While I feel there are several notable flaws in this film, the brilliance of the performances (especially JGL) and the perfection that is the last 30 minutes of this movie outweigh any cons. My rating would have been 4/5 stars but that ending seriously affected me so deeply that I think the film deserves 5. One of the most emotionally powerful sequences I've ever seen in a movie. I would highly recommend this film.
The ending makes me weep like a bitch! Now as you mean by flaws what do you mean? Because the whole sitcom/nuclear family set up is completely intentional. One of the biggest criticism about Gregg Araki are the stagey performances in his flick which I feel work in his favor in this movie. Now, this is his most emotional movie. The rest of this flicks are pretty damn detached to the point you could label them as emotionally cold. So don't expect something like this from him.
I suppose my main criticism would be that I just didn't find the middle section of the film nearly as engaging as the beginning or the ending. It felt like the filmmaker didn't know how to utilize these characters to their full potential. That being said, I did enjoy the sitcom/nuclear family setup and all the performances in the movie. I'm also totally fine with his other films being detached. I'm very interested in seeing them.
Disturbingly powerful, fantastically acted, and just terrifically well made. Light years better than anything else Araki has ever made.
Disturbing on so many levels, but it needs to be seen. The story stayed with me once the movie finished.
I had so many feelings after watching this movie. I did not know how to deal with them. It was a very disturbing experience, but respect for Joseph Gordon-Levitt. His role was not easy, but he did a wonderful job.
It is slightly disturbing but it is not moving, something you would expect of a film with such a script.
Disturbingly campy, traumatic and shocking - the truth behind today's youth culture.
Brutal and difficult to watch, but a rewarding, atmospheric and thoughtful experience that should not be missed.
This movie really gets under the skin ................................ and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is hot!
WOW. I guess most people would find this movie too disturbing, but I think it is just right. It makes you uncomfortable but you just can't turn it off, it is captivating. The movie has strength and the acting is superb.
Algo que siempre, siempre he disfrutado del señor Araki es que todo es una excusa para pervertir al espectador y sentir que todo es justo, aunque sea una injusticia, por otro lado los traumas infantiles siempre son un tema difícil de evadir y raramente fáciles de decantar, pero éste juega su papel a la perfección. Kuddos Sr. Araki
I took a friend of mine to see this film with me in the theaters. He admitted it wasn't his usual sort of movie but felt transfixed and horrified all at the same time while watching it and I agreed. It is a nuanced and perfect coming of age film but not something I'd recommend to everyone.
What a bunch of wasted dialogues and cheap psychology. Made Ken Park looks intriguing. 1 star.
I shamelessly cry at the final scene every time. Brian's desire leads him to a truth he never wanted, and what's there a kid can do besides cry under the weight of a discovery that will change his life forever? "I wanted to tell Brian that it was over now and that everything would be okay. But that was a lie, plus I couldn't speak anyway." Very touching film about a subject that is rarely confronted.
What I like most is the awkwardness of some of the transitions between scenes. Araki doesn't make things smooth and doesn't allow his audience to settle into a simple understanding of the characters. He also twists what could be caricatures into human shapes.
