heart
- Sound
- Petter Fladeby
- Stunt coordinator
- Eric D. Howell
- Runtime
- 94 min · 1h 34m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $1,000,000
- Box office
- $2,708,087
- Return
- 271% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- IMDB
- Factotum (2005)
Also by
Bent Hamer
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- BU
Bulbul Films
NO
- ST
StarkSales Inc.
US
Pandora Film
DE
ZDF/Arte
DE
Key crew
- ProducerJim Stark
- ProducerBent Hamer
- EditorPål Gengenbach
- NovelCharles Bukowski
- Executive ProducerChristine K. Walker
- Production DesignEve Cauley
- Sound DesignerPetter Fladeby
- Production Sound MixerJohn L. Sims Jr.
- Location ManagerShelli Ainsworth
- Costume DesignTere Duncan
- Key Hair StylistSherry Heart
- Makeup DesignerPatricia Regan
- Associate ProducerKarl Baumgartner
- Associate ProducerRainer Mockert
- Production ManagerDevorah DeVries
- Production SupervisorJason Cooper Hall
- First Assistant DirectorPaul B. Johnson
- Second Assistant DirectorEric D. Howell
- Associate ProducerMeinolf Zurhorst
- Associate ProducerPeter Nadermann
- Associate ProducerReinhold Elschot
- Local CastingLynn Blumenthal
- Stunt CoordinatorEric D. Howell
- StuntsPeter Moore
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- based on novel or book
- gambling
- horse race
- interview
- alcoholism
- strip club
- norway
- beautiful woman
- author
- los angeles, california
- writer
- alcoholic
- liquor store
- unemployment
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical2006-08-18R
