Charlie McDowell directed his then girlfriend Rooney Mara and his mother Mary Steenburgen in this film.
Jason Segel claims that while filming, he would "watch a lot of movies of Robert Redford when he was my age" in his free time for inspiration. He says Three Days of the Condor (1975) was one of the most influential films on his acting for this role.
Shot in 25 days.
The majestic French Renaissance Revival Châteauesque style house (Seaview Terrace - a.k.a. Carey Mansion) used as Dr. Thomas Harbor's (Robert Redford) lodging and laboratory is better recognized for its exterior use (Collinwood) in the gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows" (1966).
The film was originally written to take place in a sleepy rural town area. Director Charlie McDowell and his team eventually rewrote the movie to fit the Newport, Rhode Island location because of how much they fell in love with the visuals in the area.