Reviews (149)

Raunchy, funny, but repetitive. And not for the kids.
"Bad Santa" is a movie from that dirty magazine row tucked in the back of gas stations: It is thrilling, and funny, and eventually a little tiresome and disappointing, to watch Billy Bob Thornton play a degenerate, drunk thief masquerading as a department store Santa Claus. Appropriately named Willie T. Stokes, Thornton achieves a kind of white trash zen, slurring, stumbling and cursing his way through nativity sets.

And Willie's just the jumping off point. "Bad Santa" is a comedy cast like a noir picture, where every player reveals a touch of the bizarre. There's Willie's dwarf partner (Tony Cox), a fat kid who takes to Willie as a father figure and Willie's Jewish girlfriend (Lauren Graham), who has a Santa fetish. Bernie Mac and John Ritter have smaller, goofy roles as department store employees; the late Ritter, sadly, is again cast as a nebbish, probably gay man for no particular reason and to little avail.

The humor is repeatedly pitched at basic crassness, or maybe just a notch above, as Thornton and his co-stars run the same gags into the ground; there are only so many ways the dwarf can verbally dress down Willie, or Willie dress down the kids. Some scenes border on scatological "Who's On First?" routines. Terry Zwigoff's direction is painfully flat and amateurish for a guy who made "Ghost World."

The idea, of course, is to offer perfectly intelligent, affluent adults a bargain-budget 90 minutes to indulge in the communal loathing of precious tykes and holiday materialism while extolling the virtues of loose women, cheap whiskey and stone cold burglary - essentially a middle finger to the very suburbanites that will be among its biggest fans. If your SUV can handle an evening in the cold, there are worse ways to get over yourself.

Note: "Bad Santa" has drawn some fire from Christian conservatives for debunking that long held Christmas myth that, apparently, Santa and Jesus are long lost buds. That couldn't be better publicity for a movie like this.

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE DARK COMEDY
If you love comedy, especially dark comedy then this is the movie for you. When I first saw the commerical on TV I knew I had to see this movie and I was right- it was excellent. Movies arent meant to be the same and I have never seen a Santa like this before!!!! It's a collectible item if you ask me and a must have. People with a sense of humor shouldn't miss it.

FEARLESSLY BAWDY BUT FUNNY
Bad Santa has many crass gags, it almost drags you into a dark alley of tasteless humour and thrashes you up. Imagine Billy Bob Thorton in a comic lead role, tough to visualize. But the man is bloody hilarious! Some parts are better scripted than others, but for a film that's so determined NOT to have a heart, it does surprise you with one. A wonderfully perverse treat that goes by in a flash, so it can't be all that bad any way. Recommended!

The funniest movie ive seen in a long time
this movie is god awful funny, if you have a problem with sex or language this movie is in no way for you. For all of the rest of us, this movie is hilarious. Billy Bob Thorton is funny as hell throughout the whole movie and you will be quoting him for weeks after. please, if you dont mind language or sex, watch this movie, you will love it.

A Funny Contrast to The Christmas Story
It's true, most reviews I have seen, they have described "Bad Santa" as a Christmas movie for cynics. Billy Bob Thornton takes a huge risk with the leading role, as a hard drinking, swearing, unkempt department store Santa with a fetish for plus-size women.
Let me be completely frank...although I admit most kids nowadays have been seasoned with the F-word, I think the language in the movie alone would dissuade most parents from screening it for young children. This is for adults, folks. Anyway, Bad Santa teams up with his partner, Marcus (who masquerades as a black elf) to rob department stores every Christmas. They have an interesting modus operandi..get jobs at the mall at Christmas time as Santa and elf, break in after hours, and abscond with the store's safe contents and assorted loot. Next season, different city, different mall, and so on. Thornton's Santa, real name Willie, is portrayed with no redemptive qualities. He is talked every year into the robbery scheme by his diminutive partner Marcus. Let's face it..Willie is only good at two things..drinking and safe cracking. The fact that Willie can barely tolerate people and hates children creates a great deal of comedy in itself. His exchanges with the children who sit on his lap and the department store manager (well played by the late John Ritter)are both shocking and funny in their audacity.
Anyway, through a bizarre set of circumstances involving a young boy (it was a stroke of genius for the director to cast the child as a fat, socially inept stalker) and a kinky bargirl who has a fetish for Santas, Willie goes through a slight reformation..sort of. Don't get me wrong..there are no "It's a Wonderful Life" brush strokes of cinema in here. "Bad Santa" knows why some people spend Christmas in bars..and gets more than a few twisted laughs from its observations. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

All films take a certain suspension of disbelief. Fight Club takes perhaps more than others, but if you're willing to let yourself get caught up in the anarchy, this film, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, isa modern-day morality play warning ofthe decay of society. Edward Norton is the unnamed protagonist, a man going through life on cruise control, feeling nothing. To fill his hours, he begins attending support groups and 12-step meetings. True, he isn't actually afflicted with the problems, but he finds solace in the groups. This is destroyed, however, when he meets Marla (Helena Bonham Carter), also faking her way through groups. Spiraling back into insomnia, Norton finds his life is changed once again, by a chance encounter with Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), whose forthright style and no-nonsense way of taking what he wants appeal to our narrator. Tyler and the protagonist find a new way to feel release: they fight. They fight each other, and then as others are attracted to their ways, they fight the men who come to join their newly formed Fight Club. Marla begins a destructive affair with Tyler, and things fly out of control, as Fight Club grows into a nationwide fascist group that escapes the protagonist's control.

Fight Club, directed by David Fincher (Seven), is notfor the faint of heart; the violence is no holds barred. But the film is captivating and beautifully shot, with some thought-provoking ideas. Pitt and Norton are an unbeatable duo, and the film has some surprisingly humorous moments. The film leaves you with a sense of profound discomfort and a desire to see it again, if for no other reason than to just to take it all in. --Jenny Brown ... Read more

Reviews (1184)

This Movie is Why "Professional" Critics Must Go
I didn't see this movie in the theaters because it had gotten very mixed reviews from the so-called professional movie reviewers. But, when it hit the local vidoe store, I thought I would give it a try. WOW, what a kick in the teeth, interesting, and fast moving journey into one man's mind. The path this movie takes is fantastic.

Norton and Pitt are perfectly cast, and supported by a crew of fight club members that make for a well-acted show. Meatloaf, Ed Gil, Jared Leto, et. al. are great in support as the members/followers of the leads. Helena Bonham Carter has the only real female role in this film and is perfectly cast. But as much as the acting, this movie is made by the story. Unconventional, with a great twist at the end, the whole movie kept me on the edge of my seat. As with many great movies, it is hard to classify the genre (action, comedy, drama), as there is a sampling of all in this film. In the end, I would just classify this as a great film.

Much was made of the violence of this movie when it first hit the theaters. Those critics overstated the case. There is blood and violence in the movie, but it is not excessive and it serves the plot well.

If you missed this in the theater, see it now. If you saw it once, see it again. I will.

Fight Club-another reason to own a DVD player.
If any DVD was produced on the same level as the Terminator 2 Ultimate Edition and the Toy Story 3-Disc box set, it is this DVD. Fight Club is not only a VERY well produced DVD, but the supplemental material will keep you busy for LITERALLY hours. You will finally have a reason to 'break in' that angle button on your remote. As a story, Fight Club takes a more cerebral approach to ones thought processes. Containing many cool effects, Fight Club may make the average movie viewer pop a few Excedrins while trying to figure out the point of the film. While many may finish the movie in total confusion, mostly everyone will agree that Fight Club is a unique movie experience. When I received the DVD package, I was instantly impressed with the graphic design of the outer package, the discs themselves and the booklet that is included. Initially, this DVD comes off as a "special edition" rather then a simple "movie release on DVD". Whoever created the graphics on the cover and throughout the booklet has a very active imagination. Disc one has the film, disc two has the supplemental material. ** Pause the third FBI WARNING at the beginning of the disc....it is quite funny** Disc one offers you your usual "chapters" choices with 'moving' scenes (like The Matrix), audio setup for Dolby surround for both a 2 speaker setups and 5.1 setups in English and Spanish. This is also a THX certified DVD, so it includes a THX setup screen. Disc one also gives you the choice of several audio commentaries to listen to throughout the film, including David Fincher, Bradd Pitt, Ed Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, the novelist and the screenwriter, the Director of Photography, Visual Effects Supervisor and a couple of others. In a nutshell, you have a choice to listen to A LOT of people, a great addition to this DVD. Picture quality of Fight Club was incredible. Overall, the picture is moody and dark with beautiful blacks and wonderful color detail. It is beautifully photographed with incredible shadow detail and crystal clear highlights. Sound quality was equally impressive. Being THX certified, you can expect nothing less then awesome. Edward Nortons voice-over sounds very live, as though he's sitting right in front of you. The sound has beautiful detail, with stereo separation being impressively realistic and the music and dialogue recorded incredibly well. Surround detail is amazing with some scenes having deep bass that will make the neighbors call the cops. Disc two will stay in your DVD player for a long time. The supplemental material includes crew and cast information. behind the scenes of the production, the visual effects and on-location footage with commentaires and multiple angles.......WOW! Disc two also contains seven deleted scenes as well as trailers, TV spots, music videos, an interview with Edward Norton and a bunch of storyboards, visual effects stills, paintings and many other additions to keep your fingers happy on that remote. The Producers of this DVD should be applauded....not only is the picture and sound quality top-notch, but the graphical elements and the supplemental materials included are fantastic and incredibly entertaining. I highly recommend this DVD for those who enjoyed this movie in the theatre, who are curious about the film, or those simply interested in seeing what a superb DVD release is all about. Enjoy!

Not bad, but...
OK, blend Matrix, Guy Richi, and Osama Bin Laden and you get a masterpiece? A funny comedy, not more. Fight Club is brilliant in the beginning with all that satire, but when it gets philosophical, I felt like I have seen this before.

Famous Fight Club quote.
"F*** Martha Stewart. Martha's polishing the brass on the Titanic; it's all going down, man."

-- She just 5 months in prison and 5 months of home confinement. Isn't it wierd how much of this film has been almost prophetic?

Outstanding commentaries
All the commentaries you could want, and they're all great. The actor's commentary is at least as entertaining as the film. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Roger is cynical but also mysteriously charming
Quentin Tarantino is the most recent director who taught us the importance of a good opening scene for a movie, through classics such as Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction.

Dylan Kidd appears to be a very capable student, opening his directorial debut, titled Roger Dodger, with a remarkable scene, a dialogue that actually turns into a monologue of our lead character. In that scene, Roger (Campbell Scott), a successful advertiser and probably equally successful womanizer, states why, according to his beliefs, men will become totally unnecessary for women in the very near future.

After such a strong intro, it is a challenge for every director to keep the attention of the viewer at the same level for the rest of the way. Still, Kidd seems to be up to the task, giving us a really absorbing movie. Be warned though: Roger Dodger is a dialogue driven movie. There is not much action here.

The film gets started when Roger's nephew (Jesse Eisenberg) suddenly visits, and asks Roger to tell him about the secrets of love - or, if you prefer, to help him get his first sexual experience. Roger will accept the challenge, promising a "fail safe" method, and a long night will begin. Their ride includes a visit to a bar where two attractive but also willing to talk women (Elizabeth Berkley, Jennifer Beals) are added to their company, an (uninvited) visit to a party by Roger's employer and ex-girlfriend (Isabella Rossellini), who has made perfectly clear that she does not want to socialize with him any more, and a final surprise visit, where the climax of the film is set.

Most of the film's dialogues regard sex and the relations between men and women. Roger's philosophy in advertising is to humiliate people, make them feel bad about themselves, and then offer some kind of product to "cure" their unhappiness. In real life, his philosophy is not much different. At least in the first half. Being totally cynical, he won't hesitate to degrade others not taking into consideration their feelings. In some cases, this tactic will give him an advantage, allowing him to find others unprepared and manipulate their weaknesses. In other cases though, things are not that sunny... On the other hand, his nephew, probably because he is still young and inexperienced in life, expresses views that are much more honest and romantic. This, has Roger, his presumable mentor, waiting on the sidelines, not being able to do much.

Campbell Scott, who plays Roger, is absolutely convincing. He says all his lines without trying too much. He also shows a considerable amount of charm, which makes him likable, even if we know that this in not the correct reaction toward a character like his. From the supporting roles, only Elizabeth Berkley (Saved by the bell if I remember correctly) is not totally up to the rest cast's high standards, having a tendency to goggle her eyes way too often.

Kidd's direction is live, with a penetrating camera that is in constant motion, like the eyes of its main character. That would probably tire a few viewers, but in my humble opinion, fits perfectly with the film's atmosphere.

If we would like to locate weaknesses in Roger Dodger, those have nothing to do with the views of our main character. As a matter of fact, Kidd comments indirectly about them, by giving us a glimpse of Roger's personal life. The problem is that the film is concentrated too much on the dialogue, not giving much of a chance to its characters to develop satisfactorily as complete human beings. And that is the case even for Roger. We get to hear a few things about his family, which, if further analyzed, would probably explain his behavior. Still, all those references are left there hanging. And that's a pity.

In any case, we forgive Roger because he managed to win us from the opening minute!

Campbell Scott plays a Lounge Lizard
In "Roger Dodger," Roger (played by Campbell Scott) is the man who has all the answers--or so he thinks. When we first see Roger, he is both entertaining and appalling workmates in a bar with his "World According to Roger" philosophy--and this philosophy includes his views on women (bedworthy or not), relationships (short and they begin in a bar), and sexuality (Roger thinks he's a stud).

While Roger appears to have an answer for everything, he can't take "no" for an answer when it's delivered to him, so when a woman rejects Roger's continued advances, Roger's self-confidence spirals just enough for him to decide to recoup his pride by impressing his 16 year old nephew, Nick (Jesse Eisenberg).

Nick seeks his Uncle Roger's advice about women and sex, and Roger is only too happy to oblige, and throughout the remainder of the film, Roger spouts his views and pontificates to Nick who is innocent and naive enough not to question his uncle's tried-and-true methods of picking up women EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

Just how Uncle Roger sets out to 'teach' his nephew a few tricks, is very, very funny, and while Roger's snide approach is intended to humiliate Nick at every turn, Roger's nastiness always has a way of backfiring. This is not a good 'date' film--or a film to watch if you are easily offended. There are some scenes--talk mostly--which include frank sexuality. If you enjoyed "The Company of Men," and "Red Meat," you will probably also enjoy "Roger Dodger." Isabella Rossellini also stars as Roger's patient--yet rather fed-up boss, and Jennifer Beals plays a girl who Roger and Nick meet in a bar. The dialogue of the film is very witty and fast, and you really have to pay attention to catch it all--displacedhuman--Amazon Reviewer--

Say What?
Great dialogue and perfect casting made this film work so well. "Roger Dodger" made me realize that in our ADD-plagued world, people don't listen very well. What a shame, though a sharp tongue can be your downfall along with the habit of botching the dreams of others. Lots going on here and a clever resolution at the end is unexpectedly welcome-nearly perfect.

Michael Duranko
www.bootism.com

A Rodger Dodger In An Age Of Politically Correct Repression
This is a fun "art house" movie. Fun because the script is tight and the acting top notch and you know from the start you are in the hands of a good director. Just the kind of thing you want from a night at an art house: not a message movie like many such films but instead in-your-face film making - and three cheers for that. Campbell Scott plays the smooth player who tutors his nephew Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) on how to get laid. The action takes place mostly in one night of bar and party hopping. This script is so good that any bar lizard could learn from the lines and strategy used by Scott's character. Scott's character is an accomplished and dedicated player who never sees the wrong in his ways and that is the delicious and honest part of the film. One review talked about the player venting his anger at women but my take was that he stayed in control the entire movie, venting naturally (and within limits) when he was thrown over by his boss/lover. Like him or hate him, the player is a pro from beginning to end. The viewer has to decide whether he likes or dislikes women. In the final analysis what matters is how well Campbell Scott's character plays the game and he is a rodger dodger in an age of Politically Correct repression. How refreshing! Five stars out of five.

crackling dialogue with good performances
A film by Dylan Kidd

The movie opens with Roger (Campbell Scott) sitting in a café with his coworkers and speaking exactly what is on his mind and the topic is women and how destructive women will be to men and a male society. This is interesting stuff and perfectly shows just how far out there Roger is and what his point of view is on life and women. He really believes what he is saying.

After he is dumped by his lover, who happens to be his boss, Roger returns to his office at work and finds his nephew Nick (Jesse Eisenberg) standing there, waiting. With a little bit of prompting, Roger takes Nick out on the town with the intent on teaching Nick about women and to help Nick with his first "conquest". What we have is a mixing of Nick's hesitant, nervous innocence with Roger's scorn, confidence, and perhaps even distaste for women as anything but an object to acquire.

Considering what the subject matter is, I did not expect to like this movie very much. I was surprised. The dialogue is sharp, and it is easy to see why this movie was produced, the screenplay must have been a real gem to find. Visually, "Roger Dodger" is not much to look at, but the performances and the dialogue help it to rise above what it could have been. "Roger Dodger" also co-stars Isabella Rossellini and Elizabeth Berkley.

-Joe Sherry ... Read more

Amazon.com

Todd Solondz, director of the acclaimed Welcome to the Dollhouse and the controversial Happiness, continues pushing the envelope of social decorum with the merciless and casually cruel Storytelling, his most ruthless satire of suburban complacency. Broken into two unrelated chapters, "Fiction" follows college girl Selma Blair through a degrading encounter with her resentful writing teacher (Robert Wisdom), while the more sprawling and scattershot "Non-Fiction" circles around the mutual exploitation of a fumbling documentary filmmaker (Paul Giamatti doing a near-parody of director Solondz) and his clueless subject, a suburban high school slacker named Scooby (Mark Webber). The squirmy laughs are laced with humiliation and the satire is acidic and cynical; in the world of Solondz, victims and victimizers alike are petty, selfish, vindictive, and thoughtless, and empathy is strictly rationed. Though sharply written and well directed, this misanthropic vision is strictly for daring filmgoers and Solondz fans. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (61)

"Mandingo" and "Reality TV"
Although this third film by Todd Solondz is not as good as "Welcome To The Dollhouse" or "Happiness", it still smacks of satirical cynicism. Inexplicably split into two films ('Fiction', 'Non-fiction'), we are first presented with a twenty minute film about community college level 'writing', in which, a young woman has a confrontational and sexual sparring with the black, 'mandingo' teacher. It's all meant to be a comment on hypocritical racists in education. It culminates in an outrageous sex encounter that is literally 'blocked' by a large red rectangle (taboo emphasis). It's moderately entertaining.

The second part of the film is more complex. Without exposing too much of the plot, it involves (as "Happiness" did) classism, racism, sexism, oh hell, any 'ism' you could imagine. But it works. It is simply a story of an upper middle class American family with the 2.5 kids and the proper suburban parents with a perfect son, the 'imperfect' son and the 'baby'. Kudos to John Goodman and Julie Haggerdy for participating in this movie. They bring life and legitimacy to their roles. Solondz filmed this well before "reality TV" was popular, and that is the premise. While the imperfect son is being secretly filmed for a documentary, the family struggles through it's own unusually tragic existence (the youngest of the three sons is the 'Brady Bunch brat' we always thought we wanted to see as evil). Needless to say, Solondz produces many shocks and surprises along the way. The trip is wildly entertaining, but the finale may leave the viewer distraught. Not that the story is poorly conceived or arranged, but simply that the ending is horribly, terribly depressing. It still good enough to recommend. I consider that a rare accomplishment for any film-maker.

3 Stars for Part 2: "Non-Fiction"
When I was a kid "story-telling" was a nice way of saying someone was lying. And even though I will not make the obvious jump and say the Todd Solondz is lying in "Storytelling," I will say that he is at least disingenuous and at worst a fraud.
"Storytelling" is broken up into two parts: "Fiction," starring Selma Blair as a college writing student in love with a fellow student, who has Cerebral Palsy and "Non-Fiction," starring John Goodman, patriarch of a family of mis-fits and neurotics; one of whom is his slacker son Scooby, who wants to become the next Conan O'Brian (!) but refuses to study and apply to college.
The "Fiction" section of the film is noteworthy only in that the writing professor states( and I am paraphrasing here): When you begin to write about something, whether it be "true" or not...it becomes fiction. A pretty interesting comment resonating with meaning and subtext which is totally unlike the movie that surrounds it. The acting is flat, non reactional and amateurish with Selma Blair coming off worst. This role and her performance in it is merely an extension of her histrionics and whining in "Cruel Intentions." Painful.
The "Non-Fiction" section of this film is another story: there's some meat here to grab on to with Paul Giamatti playing a down-on-his-luck documentary film maker who convinves John Goodman that his slacker son, Scooby would be the perfect star of a docu-drama centering on the "alienated youth of the suburbs" Solondz is at his best here and the dead-pan dialogue and situations ring true and yet are subversive and thought-provoking.
"Storytelling" would have been a much better film had Solondz decided to hack off the "Fiction" section and extend the second. "Storytelling" may tarnish the Solondz mantel a bit, but for those of us who can appreciate the incendiary nature of his wit, we still have "Happiness" and "Welcome to the Dollhouse" to keep us warm until the next Solondz film is released.

Brilliant vision of how to tell a story¿
The mode of portraying a tale is in focus in Storytelling through two different stories that are disconnected, yet associated to one another, as one deals with the fictional and the other the non-fictional. In the first part, Fiction, Vi (Selma Blair) is in a relationship with Marcus (Leo Fitzpatrick) who suffers from cerebral palsy and both are attending the same university. Vi and Marcus are currently enrolled in the same creative writing class where the students scrutinize each other's writing. Fiction exposes how personal experiences are turned into writing, which is callously slaughtered by judgmental readers as they their own set of values to the cerebral playing field of literature.

The second part of Storytelling, Non-fiction, illiterates the reality of the world as Scooby Livingston (Mark Webber) perceives it. Scooby lives in a upper-class bubble protected by his ruling father, Marty (John Goodman), where Scooby is constantly asked, "what are you going to do with your life?" This endless questioning of Scooby's future seems to have been stressful for him as he has sunk into a zombie-like state. Scooby escapes reality through smoking pot or chewing down a couple of mushrooms where he flees into dreams of working as a co-host with David Letterman. The day when a shoe salesman, who aspires to make film, visits Scooby's high school in order to make a documentary about the process of entering college Scooby believes that this is his chance to make connections in the world of media. However, when the documentary comes along it begins to depict the dream-like world in which Scooby lives in.

Storytelling is a clever film that displays the symbiosis between the audience and the storyteller, which is meticulously directed by Solondz. Solondz depicts the power of the audience to choose what to believe and what to disregard if it is not portrayed in an manner that the audience can accept. In addition, Solondz offers a notion of how the power of storytelling can sway an audience's convictions in a chosen direction if carefully planned. In a sense Storytelling is a philosophical film in regards to film and film making, which can be derived from the economics, politics, and the arts. Yet, the philosophical debate of Storytelling is deep beneath the surface as the audience must use a dialectic approach in order to reach it. Nonetheless, Storytelling offers a terrific cinematic experience as it offers the audience to choose whether to sink into thought or merely enjoy the ride.

Look Again
If you strongly dislike this movie, I suggest reading Crowley's scathing early reviews of Faulkner; then read Crowley's later praise of the same works. Initially, Crowley was appalled by what he projected as Faulkner's baseness. Eventually he came to apprehend Faulkner's genius to see, describe, and even love 'man.' For me, the film is upsetting because the gaze is unbroken and the subjects are living/struggling in the world. Like Faulkner, Solondz is looking at his time. His view point is not ridiculing (that view is delt with in young pill to the right of the prof).

Interesting work.
Storytelling is an interesting movie that portrays the contemporary North American society.

It emphasizes the pitiful importance of the individual as the stem of a civilization; The mistaken use of woman's sexuality as a way to communicate love, pity, confusion and anger; reflects the worth that society has given to women as objects and shows the deep divisions between people of different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Racism and the outcast of minorities are other elements shown but the most shocking issue is the dominant influence of media in our own lives. A single minute of fame and popularity could be worth the permanent loss of our values, personal convictions and even the lives of our most beloved ones.

A movie with content and meaning. ... Read more

Description

When college drop-out Ross becomes the local crystal meth cook's personal driver in exchange for free drugs, he has no idea what he's in for. Starring: John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge, Empire), Brittany Murphy (8 Mile, Just Married), Mena Suvari (American Beauty, American Pie),Jason Schwartzman (Slackers, Rushmore), Patrick Fugit (Almost Famous, White Oleander), Debbie Harry (lead singer of rock group "Blondie"), Mickey Rourke (The Pledge, Get Carter),Eric Roberts (National Security, TV's "Less Than Perfect"). ... Read more

Reviews (71)

I've been Spun!!!
"Spun" is a fascinating journey into the lives of LA drug addicts. Director Jonas Akerlund has created a frantic nightmarish world that is both funny and disturbing at the same time, and never ever boring.Rounding out Akerlund's frenetic visual style is his amazing cast. It's true that this film is chock-full of unsavory drug addicts who you wouldn't want to give a ... for, but every single one of these actors portraying them are so entertaining to watch, that you won't mind a bit spending this 90 minutes with them. First and foremost...MICKEY ROURKE! This is by far Mickey's best role. He plays the Cook, a hulking [person] with his own meth lab he runs out of a motel room. He supplies the schlep rock Ross (the wonderful Jason Schwartzman) with speed as long as he, in turn, drives him and his stripper girlfriend (brilliantly played by Brittany Murphy) around in his car whenever they need it. These drives include trips to the gas station for "ingredients," visits to the porn store, beer runs and chauffeuring Nikki back and forth to the strip club for work. And the bulk of the film carries on this way, focusing on this bizarre friendship, clouded by rail after rail of crystal meth. But like I said, you can't take your eyes off of this cast, no matter how covered they are with sores and blemishes. Everyone is simply outstanding!!!!Rounding out the cast are John Leguizamo as Spider Mike, a dealer, and Patrick Fugit and Mena Suvari as speed freaks who hole themselves up in his house, awaiting their next drug feast. Also, there's Peter Stormare and Alexis Arquette as a couple of cranked out cops, Deborah Harry as Ross' lesbian neighbor with a great interest in martial arts and Eric Roberts as...well, you'll just have to see....On top of that, there're also plenty of cameos from Rob Halford and Billy Corgan, so keep your eyes open. "Spun" is an absolute visual spectacle, and further proof that even music video directors can make good movies.

A weird and twisted but hilarious drug-movie!
The Swedish music-video director Jonas Åkerlund gives us a movie about drugs. It is heavily inspired by greater drug-movies like "Trainspotting" (1996) and "Requiem For A Dream" (2000). But unlike most of the drug-movies I've seen earlier, "Spun" has no moral or deep meaning and message, it's just a film made to entertain and make you laugh. And it SURE made ME laugh...

Just as I wrote in the first line...this film is about drugs. It's hard to find a real plot in this film. It's just about people doing drugs, especially Speed (the word "Spun" means to be affected by Speed), and the their messed-up lives and everyday situations, seen through drug-affection. But while "Spun" doesn't have a real story, it has a some other qualities to offer: funny and well-created characters, good actors, a good soundtrack and A LOT of funny scenes and situations (it is bizarre humor though, that may not be recommended for everyone).

The main character Ross (played by Jason Schwartzman) is mostly a "ordinary" drug-abuser trapped in the sick world of drugs. But the other characters are funny, interesting and original. And the actors gives us these unrealistic, and sometimes almost cartoon-like characters, through some good acting. Characters like Spider Mike, played by John Leguizamo, a man I usually hate to see on the screen, and Frisbee, played by Patrick Fugit are highlights. But the one I will be remembering is Mickey Rourke in his role as The Cook (the one who's cooking up all the drugs). I could try to describe him, but it would have taken up too much space. You just have to see him for yourself...funniest character and performance of the film. Brittany Murphy is not only good-looking in this film, she's doing a good performance as the stripper Nikki. And let's not forget about Peter Stormare and Alexis Arquette, who shows up as some weird characters in some of the craziest scenes in the whole film.

One thing that can be said about this film, is that it's weird. You can tell that Jonas Åkerlund is used to directing music-videos, because it may feel like a long music-video at times. And sometimes the film is so twisted that you just have to ask yourself "what the hell is going on on the screen??!!". To make this a "different" comedy, the director uses the style of fast-editing, experimental camera-work and the sometimes very shocking pictures, that was seen in Darren Aronofsky's drug-masterpiece "Requiem For A Dream" (2000). But the problem is that it's being over-used.

I want to use a little comparison to the British film "Human Traffic" (1999). When I saw "Human..." I felt like the film was trying as hard as it could, to be like Danny Boyle's "Trainspotting" (1996). It failed miserably, and in the end I thought it was a bad movie. Now, when I watched "Spun" I felt like it was trying to do the same thing with "Requiem...". It didn't fail the same way as "Human..." though, but it is not even close to being comparable with "Requiem For A Dream". However, "Spun" makes it up with all the humor, and the fact that it is more of the "mindless fun" kind of comedy, that "Human Traffic" wasn't. But as I mentioned earlier, I think the style of the film (which was perfectly used in "Requiem For A Dream") is over-used, and became trying as the film approached it's climax. Therefor, I doubt I will be watching it from beginning to end, one more time.

Overall, "Spun" was a VERY funny comedy, driven by it's well-created characters, to me. This is not humor that fits everyone though, and there will probably be someone (as always) that'll say that it's glorifying the use of drugs. I will recommend it though, if you want to take a trip to the miserable world of drugs, trough a different comedy

Unoriginal, overdone, and S-L-O-W
I was visually nauseated throughout this film-yet sat through 75% of it because Mickey Rourke and Britney Murphy were interesting characters. Unfortunately, this film lost all credibility with me because it was trying way too hard to be "Requiem for a Dream".
I was irritated from the beginning with the obnoxious noises and constant close-ups. It had many well-known actors and actresses in it-but this did not make the film any more interesting. The storyline dragged on- and became incredibly uninteresting after about 25 minutes. My boyfriend asked me why I was still watching it. He had to leave the room b/c it was driving him nuts. As far as the director, he needs to find his own style.
Don't waste your time with this film.

Spun
The only thing I liked about this film was Mickey Rourke's performance. Other than that, there really wasn't anything at all I liked about it. The movie is very odd, which is usually a good thing, but really has nothing to accompany this oddness with. The whole 'the day in the life of a druggy' thing is really overdone, and this film does nothing to offer any originally to this 'genre' whatsoever. And I saw nothing 'innovated' nor 'awe-inspiring' about the visuals either. Trainspotting and Requiem for a Dream are far, FAR superior films which deal with the same subject matter as this one does; only they do it incredibly well. Spun is full of talented actors and they're all pretty good. Acting is not this film's weak spot, but Rourke is the only one who really does anything to elevate this film at all. The others just sort of blend in accordingly. Billy Corgan does much of the music for this movie: I liked the Smashing Pumpkins and all, but Billy's newer stuff really doesn't do a whole lot for me, much like the rest of this film. I don't recommend this movie, but if by chance you do want to give it a look... I suggest you get a little 'spun' yourself first :).

Three Days of a Junkie in the Valley: Occasionally Funny
"Spun" follows the three days of one name "Ross" (Jason Schwartzman) who always needs some chemical substance, and has no will of his own. But "Spun" is free from violence, typical image associated with this kind of anti-hero; instead, it features the incredibly explicit sexual matters that would either disgust or enetrtain you, and a very realistic portrait of the guy who is leading an aimless life.

And like his aimless life, "Spun" at first seems going on without particular sense of story. But to be fair, it has several funny moments, mainly coming from Leguizamo and Rourke, both something to do with sexual things. In fact, the film gets better as it goes on, especially after the plot about the police and its documentary is introduced. The police raid scene shot in the mock police docu-style is not to be missed.

The film virtually about Ross, who works for a drug dealer (and maker) "The Cook" played by Mickey Rourke. Around them you see many strange people, some on drug, all seemingly unemployed but do not care about it. They all have some unique personality, as the unique cast represent -- see the following list as ...

John Leguizamo as "Spider" in leather pants; Mena Suvari as "Cookie," his love (with one scene that could be career killing in bathroom); Britney Murphey as "Nikki" living with "The Cook" (and she really loves her green-painted dog); Patrick Fugit as incredibly gross-out "Frisbee" directly coming from the "Pink Flanmingo" family; Deborah Harry as "Lesbian Neighbor" and Eric Roberts as "The Man"

Also, you see the faces like Larry Drake, Charlotte Ayanna, Peter Stormare and Alexis Arquette, the last two being "The Cops."

Swedish director Jonas Akerlund, famous for his numerous music videos, brings all of his techniques into this film, in which few things happen. Overflowing light and slanted camera angles with a fast cutting work at first, but gradually get tedious. Still, the music is good, handled by Billy Corgan (himself briefly seen as "The Doctor").

Quite unusual film, even including animation sections, "Spun" is so good at showing the aimless life of junkies that you might hate it because of the honesty. But the fact remains that some of the parts are truly hilarious, and Mickey Rourke (and his biceps) is quite impressive. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Few directors polarize audiences like Peter Greenaway, a filmmaker asinfluenced by Jacobean revenge tragedy and 17th century painting as by theFrench New Wave. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover isboth adored and detested for its combination of sumptuous beauty andrevolting decadence. A vile, gluttonous thief (Michael Gambon, TheSinging Detective) spews hate and abuse at a restaurant run by a stoicFrench cook (Richard Bohringer, Diva), but under the thief's nosehis wife (the ever-sensuous Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect) conductsan affair with a bookish lover (Alan Howard, Strapless). Clothing(by avant-garde designer Jean-Paul Gaultier) changes color as thecharacters move from room to room. Nudity, torture, rotting meat, and TimRoth (Reservoir Dogs) at his sleaziest all contribute theatmosphere of decay and excess. Not for everyone, but for some, essential.--Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Even Worse Than Gummo
I cannot fathom how this horrendous onslaught of depravity masquerading as a film has received such good reviews. There is no plot so I'll sum up what "went on": a classy lady is inexplicably married to a grotesque, low-class criminal, and she goes with him and his gang of thugs nightly to this restaurant that, if I have deciphered the terse grunts serving as exposition correctly, he owns, where he wreaks havoc on the staff and other patrons. The wife endures this for awhile and then decides to have an affair with some guy who also goes there every single night.

Throughout the entire film there are gratuitous disgusting images which never ever let up. The characters are like a child's set of Fisher Price dolls: "Nice Guy," "Nice Lady," "Innocent Little Boy," and we are expected to care what happens to them. The villain comes out looking the best because he is the only one who's not a doormat, and the lead actress (Helen Mirren) is completely unsympathetic. They could have stuck a cardboard cut-out in any of her scenes and achieved the same effect. Not only does the whole movie look like gangrene, but the actors are also purposely made unattractive, so the viewer doesn't even have that to chalk up as a redeeming quality.

I know it's supposed to be challenging and contraversial and blabla...it fails. The two stars are for Gaultier's costumes. Go buy Un Chien Andalou.

Oh my goodness!
I went into Peter Greenaway's "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover" with blinders on. I had absolutely no idea what to expect as the movie started, none whatsoever. I slightly suspected the director made "art" films due to a faint recollection of a discussion I saw on a bulletin board years ago, but that was all I could remember. Heck, I thought Uma Thurman was in this film for some reason! Obviously, this was my first experience with Greenaway, a director I have since learned is noted for creating disturbing films designed to upset audiences. I'll bet this masterpiece had arty types fleeing for the doors! Boy, I wish I'd seen this in an art house when it came out. I'm used to seeing films dealing with subject matter far worse than this one, but viewers who spend their time watching pictures about relationships and strolls through a park on a sunny day aren't. Yes, Greenaway's film deals with abhorrent themes expressed in undeniably grotesque forms. Yes, the picture has ugly scenes of violence. Yes, relationships of a decidedly revealing nature play a big part in the plot. What did you expect from a NC-17 rated picture? Don't worry-you can handle it. Actually, you'll probably be glad that you sat through it because this is a marvelous movie.

"The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover" starts on a particularly memorable note. Big time gangster and thief Albert Spica (Michael Gambon), his wife Georgina (Helen Mirren), and his entourage pull up to the back door of a fancy restaurant run by the fabulous French chef Richard Borst (Richard Bohringer), ready for a night of fine dining and obnoxious behavior. Spica is a notorious brute, a beefy, sadistic thug who enjoys tormenting everyone around him, especially his wife Georgina. Greenaway sets the tone immediately by having a pack of dogs snap and snarl outside the restaurant as Spica presides over the humiliation of an underling. The bad behavior continues inside as Spica and his miscreants throw food, insult the staff and fellow customers, and generally make fools out of themselves. Night after night, Spica and his band of dangerous ruffians return to the restaurant, tormenting Borst and his staff as the restaurant's business drains away. No one, it seems, wants to spend an evening eating next to a guy like Spica.

One gentleman seems relatively unbothered by the ruckus a couple of tables over. Michael (Alan Howard), a scholarly looking librarian who always reads a book while he eats, simply ignores Spica's loud theatrics. When he makes eye contact with the gorgeous Georgina, however, sparks fly. Within minutes the two are in the bathroom madly pawing away at each other. The clandestine affair continues night after night, with both Michael and Georgina continually aware that Albert Spica or one of his goons could discover the tryst at any moment. Eventually, the staff of the restaurant plays a part in helping the two lovebirds meet, allowing them to use the nooks and crannies in the cavernous kitchen and deflecting any suspicions posed by Albert. Georgina uses Michael as a respite from her vicious husband, a chance to escape his obnoxious behaviors if even for a few precious minutes. Spica's wife soon finds the strength to flee from Albert, moving in with Michael in his library. The thuggish Albert flies into a rage over his wife's disappearance. It's not that he cares for her in any way (he definitely doesn't), but his massive ego cannot stand the idea of her being with another man. Spica tracks down Michael and has him murdered by stuffing pages from a book about the French Revolution down his throat. The conclusion to the film is one of the most memorable in recent film history.

After I watched Greenaway's film, I looked a few things up. Some bright film critics in England see this picture as a critique of the Thatcher years, with Spica standing in for the right wing, Georgina as England, and her lover as the hapless political left. Maybe, but I didn't see any of that in the film. I spent too much time chuckling over the coarse behavior of Spica and his goons-one played by Tim Roth in an early role, by the way-and enjoying the stunning Helen Mirren. She's so beautiful here that your heart aches over the indignities she suffers at the hands of Albert. She's also not afraid to do some daring scenes, a lesson she probably learned from her role in the Tinto Brass and Bob Guccione classic "Caligula," made some ten years before this film. If you still need to a reason to watch the movie, if the political symbolism and charged situations leave you cold, check out the great musical score by Michael Nyman and the sumptuous atmosphere of the restaurant. The colors and décor of the dining establishment take your breath away, and Greenaway further uses color by having people's outfits change hue as they walk from room to room. What does it all mean? Who knows, but it's fun to watch.

The DVD version of the film I saw didn't have much in the way of extras besides a trailer and a widescreen picture transfer. No matter, though. The movie is challenging enough to make you forget all about commentaries, stills, and any other of the usual extras. After watching "The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover," I would like to see other Peter Greenaway films. Unfortunately, most of them have not received a reissue on DVD. If the subject matter is as disturbing as this film, no wonder! I recommend renting this movie and then inviting some friends over to watch it. Don't tell them anything about it beforehand, though. Just sit back and watch the jaws drop.

Great Film; has it aged well?
Remember seeing this film when it first came out and loving every aspect about it - from the artistic direction, sets, costumes, music to the story line. Now, more than ten years later, after watching the DVD, I've noticed that the movie isn't as shocking as it was the first time around. I still wish the DVD version had subtitles in order to fully understand the thick, heavy British accent. Still, the movie can be enjoyed without even understanding the dialogue - almost as if it were a Silent movie.
And after ten years the only thing about the movie that looks aged are the trendy costumes that Gaultier designed.
The film's visual imagery continues to be its strongest asset with allusions to the Flemish and Spanish Masters of the Baroque Era

disgusting trash
Yuk! How do I give this a negative 5 star rating?

i got a question.
i want to buy "the cook,the thief,his wife & her lover",but i
want to know if there's an audio french version,or subtitles;if
it is,i'll buy it right now. ... Read more

Reviews (493)

Way underrated
Anyone who has ever worked in corporate America will relate to this hilarious gem.
It is low key as opposed to slapstick comedy. I think the movie was well cast about a cube dweller who had enough and basically quits working and gets a promotion to upper management while his hard working and dedicated buddies get slated for layoffs by "The Bob's" two management consultants.
Ron Livingston does a great job as Pete Gibbons, and Ajay Naidu as "Samir Nu, ne, nunu, uh nnn ,not work here anymore" David Herman as Micheal-why should I change - Bolton.
The boss Lundbergh is played perfectly deadpan by Gary Cole, and I think there is a Tom Smykowski and Milton Waddams in every organization. Lets not forget the "Bob's" I knew two idiot consultants just like them.
Office Space has it all, from stupid meetings, CI programs, and of course the infamous TPS reports - "didn't you get the memo about the new cover sheets?"
I could not stop laughing through the whole thing.

Well worth the price of the DVD, even though the transfer was only fair.

Hiliariously Close to the Truth
Though the situations and characters in Office Space are certainly larger than life, they are not that far from the truth--to which those of us in the corporate world will readily attest. That's what makes the movie so delightfully funny: seeing characters on screen act out (without much exaggeration) the trials and tribulations of today's desk-bound workforce.

The plot of the movie itself is somewhat secondary to its entertainment value. Basically, the main character (Ron Livingston) isn't happy with his job; having been asked once by his high school guidance counselor to picture what he'd do without being paid and consider that his ideal job, he responded that he's like to sit around and do nothing. The rest of the main plot centers on his attempt to get his life back on track, from discovering a love interest in a local waitress (Jennifer Anniston) also unhappy with her job to plotting revenge on his company for firing his friends.

Quickly one sees exactly why the characters are so unhappy with their jobs: a clueless, paper-shuffling boss who speaks in total monotone; inane office regulations requiring more time spent on reports than on real work; faulty office equipment; and so on. Carefully crafted to represent archetypes we all know from our own office experiences, the characters and their attempts to break free of the 9-to-5 drudgery are absolutely hilarious.

You don't have to be a computer programmer or engineer to enjoy this film--all you need is to have worked somewhere once in your life that was far from the ideal environment. Watch this film and enjoy a laugh at schmucks who have it ten times worse than you ever have!

THE comedy movie to see from the late 90s
If you see one comedy from the late 90s, see this one! The cast is great, and the story is better. The only person I know who didn't like this movie just doesn't understand the modern industrial/metroplitan environment. Driving to work in Silicon Valley REALLY IS THIS BAD, and if your definition of heavy traffic is going 15-20 mph on the freeway, you might not appreciate this film.

Dilbert's got it easy!
OFFICE SPACE either suffered from bad marketing or poor distribution because I had never heard of it nor did many of my movie-going friends. When I saw it on cable, I kept asking myself, "Where did this come from?" While the film occasionally breaks down in predictable sequences and cheap shots, it really does hold together remarkably well. This is one of the better written, directed and acted comedies in a long time. Even though the late 90's office world it illustrates is long gone, muddle-headed supervisors, know-nothing consultants, and very weird office workers are not. Enjoy this movie!

A MODERN CULT CLASSIC
Having seen and enjoyed bits and pieces of this movie countless times on cable (usually on Comedy Central) over the last couple of years, I finally broke down and purchased it to add to my DVD collection. Smart move on my part. Now that I've seen the entire movie from start to finish, it makes a lot more sense now (I'd never seen the hypnotism scene). It has all the makings of a modern cult classic. How do I know? Because every time I roll across it on cable I usually wind up watching the balance of the film and enjoying it all over again. Having 2 Geto Boys songs on the soundtrack and co-starring Jennifer Aniston doesn't hurt either. Damn it feels good to be a gangsta. ... Read more

Reviews (127)

One of the Best Movies of the 1990s.
Let me get this out of the way: in grade school, I was teased. A lot. In fact, it was so bad that even walking to school was an emotionally and physically painful experience. I can relate to every second of misery Dawn endures in the dynamite "Welcome to the Dollhouse." Most films like "Sixteen Candles" view high school as some insulated paradise. Not this film. Here, Dawn (played by Heather Matarazzo) is as socially inept as a pre-teen girl can be. She is subject to taunts, verbal assault, and vicious mind games at the hands of her classmates. Home life isn't much better; her parents blissfully ignore her while they shower attention on her cutsey younger sister, Missy. They give her attention only when they catch her doing something wrong, which seems to be most of the time. On top of this, she develops a crush for the teenage lead singer of her brother's band. Anyone who has experienced unrequieted love will find this subplot heartbreaking to watch. Despite the above, "Welcome to the Dollhouse" is a murderously funny movie to watch, even if you were a victim of grade school teasing. The performances are dead-on and it's one of my favorite movies of the 1990's.

A painfully honest film you will never forget
Bold, unabashedly honest, psychologically riveting, and painfully mesmerizing are just a few of the words and expressions that come to mind when I think about this uniquely extraordinary film. First shown at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival, Welcome to the Dollhouse walked away with the grand jury prize, and it is easy to see why. Writer/director/producer Todd Solondz brought a unique vision of the sharpest kind to this film, cutting right through the fluff of the typical "geek makes good" nonsense and forcing his artistic scalpel forcefully down into the nethermost regions of the adolescent heart. The story is so unsettling and painfully uncomfortable that some parents hesitated or refused to let their children participate in the filming. It's just an amazing, unforgettable movie.

Eleven-year-old Heather Matarrazzo gives one of the most remarkable performances I've ever seen from an actress of such tender age. Her eyes and bodily expressions encapsulate and transmit the hurt and misery writhing inside her every moment, leaving the viewer helpless to do anything but watch with increasingly unrestrained unease. Born with the unfortunate name of Dawn Weiner, the poor girl is ridiculed, ignored, teased, insulted, and basically mentally terrorized every day at school. Chants of "Weiner Dog" follow her throughout the hallways, her locker is marked with awful graffiti, and even her teachers and administrators are less than kind to her. Then, after school, she has to come home to parents who dote on her smart older brother and "little miss perfect" younger sister. Dawn has only one friend, a younger neighbor boy who seems to be following in her ignominiously alienated footsteps. Dawn does not escape all of this mentally unscathed, taking her own anger out on her sister in particular and doing several things that good girls should not do. In the most surreal of story elements, Dawn longs to be rescued from her situation by a boy, but hers is not a Cinderella type of fantasy. Her infatuation with a rebellious high school boy is somewhat understandable, but her relationship with a certain school bully is nothing short of surreal. I only wish I could discuss the psychology of this aspect of the movie in this context.

The one thing that really struck me about this movie is the fact that we never see Dawn cry; she internalizes all of her torments, and this does not have a pretty effect on her. I may be inventing a phrase here, but the director's vision seems to me to have been one of unsympathetic compassion. Far from holding Dawn up as the paragon of innocent, unrecognized virtue whose Prince Charming will come some day, he gives us a girl who becomes cruel in her own right to those few people around her, turning her hatred of others into a deep hatred of herself, several times teetering on the peak of mental unbalance. Solondz does not stray anywhere near the realm of fairy tale, as this ugly duckling does have an ugly side to her. The brutal honesty and lack of a visibly sympathetic portrayal of the character makes her worst moments even more unbearable to the viewer, and this is where the compassion kicks in. Solondz seemingly makes no effort to redeem this character in our eyes, yet the fact that he shows us, in such a harsh and brutal way, the miseries of this poor child's life makes her a character you desperately want to see find a degree of happiness.

The only thing I don't really understand about Welcome to the Dollhouse is the dark comedy label it seems to have acquired. I found nothing funny whatsoever about anything I saw here. Maybe that's the sensitivity of the former nerd in me, but honestly this movie is just utterly dark and depressing. Those looking for laughs will probably not embrace Welcome to the Dollhouse, but those who want to see the harsh light of truth shone into the bottom of an individual's soul and learn something from the painful experience will walk away from this film a different person than they were an hour and a half earlier. This movie has the power to touch you in ways you may never have imagined.

Everybody Runs Away....
Todd Solondz' WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE was one of those films that was "on my list" for many years. I had seen his second film HAPPINESS and was intrigued by Solondz dark dark humor. Why it took me so long to take in another of his films is hard to explain. Every review I had read of DOLLHOUSE praised it (and even some reviewers who literally hated HAPPINESS were oddly touched by this debut film). Perhaps it took me a year or so to summon up enough strength to take another Solondz flick. Now that I think about it, such hesitancy only seems natural. As it turns out, however, biting as it is, DOLLHOUSE is still a heck of a lot easier to watch than its follow-up.

Perhaps it's because as some reviewers here suggest, we all have our own "inner Dawn Wiener." It's easy to identify with this ungainly, hopelessly unpopular teenager--with the awful barrettes and clothes, a brainy older brother, and pertly adorable younger sister. We can all cop to that one pretty much. (If you identify at all with the characters in HAPPINESS, you probably wouldn't want to admit it.) But I honestly don't think that Solondz' intent was to get viewers in touch with their "inner adolescent." He's going after something bigger than that--and more sinister too.

I guess it shouldn't be so surprising that many reviewers here identify with Dawn, but when they start calling the film "realistic," you have to wonder. If there was ever a film that was an exercise in pop SURrealism, this is it.
As a teen alienation flick, I'd rate it right up there with GHOST WORLD, and like that film, it has a distorted, fun-house-mirror quality--that is, I'll grant you, simultaneously more and less real that mere realism. (I guess that's the essence of SURREALISM). Dawn's parents, for example, are little more than cartoon figures--at least until her father has a near nervous breakdown.

And doesn't that reflect a teenage sense of reality even better than sheer realism, after all? Your average teen doesn't see his or her parents as full-fledged human beings. They're way too busy with their own boiling over emotions. Until their parents humanity hits them in the face, kids see them through the looking glass, darkly--if at all.

Which is not to say that either of Dawn's parents becomes remotely sympathetic. Interesting too how in the end, Dawn's two almost-boyfriends have run away to the city. Dawn kinda sorta runs away herself trying to track downr her kidnapped little sister. Seems like anyone with a lick of sense gets out of that town.

realistic account
welcome to the dollhouse is a touching and realistic account of what its like to be on the outskirts of growing up. dawn is a young gyrl trying to fight her way in. she deals with bullies, her parents rejection, and her own self hate. the film has its funny moments such as dawn standing over her sleeping sister's bed with a hammer in her hands. the character of dawn is well played but barely develops. brendon sexton jr plays brandon, a bully in his own right but has feelings for dawn. his role is small but quite significant. dawn's family is very unlikeable strictly because of their arrogance and complete disregard of dawn.
overall the film is good. you will find yourself not only sympathizing with dawn but may find her angst and vulnerbility alittle like your own in the often harsh world of growing up. the ending could be better; it leaves you wondering about alot of things. but despite the ending the film is heartfelt and very satisfying.

Painfully realistic
I felt like switching this movie off a lot of the time. Having been where Dawn was throughout high school, I didn't think it was possible for me to watch right to the end. I was told that this movie was the story of my life. Not quite. But I did identify with some parts - Dawn being called a loner, her looks, being called ugly. But what really upset me, was the director heavily focusing on looks in the movie. I don't know why I still get upset over that kind of thing in movies. And the fact that Dawn does exactly what everyone does to her - she turns round, and says hurts them. But that's cos she's been bullied herself, so effectively, she turns into the bully.

But of course, we've all been there, haven't we? Don't say you haven't, go and dig out your old photo album. Look at the dorky hair, clothes, teeth in bad need of a brace - I could go on. And we've all had that embarrassing, awkward first kiss - I've NEVER put a spell on a guy just to make him like me! (It wouldn't work, believe me)

Heather Matarazzo, although quite pretty now, is probably always going to be cast in "character" roles, than anything else. What I really hated was where were all the kids with bad skin?! Even Dawn had porcelain skin. It's not fair, nor is it true.

Dawn was made to look all the worse, by constantly having her hair scraped back, made to wear god-awful clothes, and those terrible clothes (although I found an old pair of glasses when cleaning out my drawers - did I wear those?!)

This is a good film to watch, although I can't see myself touching a guy with a bargepole who bullied me, or called me names. That bit just didn't ring true. It's not a film I would watch again, it upset me that bit too much. But it's worth having a look at if you can get your hands on a copy. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) would like nothing better than to spend a quiet week's vacation in his suburban home, drinking beer and watching TV. But, spurred on by his two friends' spinning of boyish paranoid fantasies about their reclusive neighbors, the Klopeks, the usually down-to-earth Ray begins to suspect his idyllic neighborhood has been invaded by an evil force, to the point where he and his friends become psychotically nosey. You see where this is going, and you see it from a mile off.Only the general surface-thin plot is somewhat offset by director Joe Dante's fine sense of the absurd, and a host of engagingly played neighbor-types, namely Rick Ducommun as Ray's best friend who's always proposing bad ideas, and Bruce Dern as a sometimes wild-eyed ex-vet who'd love some action.Dante and crew seem to have a knack for keeping these broad characterizations light enough that you don't mind their superficiality. But the best jokes in this unprepossessing film come from composer Jerry Goldsmith's score; Bruce Dern's presence, for instance, is announced by the theme from Patton, and the boys' first approach to the Klopeks' for a meet-and-greet is buttressed by classic strains from Sergio Leone spaghetti Westerns.Kudos to the Klopeks, for their evil ways are ably embodied by Henry Gibson, Courtney Gains, and Brother Theodore.In particular, any suburb that finds it's inhabited by the likes of Brother Theodore is in dire need of new zoning laws.But Carrie Fisher's role as Ray's amiably long-suffering wife is thankless, and she deserves better. --Jim Gay ... Read more

Reviews (109)

"People In Cul - De Sac's Are Strange...."
This 1989 black comedy starring Tom Hanks, and directed by Joe Dante(Gremlins, Matinee, Gremlins 2, Small Soldiers), might not be to everyone's taste. I think it's a silly, fun, entertaining little movie. Hanks stars as an everyday, all American type of guy, who is on vacation from work. He, and the rest of his friends in the cul- de sac they live in, are suspicious of their weird new neighbors. They hear and see weird things going on there. Since he's off work, and has a lot of time on his hands, Hanks gets roped into finding out the mystery of these interesting new additions to the street. Comedian Rick Duccommun plays Hanks' best friend Art. Bruce Dern is their marine-like neighbor across the street. Carrie Fisher plays Hanks' wife. The weirdo family is headed by Henry Gibson. The movie has a number of goofy and funny scenes. One wishes the movie was even darker and went a bit further with some of the stuff, but oh well. The climax is a big, all out there surprise. Okay, maybe not really big, but fun. Corey Feldman co-stars. This isn't great art people, but it's fun escapism.

Repeat value
The 'Burbs isn't one of those movies you'd see being drooled over by film critics or even audiences, but it is one of those movies that if you saw it on TV every couple of months, you'd watch it.

Joe Dante's weird sense of humor shines on this movie even more than the Gremlins movies. It also offers a cast of characters that are as much relatable as they are crazy. Everyone has weird neighbors, right?

Tom Hanks is in top comedic form in this one offering classic lines like "I've never seen anyone drive their garbage to the street and bang the hell out of it with a stick." Then you have the hilarious neighbor Rick Ducommunn who I feel should have had a better career after this film. Corey Feldman (always a treat) plays the irresponsible teen and Bruce Dern is brilliant as the crazy military reject.

All these characters mixed up in a bizzare murder mystery is pure magic. But what makes this movie have replay value is the little things that you don't necessarily catch while watching for the first time. For example, when Rick Ducommunn comes over to visit Tom Hanks and eats nearly everything in his refrigerator while the audience is engrossed with his tales of terror. Or just the body movement of Hanks when he observes the weirdness of his neighborhood throughout the film. Hilarious.

I may be looked upon as weird for giving this movie 5 stars, but it is one I can always rely on for a good laugh and good quotes.

"NO!" "About a 9 on the tension scale, Rube."
"I want to kill everyone. Satan is good. Satan is our pal."
"Red rover red rover let Ray go over."
"I've been blown up! Take me to the hospital, I'm sick."

Watch this movie and you too will quote these lines forever.

Sub-'Burbs
While I found the humor of 'The 'Burbs' kinda cute and occasionally giggle-inducing, it wasn't really all that funny to me. Ya got Tom Hanks in the usual 'reluctant-hero-caught-in-the-middle-of-it-all' role he usually played back in the mid-to-late 80s, with his trademark expression of outraged incredulity poppin' up when he's been pushed just a bit too far by his odd neighbors. Throw in the quasi-psychotic weirdness of Bruce Dern's character, and the cool-dudeness of then-teen-heartthrob Corey Feldman, and you've got a little something that's fun to watch, but ends up well short of being a bona fide laugh riot. Which was pretty much par for the course for most of Hanks' 80s comedies following 'Bachelor Party'.

Ah well, there's always 'Forrest Gump' if I ever feel the need to watch a truly funny Tom Hanks flick...

'Late

Watch Out In Your Neighborhood For The Reclusive Families!
As Art Weingartner says "I'm telling you these people are Satanists. As I sit here, they are Satanists. Look... look, the world is full of these kind of things; black masses, mutilations. Mutilations! The incubus, the succubus - I'm tellin' you, Walter was a human sacrifice."

Such is the hysterical dialog between Art (Rick Ducommun) and Ray Peterson (Tom Hanks) when they discover, along with some other people in their suburban subdivision, their elderly neighbor, Walter Seznick (Gale Gordon) is missing in action.

Other neighbor buddy, Vietnam Vet, Mark Rumsfeld (Bruce Dern) decides to help Ray and Art to find out what happened to Walter. They all three are SURE that the weirdo reclusive new neighbors, The Klopek family, comprised of Dr. Werner Klopek (Henry Gibson), Uncle Reuben Klopek (Brother Theodore) and shy Hans Klopek (Courtney Gains)have something to do with the old man's disappearance.

So...complete with night vision goggles, credit cards to slide in the Klopek's doorlocks to break in and various other spy equipment furnished by Mr. Rumsfeld, they start their little spying games.

Men and their wives even plan a little friendly "welcome wagon" visit to the Klopeks (one of the funniest scenes in the movie!)

Corey Feldman as young neighbor teen Ricky Butler, Carrie Fisher as Carol Peterson, & Wendy Schaal as Bonnie Rumsfeld ALL turn in great performances.

Even Nicky Katt from Boston Public plays Ricky's young friend Steve Kuntz!

What happened to Walter? Did the Klopek's have anything to do with the disappearance? WATCH THIS VERY ENTERTAINING MOVIE and find out for yourself!

Happy Watching!

RAY YOU'RE NEIGHBORS ARE MURDERING PEOPLE!!!
This is the greatest comedy of all time,second is Clue. It has a whole bunch of great lines and an outstanding score by Jerry Goldsmith (Patton). Even though Tom Hanks is really, really funny, the best character in this is Art, played outstandingly by Rick Duccomon. You have to add this to your comedy collection. The movie itself is about three men (Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, and Rick Duccomon) who get obssesed with what is going on in Tom Hanks' neighbors house. Art thinks that the neighbors are killing the other people who used to live there. But he can't be right. Can He? This is a must have for people who love comedy and mysteries. The lesson: Don't judge a person by his cover....... but don't be too careful. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great early Nichols
Another great early Nichols. He was on one mean ... streak I tell ya. Virgina Wolf, the The Graduate, Catch 22, and then this film. Which is: Very well done, Very mature, extremely confident in it's telling, thought provoking, well acted, well written, etc.

Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkle star as best buds in this story that follows their sexual encounters from college to middle age. That's really it. No other action takes place in this movie that doesn't have something to do with, yup, Carnal Knowledge. Good title too. Don't you think? Just grabs you.

Like Catch 22, which I just saw, this movie is all about great framing and long one takes. Even though this movie takes place almost completely inside and is very much like a play, it is very cinematic. Nichols always has the camera in the right place, or at least an interesting place. The structure of the film is also so interesting. It just pops around from sexaul encounter to sexual encounter. And it addresses the whole spectrum...: first love, to marriage, to adultery, to apathy, to..well, it covers a lot. And though it tends to focus mainly on the negative, which can be a little bleak, it sure is real.

At times it can be a little slow and a little tedious (you sort of feel Nichols getting a little TOO into some of these long takes), but this remains a very good, intelligent, unflinching movie. Check it out.

B, B+

This film tells the truth. Controversial at its time.
This film tells the truth. Not such an old film, the mature adult situations are still happening today even in this decade. Very controversial film of its time. Almost was not released and could not be shown on Network TV at all. Finally in the mid-1980's it was finally allowed to be shown on the then-independent KTLA Channel 5 Los Angeles tv station. Hard-hitting drama about two male roomates. One man (played by Art Gurfunkel as "Sandy") is more sensitive to woman while the other man played by Jack Nicholson feels so macho he must have more than tweleve women a year. When Art falls in love with Candice Bergen (she plays a virgin) it starts as a good friendship until Jack Nicholson buds in. He secretly makes a phone call to her without Art knowing. Jack dates Candice and she loses her virginity by the macho man who can get any woman he wants anywhere, anyway. (So why, Candice?) When Jack talks about his "girlfriend", Art dos not know it's the same woman he loves. When Candice decides to break it off with Jack, Jack becomes a cad and thinks he can break it off first. Well, Jack now has to keep his mouth shut whenever Art and Candice are in the same room together with him. Jack finally comes to the realization that he is getting older and can't get as many woman as he used to. He feels bad when he sees Candice and Art together (metal break-through finally!) Then, the sizzling Ann-Margret enters the picture. Who becomes the more mature man? Who is given LOVE, not just LUST & LEAVE. Some men will find this film a bit hard to swallow. Some women who see this film will say "AMEN!" by the end of it. There is a lesson to be learned here. Get the message of the film. Carol Kane and Rita Moreno are also in the cast. No special features on this DVD. Wide-Screen and Full-Screen available on either side of DVD.

Coming to the screens of film schools everywhere...
What I found so impressive about this in the early 70's is a mystery--unless it's Ann-Margret's statuesque figure. Most of the dialog is better suited for writer Jules Feiffer's stylish cartoon characters. Even Jack Nicholson can't keep this tub afloat, although it's fun to see mannerisms and intonations which were used to perfection only 3 years later in the incomparable "Chinatown."

Hard to believe this film is more than 30 yrs old
Carnal Knowledge spans 30 years in the lives of two college friends, guys played by Jack Nicholson (you won't believe how young he looks) and Art Garfunkel (yes, one and the same). Jack Nicholson plays a tax lawyer with the hots for women who are, shall we say, well-endowed. Garfunkel plays the more temperate guy, a doctor who has quiet affairs. As they go from youth to middle age, the movie, revolutionary at the time and wonderfully directed by Mike Nichols, follows their paths, examining how their attitudes toward women and sex are a reflection of their life values. It's not a pretty picture, and despite the titillation of the title, it's not even particularly sexy. But it's worth seeing, even if only for the way in which it is viewed as a pioneer film of the early 70s, a time in which long-held Hollywood traditions were giving way to more adult-style movies.

Excellent
Mike Nichols was on a roll after "The Graduate" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" "Carnal Knowledge" is his most intimate film, and one of the most daring of the 1970s. Its frankness in dealing with young men's sexual psychology has not lost its edge after thirty years. On top of it all, it gives us Nicholson's first truly great performance. The early scenes between him and Garfunkel are fresh and sincere. Spanning some three decades of their friendship, we see how their attitudes towards sex, and women in general, shape their lives. Both actors do a fine job of communicating the gravity of those years, and the most devastating scene is the one where Jack delivers a long and furious tirade at Ann-Margret. "I don't want a job, I want you," she says, to which he replies, "I'm taken...by me!" Brutally honest, yes, but because we've seen what comes before, it's perfectly logical. These men are still affected by the innocence of their younger years, but that innocence is violently clashing with their adult understanding (or lack thereof)--the understanding that the personality is in perpetual motion, and that it becomes difficult to keep up. The movie is often bleak in its settings and its subject matter, but the characters are very real--they challenge you to challenge them. Their dysfunctions may enlighten you, and there is nothing bleak about being enlightened. Oh, and Ann-Margret achieves bombshell status with this movie, playing a woman who at first seems to be the answer to all of Nicholson's fantasies. "Bye Bye Birdie" it ain't. ... Read more

Description

A hilarious comedy about a nightclub promoter and perpetual playboy who learns the hard way about the dangers of being a ladies man. Directed by and starring Martin Lawrence. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Uneven, but definitely another side of Martin Lawrence
Well, I think Martin Lawrence is a funny actor. I won't compare him to an under rated version of Eddie Murphy like most people do, since I don't think he is. He has his own style, his own way to act etc...and the mere fact that they both star in comedy movies is not that relevant to me.

Anyway I knew this movie would be slightly different from what Lawrence has done in the past. This time it would be a blending of comedy and thriller, something more personal, maybe because he wrote the screenplay and directed the movie. So I watched it trying to stay away from any prejudices and to enjoy it for what it is. I found the movie very uneven. The real plot took way too long to come up. Indeed, the first part trying to settle Lawrence's character and personality is way too long compared to the time left to the plot development and realization, which obviously leads to short