In a scene where they have a fight, Sharon Stone hit Ben Foster so hard that his nose started bleeding. He told her to do so, because he said the scene needed to be as realistic as possible.
To prepare for his role in this movie, Ben Foster asked one of his friends who is an ex-meth addict for guidance. The friend introduced him to a group of people who gave Foster an all-access pass into the lifestyle.
During filming, Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Ronald J. Zonen provided copies of virtually every document in his file on the real life case and served as an unpaid consultant to the film.
Ben Foster risked his sight for the movie by adding glaucoma drops to his eyes for much of the shoot to dilate his pupils, making him appear to be high. He'd hide in the bushes at night and cover his eyes between takes to keep the lights from shining into them. He would also talk to writer/director Nick Cassavetes with his eyes closed.
The film begins with actual home video footage of some of the cast members when they were children. Anton Yelchin is the last child shown.