Everyone is stuck in the house due to this COVID19 lockdown. There's no better time for reviewing movies.
I found this movie great! All parts of this movie have been uploaded onto Youtube, so it's free to watch for anyone. (At least while I'm writing this). As graphic as the movie is, it's quite funny too. I don't know if other reviews latched onto how hilarious this movie was, even though it's dealing with quite dark subject matter.
It's a Romeo & Juliet story, the lovers were star crossed and bound for their fate from the beginning. The characters have a few mental problems. Their mental state is going downhill as the movie progresses, shown by their impulsive behaviour and strange decision making, which pushes them into more and more dangerous situations.
Ok Jimmy first. This is just my opinion, not other people's. Furlong is 30 in this movie and looks 30. In the initial script, he was supposed to be a teenager, and that makes sense. Although the movie deals with his character compassionately, I can't. Looking at a 30 year old man, I'm not gonna feel sorry for him and I feel like he is psychologically manipulating the girl. I don't believe he is naive and in love. But looks aside, Furlong has understood this character well and his acting is exceptional. You can really feel his extreme mood swings and impulsivity, as well as occasional glimpses into his darker obtrusive thoughts, such as when he says he wants to grate his balls with a cheese grater. To feel something is better than feeling numb I suppose.
Edward Furlong has always been able to understand the emotional nuances of complex characters, and convey this clearly for audiences - that's his strength. But he's not one of those actors that can do flawless accents, or mannerisms or things like that. But here in Jimmy and Judy, his physical acting has also stepped up. (or at least it was not a let down) I like his mannerisms, intonations, the way he delivers lines and so on.
Let's move onto Judy. I found her a bore. She looks like a grown ass woman trying to potray a 15yr old, with cute broody teenage looks that seem odd on her wrinkled forehead. Her acting was a bit lacklustre. She is supposed to be sexy but I just didn't get it. Just because you are flashing doesn't mean sexy. She is also kinda a spineless character. First she says she doesn't like Jimmy, then she does. Then she doesn't like the camera, then she does. She doesn't like flashing/ nudity, then she does. Then she is quickly shoplifting when she was more or less a good girl a week ago. She's incredibly passive and stupid. She tries to assert herself a little bit, but Jimmy is always overbearing emotionally and also one ups her intellectually. If I could feel something from her, like she was depressed or irrational or crazy in love, I might forgive her but I can't feel anything from her. In the movie, other than for being a bit of a loner, she doesn't seem to have too many issues and is completely forgettable. She should have tried to play a character that's more depressed or volatile or something.
Ok moving on from those 2 characters...the supporting cast is excellent. The psychiatrist at the start is hilarious, jimmy's parents have an outrageous scene, uncle rodney is charismatic, funny and intimidating, the coke head is super irritating and scary.
And lastly: ppl are complaining about the hand held video footage being unrealistic, like when Jimmy still records himself being beaten up. I don't find it so odd for his character, I think it's really in line with what some teenagers would do. Bryer Schmegelsky and Kam McLeod did it in real life, right?
Anyway, even if it WAS unrealistic, it doesn't take away from the movie. For example, Rose drops her 30 million dollar necklace into the ocean in Titanic. Isn't that stupid and unrealistic?
The film has several weak points but I'm giving it 10/10 as it leaves an indelible mark on your film watching memory and it's a movie where you'll probably want to watch some bits again.
I found this movie great! All parts of this movie have been uploaded onto Youtube, so it's free to watch for anyone. (At least while I'm writing this). As graphic as the movie is, it's quite funny too. I don't know if other reviews latched onto how hilarious this movie was, even though it's dealing with quite dark subject matter.
It's a Romeo & Juliet story, the lovers were star crossed and bound for their fate from the beginning. The characters have a few mental problems. Their mental state is going downhill as the movie progresses, shown by their impulsive behaviour and strange decision making, which pushes them into more and more dangerous situations.
Ok Jimmy first. This is just my opinion, not other people's. Furlong is 30 in this movie and looks 30. In the initial script, he was supposed to be a teenager, and that makes sense. Although the movie deals with his character compassionately, I can't. Looking at a 30 year old man, I'm not gonna feel sorry for him and I feel like he is psychologically manipulating the girl. I don't believe he is naive and in love. But looks aside, Furlong has understood this character well and his acting is exceptional. You can really feel his extreme mood swings and impulsivity, as well as occasional glimpses into his darker obtrusive thoughts, such as when he says he wants to grate his balls with a cheese grater. To feel something is better than feeling numb I suppose.
Edward Furlong has always been able to understand the emotional nuances of complex characters, and convey this clearly for audiences - that's his strength. But he's not one of those actors that can do flawless accents, or mannerisms or things like that. But here in Jimmy and Judy, his physical acting has also stepped up. (or at least it was not a let down) I like his mannerisms, intonations, the way he delivers lines and so on.
Let's move onto Judy. I found her a bore. She looks like a grown ass woman trying to potray a 15yr old, with cute broody teenage looks that seem odd on her wrinkled forehead. Her acting was a bit lacklustre. She is supposed to be sexy but I just didn't get it. Just because you are flashing doesn't mean sexy. She is also kinda a spineless character. First she says she doesn't like Jimmy, then she does. Then she doesn't like the camera, then she does. She doesn't like flashing/ nudity, then she does. Then she is quickly shoplifting when she was more or less a good girl a week ago. She's incredibly passive and stupid. She tries to assert herself a little bit, but Jimmy is always overbearing emotionally and also one ups her intellectually. If I could feel something from her, like she was depressed or irrational or crazy in love, I might forgive her but I can't feel anything from her. In the movie, other than for being a bit of a loner, she doesn't seem to have too many issues and is completely forgettable. She should have tried to play a character that's more depressed or volatile or something.
Ok moving on from those 2 characters...the supporting cast is excellent. The psychiatrist at the start is hilarious, jimmy's parents have an outrageous scene, uncle rodney is charismatic, funny and intimidating, the coke head is super irritating and scary.
And lastly: ppl are complaining about the hand held video footage being unrealistic, like when Jimmy still records himself being beaten up. I don't find it so odd for his character, I think it's really in line with what some teenagers would do. Bryer Schmegelsky and Kam McLeod did it in real life, right?
Anyway, even if it WAS unrealistic, it doesn't take away from the movie. For example, Rose drops her 30 million dollar necklace into the ocean in Titanic. Isn't that stupid and unrealistic?
The film has several weak points but I'm giving it 10/10 as it leaves an indelible mark on your film watching memory and it's a movie where you'll probably want to watch some bits again.