Inspired by Akira Kurosawa's 1963 film Entre le ciel et l'enfer (1963), which in turn was based on the novel "King's Ransom" by Evan Hunter (pen name of Ed McBain), part of McBain's "87th Precinct" series.
While many believe Jim Gaffigan is eating a Hot Pocket in his first scene, in an interview on Rick Eisen he confirms it's a 7-Eleven burrito and not a Hot Pocket. (Many know that he has a very well known joke about Hot Pockets.)
There was a deleted scene with Ronan Jessup and family. Aaralyn Anderson filmed the scene with Megan Byrne who played her mother. Aaralyn and Megan worked together previously on New Amsterdam.