Kids in America (2005 film)
Encyclopedia
Kids in America is a 2005 film
directed by Josh Stolberg
. It was written by Andrew Shaifer and Josh Stolberg. The film is inspired by real events.
Holden Donovan (Gregory Smith) is fed up with Principal Weller (Julie Bowen
) who goes to great lengths to stop the students from exercising their right to free expression. She expels a young woman for passing out condoms and advocating safe sex on national “safe sex” day and suspends two boys who were kissing in the hallway. Meanwhile, she is running for the State Superintendent of school's, which will give her a chance to practice her brand of administration beyond Booker High School.
The students have an ally in Mr. Drucker (Malik Yoba) one of their teachers who encourages them to fight for their rights. He pays a price for his position and is fired by Principal Weller. He decides to use his dismissal to make a change of his own, by producing a documentary chronicling the experiences of students who are faced with similar issues.
As the story unfolds, Donovan befriends a group of kids including love interest Charlotte (Stephanie Sherrin), Lawrence, Chuck, Walanda, Emily(Emy Coligado,) and Katie. Together they organize the student body to take on Weller and make real change at Booker High.
During the end credits, Holden explains that in 1941, the film You're in the Army Now
boasts the longest onscreen kiss - 3 minutes and 5 seconds. Charlotte replies, "Are you ready ... to rewrite a little bit of film history?" They then kiss, while the end credits roll, for 5 minutes and 57 seconds. (DVD version)
Notably absent from the film's soundtrack is Kim Wilde
's 1980s pop hit "Kids in America
".
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
directed by Josh Stolberg
Josh Stolberg
Josh Stolberg is an American film director, screenwriter, and photographer. He won the Seashore Award and the Queen Spirit Award as a director of the film The Life Coach. He also wrote and directed the 2005 film Kids in America, as well as made a cameo appearance as a security guard in the film...
. It was written by Andrew Shaifer and Josh Stolberg. The film is inspired by real events.
Cast
- Gregory Smith – Holden Donovan
- Stephanie Sherrin – Charlotte Pratt
- Chris Morris – Chuck McGinn
- Caitlin WachsCaitlin WachsCaitlin Elizabeth Wachs is an American actress who has acted in several films and TV series. She appeared alongside Ally Walker and Robert Davi in Profiler, and played the president's daughter, Rebecca Calloway, on the series Commander in Chief....
– Katie Carmichael - Emy ColigadoEmy ColigadoEmy Coligado is an American actress, known for her role as Piama Tananahaakna on the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle.Coligado was born in Geneva, Ohio, and lived in Borger in the Texas Panhandle. She attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, where she studied psychology...
– Emily Chua - Crystal Celeste Grant – Walanda Jenkins
- Alex Anfanger– Lawrence Reitzer
- Julie BowenJulie BowenJulie Bowen is an American film and television actress. She played Carol Vessey on Ed and Denise Bauer on Boston Legal. She is best known for playing Claire Dunphy on the sitcom Modern Family, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011...
– Principal Weller - Malik YobaMalik YobaAbdul-Malik Kashie Yoba , better known by his stage name Malik Yoba, is an American actor and occasional singer. He is perhaps best known for his starring role as NYPD Detective J.C. Williams on the FOX police drama series New York Undercover or as Yul Brenner in Cool Runnings...
– Will Drucker - Andrew Shaifer – Kip Stratton
- Nicole RichieNicole RichieNicole Camille Richie is an American fashion designer, author, actress, singer and television personality. Her father was Peter Michael Escovedo, a musician who played for a brief time with Lionel Richie, and her mother Karen was the executive assistant for Sheila Escovedo...
– Kelly Stepford - Genevieve CorteseGenevieve CorteseGenevieve Padalecki is an American actress known for her breakout role on the television series Wildfire as Kris Furillo. She is also known for her recurring role in Supernatural as Ruby. She married Supernatural star Jared Padalecki in 2010.-Biography:Genevieve is of Italian, French and Flemish...
– Ashley Harris - George WendtGeorge WendtGeorge Robert Wendt III is an American actor, best known for the roles of Norm Peterson and Tug Clarke on the television shows Cheers and Modern Men.-Early life:...
– Coach Thompson - Adam ArkinAdam ArkinAdam Arkin is an American television, film and stage actor and director. He played the role of Aaron Shutt on Chicago Hope. He has been nominated for numerous awards, including a Tony as well as 3 primetime Emmys, 4 SAG Awards , and a DGA Award...
– Ed Mumsford - Jeff ChaseJeff ChaseJeff Chase is an American film and television actor.Chase was born Jeffrey L. Sniffen in Paterson, New Jersey. He married Kimberly Chase on January 5, 1991, and now lives in Clermont, Florida. Chase has one son, Cory Chase, born in 1998...
– Asst. Coach Fasso - Rosanna ArquetteRosanna ArquetteRosanna Lauren Arquette is an American actress, film director, and producer.-Early life:Arquette was born in New York City, the daughter of Brenda Olivia "Mardi" , an actress, poet, theater operator, activist, acting teacher, and therapist, and Lewis Arquette, an actor and director. Her paternal...
– Abby Pratt - Elizabeth PerkinsElizabeth PerkinsElizabeth Ann Perkins is an American actress. Her film roles have included Big, The Flintstones, Miracle on 34th Street, About Last Night..., and Avalon...
– Sondra Carmichael - Rakefet AbergelRakefet AbergelRakefet Abergel is an American actress and comedian based in the Los Angeles area. Her acting credits include movie roles in Superbad, Drillbit Taylor and My Best Friend's Girl as well as TV appearances on ER and My Name is Earl...
– Goth Girl - W. Earl BrownW. Earl BrownW. Earl Brown is an American character actor who has appeared in many mainstream film and television projects. He is perhaps best known as Dan Dority on the HBO series Deadwood...
– Boss McGinn - Rosalie WardRosalie WardRosalie Ward is an American actress, most known for her role as Sloane Capshaw in Saints & Sinners. Ward has also worked on several films such as Kids in America, Why Germany? and Palo Alto...
– Monica Rose - Charles ShaughnessyCharles ShaughnessyCharles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy , simply known as Charles Shaughnessy, is a British peer, and television, theatre and film actor. He is known for his roles on American television, as Shane Donovan on the soap opera Days of our Lives and as Maxwell Sheffield on the sitcom...
– Sergeant Carmichael - Kim ColesKim ColesKimberley "Kim" Coles is an American actress and comedian.-Career:Coles has appeared on many television shows, including Frasier , Six Feet Under, Celebrity Mole and The Geena Davis Show...
– Loretta Jenkins - Samantha MathisSamantha MathisSamantha Mathis is an American actress. The daughter of actress Bibi Besch, Mathis made her film debut in Pump Up the Volume , opposite Christian Slater...
– Jennifer Rose - Derek Webster – Police Officer #1
- Eamonn RocheEamonn RocheEamonn Roche is an American film and television actor.One of nine siblings, his father was the late actor Eugene Roche. One of his brothers, Brogan Roche, is an actor; another, Sean Roche, is a director....
– Police Officer #2 - Mary StrongMary StrongMary Strong is an American sports journalist. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University, where she was a full scholarship athlete on the women’s Division I volleyball team, and later spent time on the AVP pro-beach volleyball circuit....
– Reporter #1 - Derrick Jones – Reporter #2
- Suzanne KrullSuzanne Krull-Filmography:*Good Luck Charlie - Joyce*Mr. Sunshine *Desperate Housewives *General Hospital *That's So Raven - Dog Show Host*ER *Lost...
– Reporter #3 - Michelle PhillipsMichelle PhillipsMichelle Phillips is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She gained fame as a member of the 1960s group The Mamas & the Papas, and is the last surviving original member of the group.-Early life:...
– Singer - Rain PhoenixRain PhoenixRain Phoenix is an American actress, musician, and singer. Phoenix has four siblings: two brothers, actors Joaquin and the late River Phoenix, and two sisters, Summer and Liberty.-Early life:...
– Singer - Amy HillAmy HillAmy Marie Hill is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Mrs. DePaulo in That's So Raven, Mrs. Kwan in The Cat in the Hat, the Kylie Minogue-inspired singer, Penny Candy from The Puzzle Place, and the voice of Jasmine Lee Amy Marie Hill (born May 9, 1953) is an American...
– Mrs. Young (uncredited) - Josh StolbergJosh StolbergJosh Stolberg is an American film director, screenwriter, and photographer. He won the Seashore Award and the Queen Spirit Award as a director of the film The Life Coach. He also wrote and directed the 2005 film Kids in America, as well as made a cameo appearance as a security guard in the film...
– Security Guard (uncredited)
Synopsis
Based on real events, Kids In America is a teen dramedy about a diverse group of high school kids who band together to peacefully protest their principal's draconian infringement on their freedom of speech. Boasting an impressive cast of both established stars and new talent, "Kids" tackles such issues as sex education, freedom of speech, and responsibilities of peaceful protesting.Holden Donovan (Gregory Smith) is fed up with Principal Weller (Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen
Julie Bowen is an American film and television actress. She played Carol Vessey on Ed and Denise Bauer on Boston Legal. She is best known for playing Claire Dunphy on the sitcom Modern Family, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011...
) who goes to great lengths to stop the students from exercising their right to free expression. She expels a young woman for passing out condoms and advocating safe sex on national “safe sex” day and suspends two boys who were kissing in the hallway. Meanwhile, she is running for the State Superintendent of school's, which will give her a chance to practice her brand of administration beyond Booker High School.
The students have an ally in Mr. Drucker (Malik Yoba) one of their teachers who encourages them to fight for their rights. He pays a price for his position and is fired by Principal Weller. He decides to use his dismissal to make a change of his own, by producing a documentary chronicling the experiences of students who are faced with similar issues.
As the story unfolds, Donovan befriends a group of kids including love interest Charlotte (Stephanie Sherrin), Lawrence, Chuck, Walanda, Emily(Emy Coligado,) and Katie. Together they organize the student body to take on Weller and make real change at Booker High.
During the end credits, Holden explains that in 1941, the film You're in the Army Now
You're in the Army Now
You're in the Army Now is a 1941 comedy film starring Jimmy Durante, Phil Silvers, Jane Wyman, and Regis Toomey.It featured the longest kiss in film, lasting three minutes and six seconds until Elena Undone beat it by eighteen seconds.- Cast :...
boasts the longest onscreen kiss - 3 minutes and 5 seconds. Charlotte replies, "Are you ready ... to rewrite a little bit of film history?" They then kiss, while the end credits roll, for 5 minutes and 57 seconds. (DVD version)
Soundtrack
The movie contains the following songs:- "Bonnie Taylor Shakedown" - hellogoodbyeHellogoodbyeHellogoodbye is a power pop band that was formed in Huntington Beach, California in 2001 by singer Forrest Kline. They were signed to Drive-Thru Records and released their first full-length album Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! in 2006, in addition to their previously released EP Hellogoodbye...
- Freedom Ain't Free" - Crystal Celeste Grant and Steve Kim
- "False Alarm" - The Hometeam
- "Hands 2 tha Pump" - Da Digger
- "You Are My Friend" - Brownskin
- "Welcome to My World" - Nerf HerderNerf HerderNerf Herder is a punk rock band from Santa Barbara formed in 1994 by Parry Gripp , Charlie Dennis and Steve Sherlock . They describe themselves as a "geek rock" band, and are known for simplistic modern punk-style songs with frequently humorous, juvenile and pop-culture-referencing lyrics...
- "Race Cars" - AllisterAllisterAllister is an American pop punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The four-piece formed in 1996 and were one of the first bands to sign to Drive-Thru Records...
- "Change the World" - An AngleAn AngleAn Angle was an indie rock band from Sacramento, California. At the center of this group was singer-songwriter Kris Anaya. The band was signed to Drive-Thru Records...
- "It Ain't Right" - IlonaIlonaIlona is a female given name of Hungarian origin, though uncertain etymology. It may have descended from the Magyar form of the Greek given name Helen, said to translate as "light".....
- "Remembering Britt" - Day at the FairDay at the FairDay at the Fair were a pop punk band from Jefferson, New Jersey. They were signed to Rushmore Records.-History:Emerging from the remnants of the two now defunct bands Lanemeyer and Humble Beginnings, Day at the Fair started as a half-electric, half-acoustic recording project...
- "Sesame Smeshame" - The Early NovemberThe Early NovemberThe Early November is an American rock band from Hammonton, New Jersey. The group formed in 1999 and signed with Drive-Thru Records in 2002. , they have released two EPs , as well as two full-length albums...
- "Anthem" - Trevor Hall
- "Sunday in the Public Restroom with George" - Rand Singer, Alex Anfanger and Chris Morris
- "Symphony" - I Am the AvalancheI Am the Avalanche-History:I Am the Avalanche was formed by vocalist Vinnie Caruana after the break-up of his previous band The Movielife, and followed his short stint playing in Head Automatica....
- "She Rules the School" - Daniel Cieral
- "I Want You" - James BluntJames BluntJames Hillier Blount , better known by his stage name James Blunt, is an English singer-songwriter and musician, and former army officer, whose debut album, Back to Bedlam and single releases, including "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover", brought him to fame in 2005...
- "If You Were HereQuick Step and Side KickQuick Step and Side Kick is the third album by the British synthpop group Thompson Twins. It was released in February 1983, and was their first album to be released as a trio...
" - Thompson TwinsThompson TwinsThe Thompson Twins were a British pop group that were formed in April 1977 and disbanded in May 1993. They achieved considerable popularity in the mid 1980s, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States and around the globe. The band was named after the two bumbling detectives... - "Moving in StereoMoving in Stereo"Moving in Stereo" is a song originally recorded by the American rock band The Cars, featuring lead vocals by Benjamin Orr. It appeared on their self-titled debut album released in 1978...
" - The CarsThe CarsThe Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson... - "Exit, Emergency" - Houston CallsHouston CallsHouston Calls was an American power pop/punk band, based in Rockaway, New Jersey. They formed in 2003 and were signed to Drive-Thru Records. On June 9, 2009 they announced their official breakup.-Formation :...
- "My Sleep Pattern Changed" - The Early NovemberThe Early NovemberThe Early November is an American rock band from Hammonton, New Jersey. The group formed in 1999 and signed with Drive-Thru Records in 2002. , they have released two EPs , as well as two full-length albums...
- "Knights of the Island Counter" - David Melillo
- "Letters to Summer" - The Track Record
- "U and Left Turns" - Socratic
- "Bad" - IlonaIlonaIlona is a female given name of Hungarian origin, though uncertain etymology. It may have descended from the Magyar form of the Greek given name Helen, said to translate as "light".....
- "The Bad TouchThe Bad Touch"The Bad Touch" is the first single by the Bloodhound Gang of their 1999 album Hooray for Boobies. It was released in 1999 internationally and, a year later, in the US and UK. The song was also remixed by God Lives Underwater and Eiffel 65. Like much of the Bloodhound Gang's other music, the song...
" - The Bloodhound GangThe Bloodhound GangThe Bloodhound Gang may be a reference to:*The Bloodhound Gang , a segment on the program 3-2-1 Contact*The Bloodhound Gang, a band that took its name from the TV show segment... - "Sydney" - HalifaxHalifax (band)Halifax is a four-piece rock band from Thousand Oaks, California. They formed in 2003 and currently are signed with Rocket Science Records. On their Myspace page the band announced that they will not be going with Drive-Thru Records on their 2009 release but are shipping the album off to other labels...
- "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"It's the End of the World as We Know It " is a song by the rock band R.E.M., which appeared on their 1987 album Document, the 1988 compilation Eponymous, and the 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S Years 1982–1987...
" - R.E.M.R.E.M.R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's... - "Somewhere on Fullerton" - AllisterAllisterAllister is an American pop punk band from Chicago, Illinois. The four-piece formed in 1996 and were one of the first bands to sign to Drive-Thru Records...
- "One More Won't Hurt" - Houston CallsHouston CallsHouston Calls was an American power pop/punk band, based in Rockaway, New Jersey. They formed in 2003 and were signed to Drive-Thru Records. On June 9, 2009 they announced their official breakup.-Formation :...
- "All Our Words" - Long Since Forgotten
- "Summertime" - Brother LoveBrother Love (artist)Brother Love, also known as Larry Florman, is perhaps the first artist to receive truly large-scale recognition through his involvement in podsafe music...
Notably absent from the film's soundtrack is Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde
Kim Wilde is an English pop singer, author and television presenter who burst onto the music scene in 1981 with the number 2 UK Singles Chart new wave classic "Kids in America". In 1987 she had a major hit in the United States when her version of The Supremes' classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On"...
's 1980s pop hit "Kids in America
Kids in America (song)
"Kids in America" is a New Wave song by British singer Kim Wilde, released in the United Kingdom as her debut single in January 1981, and in the US in 1982. It has famously been covered by many artists from different genres.-Background:...
".