| ||||||||||
|
Monday, September 29th, 2008
Movie Review: CHOKE
A movie that I have been waiting to see for a LONG time was finally released last weekend. The low budget adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel 'Choke' hit theaters in a limited release capacity. For those of you unaware, Chuck Palahniuk also wrote 'Fight Club' and several other transgressional fiction novels.
Anyway, I am admittedly not a huge reader, but I love Chuck's work. Ever since I heard 'Choke' was being made as a movie, I couldn't wait to see it! So much so that I was willing to make the hour drive to Bloomington (IL) to see it (by myself...lame), since that was the closest place it was playing.
In one word: DISAPPOINTING
Perhaps I was expecting too much out of this movie. I guess it is hard to cram an absolutely amazing 300 page novel into an hour and a half long movie. Plus, this was actor turned director Clark Gregg's first attempt behind the camera for a full length feature.
The premise: A medical school dropout named Victor Mancini (played by Sam Rockwell) scams unsuspecting restaurant goers into 'saving' him by deliberately choking on his meal. He develops relationships with his 'saviors' in an attempt to have them send him money and other gifts. He does this to pay for his aging mother Ida's (Angelica Houston), care in an expensive nursing home. Victor spends his days working as a tour guide in a colonial theme park, and attending sexual addiction support group meetings.
I know what you are thinking... AWESOME PLOT FOR A MOVIE!!
And while that may be true, the movie fell short in several areas, even despite convincing performances by Rockwell,Kelly Macdonald as 'Dr.' Paige Marshall, and surprising scene stealer Brad William Henke as the chronically masturbating Denny.
The movie, billed as a dark comedy, never really took off, with most of the humor derived from witty dialouge between the nihalistic Victor and his best friend Denny.
It seemed a good venue for a character study, a chance to venture into the brain of an obviously intelligent man engulfed in a world of self-destructive behavior alongside his co-dependent friends and relatives. Rather the movie focused too much on Victor's relationship with his dementia ridden mother, rather than the personal issues that drove him to act out in the bizarre ways he did. I suppose that was meant to be adressed in flashback sequences, however unconvincing. Victor's choking schemes, were only visited upon superficially, and seemed to serve only as a sub-(perhaps sub-sub) plot. I expected more out of that aspect, especially considering the title 'Choke.'
Victor was sort of painted as a good guy trapped by circumstances, doing what he had to do to get by, rather than the dismissive manipulative con man that he is at heart. Most of the supporting cast was painted with the same nihilistic self satisfying brush, making it hard to sympathize for the people that Victor was hurting with his actions. In the end, it seemed that Victor never underwent any real transformation, and he would inevitably revert to his old ways.
Speaking of the end, what i thought was the best plot twist in the novel, was never even visited in the movie. I won't say anymore about it that.
Perhaps if I had seen the movie without having read the novel, I wouldn't have been so disappointed. I guess it's generally the case that movie adaptations rarely live up to their novel counterparts.
The movie did have some redeeming qualities, and I'm glad I saw it... chocked full of witty dialouge and thought provoking situations, just not a lot of action. Plus, look for a Chuck Palahniuk cameo late in the movie! Perhaps it will be the type of movie that may will grow on me with a second or third viewing. I doubt it will do much at the box office, perhaps it will make a strong video release charge, a la Fight Club.
Overall I give it 2 stars, or on a scholastic scale... a 'C'
** One other funny note** There were only about 6 people in the theater at the screening... 2 of them were a couple of old ladies, who left about five minutes into the movie. I'm not sure if they were offended by the opening monologue describing the people he encounters at the sex addicts meeting... or if they just realized they were in the wrong therater.... either way... gave me a chuckle!!
Movie Review: CHOKE
A movie that I have been waiting to see for a LONG time was finally released last weekend. The low budget adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel 'Choke' hit theaters in a limited release capacity. For those of you unaware, Chuck Palahniuk also wrote 'Fight Club' and several other transgressional fiction novels.
Anyway, I am admittedly not a huge reader, but I love Chuck's work. Ever since I heard 'Choke' was being made as a movie, I couldn't wait to see it! So much so that I was willing to make the hour drive to Bloomington (IL) to see it (by myself...lame), since that was the closest place it was playing.
In one word: DISAPPOINTING
Perhaps I was expecting too much out of this movie. I guess it is hard to cram an absolutely amazing 300 page novel into an hour and a half long movie. Plus, this was actor turned director Clark Gregg's first attempt behind the camera for a full length feature.
The premise: A medical school dropout named Victor Mancini (played by Sam Rockwell) scams unsuspecting restaurant goers into 'saving' him by deliberately choking on his meal. He develops relationships with his 'saviors' in an attempt to have them send him money and other gifts. He does this to pay for his aging mother Ida's (Angelica Houston), care in an expensive nursing home. Victor spends his days working as a tour guide in a colonial theme park, and attending sexual addiction support group meetings.
I know what you are thinking... AWESOME PLOT FOR A MOVIE!!
And while that may be true, the movie fell short in several areas, even despite convincing performances by Rockwell,Kelly Macdonald as 'Dr.' Paige Marshall, and surprising scene stealer Brad William Henke as the chronically masturbating Denny.
The movie, billed as a dark comedy, never really took off, with most of the humor derived from witty dialouge between the nihalistic Victor and his best friend Denny.
It seemed a good venue for a character study, a chance to venture into the brain of an obviously intelligent man engulfed in a world of self-destructive behavior alongside his co-dependent friends and relatives. Rather the movie focused too much on Victor's relationship with his dementia ridden mother, rather than the personal issues that drove him to act out in the bizarre ways he did. I suppose that was meant to be adressed in flashback sequences, however unconvincing. Victor's choking schemes, were only visited upon superficially, and seemed to serve only as a sub-(perhaps sub-sub) plot. I expected more out of that aspect, especially considering the title 'Choke.'
Victor was sort of painted as a good guy trapped by circumstances, doing what he had to do to get by, rather than the dismissive manipulative con man that he is at heart. Most of the supporting cast was painted with the same nihilistic self satisfying brush, making it hard to sympathize for the people that Victor was hurting with his actions. In the end, it seemed that Victor never underwent any real transformation, and he would inevitably revert to his old ways.
Speaking of the end, what i thought was the best plot twist in the novel, was never even visited in the movie. I won't say anymore about it that.
Perhaps if I had seen the movie without having read the novel, I wouldn't have been so disappointed. I guess it's generally the case that movie adaptations rarely live up to their novel counterparts.
The movie did have some redeeming qualities, and I'm glad I saw it... chocked full of witty dialouge and thought provoking situations, just not a lot of action. Plus, look for a Chuck Palahniuk cameo late in the movie! Perhaps it will be the type of movie that may will grow on me with a second or third viewing. I doubt it will do much at the box office, perhaps it will make a strong video release charge, a la Fight Club.
Overall I give it 2 stars, or on a scholastic scale... a 'C'
** One other funny note** There were only about 6 people in the theater at the screening... 2 of them were a couple of old ladies, who left about five minutes into the movie. I'm not sure if they were offended by the opening monologue describing the people he encounters at the sex addicts meeting... or if they just realized they were in the wrong therater.... either way... gave me a chuckle!!
Your review of 'Choke' was very well written. Thanks for the warning about it...I'll pass.
ive read fight club, snuff and choke... next up is survivor!!
I heard Diary and Invisible Monsters are also awesome!
When it comes to reading, I go in spurts. I find an author I like, and I read everything by him/her I can get my hands on. I find it grossly disappointing when an author only has one or two books out because I devour them. I flew through the Chuck books one summer and LOVED them. I might have to break them out and re-read. The only problem I had with them was the very bizarre dreams I had if I read them at night.