I saw this remake of "Zuckerbaby" only after I was well-acquainted with the excellent German film, and so I really have no way of rating it in its OWN right.
However, I was thoroughly horrified with how trite and childish the remake is, compared to the original film. It is similar to my feelings about the remake of "La cage aux folles," in that all the charm of the original film has been lost.
My chief objection to it is that the adult nature of the film, its serious, somewhat dark, ambiguous tone--at times hilariously funny, at times moving and quiet, and at times despairing of human loneliness and isolation--all gets lost, and the remake feels like a room that is heavily scented with some horrid, artificial "air freshener." One feels advocacy groups rallying outside the windows, politically correct sentiments, and committees approving of everything in the remake.
I strongly recommend that, if you have NOT seen this film, you make an effort to get the German film "Zuckerbaby" instead, put up with the subtitles, and enjoy a wonderful, grown-up film on a grown-up subject, and leave this horrid remake aside.
However, I was thoroughly horrified with how trite and childish the remake is, compared to the original film. It is similar to my feelings about the remake of "La cage aux folles," in that all the charm of the original film has been lost.
My chief objection to it is that the adult nature of the film, its serious, somewhat dark, ambiguous tone--at times hilariously funny, at times moving and quiet, and at times despairing of human loneliness and isolation--all gets lost, and the remake feels like a room that is heavily scented with some horrid, artificial "air freshener." One feels advocacy groups rallying outside the windows, politically correct sentiments, and committees approving of everything in the remake.
I strongly recommend that, if you have NOT seen this film, you make an effort to get the German film "Zuckerbaby" instead, put up with the subtitles, and enjoy a wonderful, grown-up film on a grown-up subject, and leave this horrid remake aside.