VIDEO CAPSULE: Hurlyburly (6/10)

[JoBlo]

HURLYBURLY

Now don't get me wrong here, this isn't really a good movie or anything, but I did enjoy its performances, with Sean Penn kickin' mighty ass in the lead as usual, and several funny lines which helped me ease through the overlong two hour runtime.

I STILL have no idea what this movie was about or what it was trying to say, but it's basically based on a play and features several crazy Californians smoking and sniffing their way through their empty lives (I think).

Anyway, the story wasn't much of a grabber and most of the time I just felt like the only sober guy at a drunken party (maybe you have to be high to understand it?), but like I said, if you enjoy watching talking-head movies, then you might want to check this one out. Bla-bla-bla-bla...ironically, that is all this movie was doing and many of its characters were constantly saying "bla-bla-bla". I guess they knew...

Stars Sean Penn, Chazz Palminteri, Meg Ryan, Anna Paquin, Kevin Spacey and Gary Shandling

[Brock Landers]

I look at this film as one of those meandering & meaningless acting studies that highlight the performances over the story. The performances are great, the dialogue interesting if unnecessary and the frenetic pace the actors set really raises the bar a notch or two in terms of real lack of emotion and understanding...some other films that come to mind are "Bad Lieutenant", "Slacker" and "Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas". I use these films as examples because I viewed them with different ex-girlfriends (who were not nearly as into cinema as I am), and without fail, after watching them they proclaimed how much they hated them...not for the explicitly hedonistic content but for the lack of story or structure...

As wierd as this may be, I have always enjoyed films like these that don't make sense and don't have anything really to say besides the fact that the characters in them live meaningless and superficial lives, devoid of anything tangible. Often films like "Hurly Burly" allow the actors to push the boundaries of what they have done before and become more experimental...just a little skin off my balls...

...as far as being high, I won't stick this DVD anywhere near my player without a handful of Smirnoff shots and a couple of moldy Hostess Snowballs, preferably after i have been awake for 18 hours or longer as well...

[This message has been edited by Brock Landers (edited 10-04-2000).]

[The Arrow]

When I make it big, I want my life to be like Sean Penns in HurlyBurly. I know for many people its a disgusting lifestyle but for me its glamor. Yes I'll say it: I want to party with Chuck Sheen.

[JoBlo]

<moderator bump>

[Brock Landers]

Who DOESN"T want to party with Charlie Sheen, Arrow? That guy has the life! http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif Anyhow, just watched this one again earlier, and yep... it still rules...(9/10) for me.(Even though Penn is a little over-the-top in his real-life politics concerning the release of this film.)

[This message has been edited by Brock Landers (edited 09-25-2001).]

[Bud_Fox]

I remember thinking one phrase in partiular as I watched this movie, not previously knowing what it was about, not knowing who was in it, and that phrase was, "wow this is pretty fucking cool."

For me the shock value of seeing these guys coked up and high and doing it as if it all came sooo natural (hmmmmmm http://www.joblo.com/ubb/wink.gif) was as shocking as it was in a warped way pleasing.

Penn as always was oustanding. I would have been pissed had I seen it on the big screen, but this is a definite winner on rental. As Brock eluded to this movie is best viewed whilst having a few drinks or smoking some snootchie bootchies http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

5/10 (if I had seen it on the big screen)

7.5/10 (rental with some brews and friends who would appreciate seeing Penn coked up and a slutty acting Meg Ryan> )

[wyodebbie]

"Hurlyburly" is such a waste of so-good actors in a mess of drugged out, psycho Hollywood movie people. This film is just mostly vulgar meaningless, whinney conversation by trashy people. No wonder they don't make any sense, the coke has fried their brains. I hope real hollywood film community is not really like this - Palminteri is a raging dumb brute stand-in, Spacey's hair is so blond and flat he looks like a pimp instead of a Hollywood agent, Penn is just a brat baby Hollywood agent, Wright a selfish bitch Hollywood hairdresser, Paquin a homeless slut teen, and Meg Ryan is the big slut. Not one ounce of likeability or any sympathy or caring for any of these characters did I have. The only good thing about this film is the sharp cinematography. It's also boring as its set mostly in Eddie's (Penn) living room as you have to listen to the characters complain, complain, complain. I felt like I was trapped there with them, not a good feeling.