Three soldiers are home from Iraq; a 40-ish Tim Robbins out for good and the young Michael Pena and Rachel McAdams on a thirty day leave. Each has their own problem that they are faced with at the beginning of the film. Robbins comes home to a wife who wants a divorce and a son who needs $20,000 for college, Pena suffered a wound that has made him impotent and McAdams lost her friend and wants to find his family in order to return his guitar and live with them since she's lost any ties with her own. Think every problem is going to be solved in a little bow by the end? Well, you'd be right. Think that it's going to really typical and schmaltzy? Not so much on that one. It seems like a film that's made for the obvious ups and downs throughout but it actually manages to be quite original and refreshing. Instead of feeling like a film that's just about resolving the individual situations, it's a lot more carefree and a lot more about these three people simply enjoying life together and keeping one another joyful.

Of course there are many different stops on the way to their ultimate destinations in order to give us some situations of them interacting in the real world, but each one is a lot of fun and we gain a little more depth to the characters at each stop. All of the characters are well-fleshed out and don't feel like just another retread of stereotypes we've seen over and over again. One of the things that really surprised me is that when a little romance starts to bloom between Pena and McAdams, I didn't roll my eyes like I would have expected but instead I smiled and enjoyed watching this flirtation grow between the two of them in a non-typical way. And all the way through we are treated to three strong performances from three solid actors.

The real star is Rachel McAdams, who I'd say is Oscar-worthy. She keeps the laughs coming all the way through and steals every single scene with her bright eyes and southern drawl, but you can tell that there is real emotion brimming just under the surface. She's a girl who has every reason to hate life with a fury, but she remains optimistic and tries to get those around her to enjoy living just as much as she does. One scene in particular, when she finally meets the family of her fallen friend, is a showcase for what an extraordinary actress she is. This is her best performance by a long shot, and definitely one of the best of the year. The Lucky Ones is something that could have been obvious and clichéd, but ended up being just the opposite; a refreshing and very well-acted story that I wish wasn't destined to be forgotten come awards season.


(Synopsis) After recovering from their wounds in the Iraq War, three soldiers are sent back to the United States. Sgt. T.K. Poole (Michael Pena) and Pvt. Colee Dunn (Rachel McAdams) are given a 30-day leave, and Sgt. Fred Cheever (Tim Robbins) is retiring. The three soldiers now have a new mission. T.K is going home to visit his fiancée, Colee is going to return a guitar to the family of the man who saved her life, and Fred is going home to his wife in St. Louis. When they arrive at JFK Airport in New York, all fights have been canceled, because of a blackout. The three decide to rent a van and drive to St. Louis, and once there, T.K. and Colee can catch a plane to Las Vegas. What started out to be a short 14 hour trip ends up being a journey across America. Along the way, the three soldiers who had just met at JFK, become close friends.

(My Comment) This is a human interest story that explores the interpersonal aspects that war has on our soldiers, especially the ones who are injured as they return home. We learn the pitfalls of returning to this country where our soldiers are only given a token "Thank You" platitude from the public. We also see how three soldiers band together, and become in a sense a family taking care of one another. The film gives enough time in the character development of each soldier that we begin to like each soldier, and you wouldn't mind making them your friends. Their cross-county road trip is full of foolish misadventures that are memorable. For the most part, the film is serious to a point, yet it is also a comedy. I believe this small film will be one of those sleeper movies that the public will like, and it could be a hit. (QED International, Run Time 1:55, Rated R) (8/10)


Three soldiers who have received non life threatening wounds in Iraq are together on a plane to New York. Two of them are on thirty day leaves while the other has served his time and is on his way home. Due to a power outage, all flights out of New York have been canceled. The three agree to rent a car together in order to continue the trip to their destinations. Thus begins a road trip that is highly dramatic with its share of comic events.

Fred Cheaver is the middle aged father figure of the three - a man who never really expected to do anything in the army except serve his domestic reserve duty. He is glad to be rid of the whole thing and is headed home to his wife and son. The two young soldiers who accompany Fred are Colee Dunn and T.K. Poole. Colee is a bright-eyed innocent who is on a mission for a fallen comrade who saved her life. T.K. is a no nonsense soldier from a family of soldiers who plans to make the army his career and move up the chain of command.

Whereas, Fred's quest is to return home to wife and son, Colee's and T.K.'s goals are to travel to Las Vegas for two entirely different reasons. Colee wants to return her dead comrade's treasured guitar to his family. T.K.'s reason is somewhat mysterious, but we know it is related in some way to his injury that has left him temporarily impotent.

As with all road trip films, the experiences and interactions of these three lead to conclusions not expected by them or the viewers.

Unlike most films featuring vets returning from the horrors of war, this film is not filled with dark angst - not to say the characters are not well-fleshed and genuine. These three are real people with real problems, but their depictions are not heavy-handed.

During this film, the viewer gets to enjoy the work of three excellent actors. Tim Robbins gives his usual fine, understated performance as the older man facing some totally unexpected twists of fate. Rachel McAdams gives Colee a likable innocence but also reveals some darker layers of her character. Michael Peña is very, very good as the macho guy with a heart who only wants to be a good soldier. Watching these three interact is a real treat.

Some may consider the treatment of the subject matter of this film too light handed, but it has a gentleness that rings true. It is surely worth watching.


Neil Burger's offbeat, quirky, dramatic movie is a triumph. It succeeds in all the aspects, from the technical parts to the acting, I can't find a single negative thing about it. Burger doesn't dilly-dally around, he went straight to the point of his subject, giving a fair amount of time for each of the three characters (McAdams, Pena and Robbins) to develop and eventually you can't help but really like them...a lot. Especially McAdams but more on that later. The script is tightly wound, the chemistry between the three protagonists doesn't seem forced, the movie doesn't force you to like them the moment the movie starts but instead, these colorful characters will gradually grow on you.

Tim Robbins, one of my favorite actors, doesn't disappoint. 2008, I have seen him in two movies the other one being The City of Ember. And as long as a movie has Tim Robbins in it, I'm sold. That's why I watched the movie in the first place. Michael Pena, another great guy, gives off a good vibe towards the movie and once you know what's been bothering his character, you can't help but laugh at how one-sided and ridiculous his problem is. Pena gives one of his greatest performance on screen. And of course, the belle of the ball, the star of the show, Rachel McAdams gives a quirky, zesty and joyful performance as a lovable Southerner and I can't help but be reminded of another quirky, zesty and joyful character, Amelie. She just keeps the laughs rolling in and steal every scene she's in. She gives the character such depth that one might come off as one dimensional had it been portrayed by a lesser talent. Definitely an underrated performance for 2008.

Highly recommended.


I'd never heard of Neil Burger's "The Lucky Ones" until a friend recommended it to me after catching it on a flight to Australia. Released in theatres stateside last year, it was pulled after making a paltry $267,000 in its opening week. This is a hell of a shame as what we have here is the first great movie about the Iraq war. Three soldiers return to the states on leave and through circumstances end up on a road trip to Vegas. Michael Pena is a cocky Sargeant with a wound in his manhood, struggling to come to terms with how his Fiancé will react to his impotence. Tim Robbins is a veteran trying to find the money to send his kid to college and thus stop him enlisting. But the standout performance, and quite possibly the standout performance of the past year full stop, comes from Rachel McAdams as a naive private returning her dead boyfriends guitar to his family. Her turn here is far superior to anything Oscar nominated this year and probably the best from an American actress since Hilary Swank in Million Dollar Baby. The films strongest point is its lack of a "message". Pro war or Anti war, you'll find your own point of view here and Burger is subtle enough to allow you the privilege. I won't give it away but this has a great ambiguous seventies style ending, just the way I like 'em. It's always a good sign when a movie ends and you wish you could get to see more of the characters, and it's an all too rare occurrence in modern cinema. For this Burger and his cast should be applauded.


The Lucky ones concerns three Iraq War soldiers who have just returned to the States: Fred Cheever (Tim Robbins) is out for good, and can't wait to reunite with his wife and son in St. Louis; T.K. Poole (Michael Pena) has suffered an embarrassing injury and is on his way to reconnecting with his fiancée before heading back overseas; and the also-injured Colee Dunn (Rachel McAdams) is on a mission to deliver a precious guitar to her deceased boyfriend's parents in Las Vegas. These strangers are brought together when JFK Airport is shut down indefinitely. Deciding that renting a car is a better option than twiddling their thumbs and waiting for the planes to fly, they hit the road on an eventful journey that will bring them closer together than they ever would have expected... The Lucky Ones is a film that doesn't really make any statements about the war. Instead it's a character study of these 3 soldiers and it shows how the return from war can be weird and bizarre. The film handles some very dramatic subjects but, always in a light way. As in every road trip film, the character's journey is full of chance encounters and misadventures, and each one of the soldiers ends up fighting some of their own demons or coming to certain realizations. Granted, some of the events feel a bit contrived, but this is a dramedy, not a realistic war drama. The film was very well acted starting with Michael Pena, who despite doing mostly small roles, was a pleasant surprise as a central character. The veteran Tim Robbins delivered a good, even if subtle, performance as the older soldier who's life becomes upside down. However the film belongs to the gorgeous Rachel McAdams; she was feisty, charismatic and overall, just great, as she usually is. One cannot help but to fall a little bit in love with her every time she does a film. At the end of the day, The Lucky Ones is a quirky little film with a certain gentleness that works mainly, because it focuses on the characters and their emotions and not on the war and it's motives. Definitely a nice watch.

7/10


This is one of the funniest movies about serious topics, and I thought the acting was excellent. Almost every scene in the film has the three main actors in it, and the dynamic between them is fun to watch. The three soldiers coming home on leave find themselves stuck together, and a road trip adventure ensues. The circumstances they get into tell us a lot about the characters, and each scene gives more depth to the individuals and the relationships that develop. I really liked all three main characters even with their flaws.

I laughed more during this movie than I usually do during comedies so I guess that means it has my kind of humor. Unlike the review by "Super and Mik", I didn't think it was slow or the ending at all predictable. I thought the plot was engaging. I rated the movie 9 out of 10 stars, but I'm not sure what could have made it a ten. It's well written with a balance between comedy and drama. It's perfectly cast, and I also liked the directing and attention to detail. I highly recommend this flick. I don't understand why it flopped at the box office.


I had tickets for this at the Toronto International Film Festival last summer but was side-tracked by an obscure little film called Slumdog Millionaire instead, so only got around to watching it last night on pay-per-view. In a strange way, the two films have a good deal in common. In an era in which everyone seems to want either tense thrillers, puerile comedies or awesome special effects (the only one here, as has been pointed out, is a cheaply put together tornado), both movies offer little more than a thoroughly improbable plot and a focus on character development. But both work remarkably well. I am puzzled by those who found that the movie dragged. While most of the plot development was telegraphed not once but several times, the acting from all three leads was both believable and very deft. At first I thought that Rachel McAdams' character was simply too naive to be true but it soon became apparent that she was much wiser than we (or even she) knew. She plays it beautifully. Tim Robbins is wonderful too, and rather pathetic, in a down-to-earth role as an aging war veteran, happy to have survived and soon to be confronted with some harsh realities. But Michael Pena was the real surprise. He is completely captivating in his portrayal of a proud young vet from a military family on his way to meet his girlfriend, with his masculinity compromised by a war injury. His character is the most subtly poignant as he confronts his own fears about his manhood, on several levels.

Like all movies based on the Iraqi war, this seems to suffer from America's desire to ignore the war altogether, just as they ignored the Vietnam veterans a generation ago (Coming Home, The Deer Hunter). America seems to be much less willing to address its failures now than it was then, or even the lesser failures in the wake of World War II.


This is excellent. This movie is a great example of how those in the military take care on one another. After my five years of military service as a Marine, I have found no other organization that works so well. This was a great example of how we (those in the military) get it done each and every day. It also illustrates that in the military we learn to work with both men and women and all colors. It is a simple matter of what is required to get the job done. Thanks for a good example of life in and out of the military.

The characters were true to form and based on my experience showed the way it really is as one tries to adapt and adjust to live after returning from a deployment. It was so smart to include a woman and to write the lines in such a way to show that she was an equal. While only a newbie to the military, she demonstrated life experiences and knowledge that helped the more senior members of the cast. A great job of balancing and showing that life experiences help those in the military deal with situations.

I do not think I can say enough how much I enjoyed watching this movie and experiences the life of military members through the characters in this film. Again, great job!


The three main characters are totally different from each other. At a picnic they probably would have little to say to each other. But all three just arrived by plane in NY, from war, on 30-day Army leave, and are about to catch planes to their eventual destinations. But something happens, a regional power outage has caused flight delays and cancellations. So they end up unlikely companions on a road trip.

They are "The Lucky Ones" , they are still alive.

Tim Robbins is Sgt Fred Cheaver, actually getting out of the military and on his way home to St Louis. He rents the last available car and takes along the two other soldiers to share expenses and driving. They will catch planes from St Louis.

Rachel McAdams is Colee Dunn, country girl, unsophisticated and unfiltered, she says whatever crosses her mind. She has been wounded in the leg and has a limp.

Michael Peña is T.K. Poole. He was also wounded, but in an embarrassing place, his male private parts. Some of the funnier scenes occur when Colee tries to get him help for his (hopefully temporary) ED.

The three actors are very good here and their interactions are interesting. I found myself wanting to own the DVD so that I can re-watch it periodically.

UPDATE: I just watched it again after almost 2 months and enjoyed it as much the second time.

SPOILERS: Cheaver arrives home to a standoff-ish wife, she has decided she will be happier single. At the same time their son announces he has been accepted at Stanford but needs $20,000 within 3 weeks to hold his place. Colee's boyfriend was killed and she is surprising the boy's parents by delivering his guitar to them in Las Vegas. The deceased soldier turns out to be a big fraud, with girlfriend and baby back home, and Colee gets to keep the guitar. Cheaver tries to win $20,000 in LV but fails, but re-inlists for the $20,000 bonus. They all end up back together, about to be shipped off to 3 separate fighting zones, not knowing if they ever will see each other again.


Kind of a road picture for soldiers home from the Iraqi front, I don't think writer/director Neil Burger intends to make an antiwar statement... but pretty much any human being with a heart will take it as such. The quote above, "No, thank YOU," occurs at several points in the story as these three soldiers, on leaveFred Cheaver (Tim Robbins), T.K. Poole (Michael Peña), and Colee Dunn (Rachel McAdams)make their way across the US. What happens is they have a transaction with a civilian who learns they're from the front, and the soldier will say thank you to end the exchange, to which the civilian will say, "No, thank YOU." With emphasis, expressing the fairly common sentiment that we have toward those in uniform.

...

For my complete review of this movie and for other movie and book reviews, please visit my site TheCoffeeCoaster.com.

Brian Wright Copyright 2009


Three soldiers back from Iraq team up and rent a car to drive to their respective destinations. Things happen to them along the way. When they get to their destinations, what they find is not what they expected.

That's "The Lucky Ones" in a nutshell. But it doesn't do justice to this quirky, touching and funny film.

Tim Robbins and Michael Pena give sturdy, soldierly performances, but the real story here is Rachel McAdams, who is mesmerizing as the blunt talking, somewhat naive, wounded (literally, in her thigh), deeply religious, sexually open minded and perpetually optimistic Pvt. Colee Dunn. She is a ray of pure southern sunshine and steals every scene she is in.

Some highlights: A furious McAdams throws her soda on Pena when he insults her boyfriend, killed in Iraq, by saying he was unfit to be a soldier because he supposedly did armed robbery.

McAdams lashes out in a bar when some valley girl-types mock her limp. "Good thing I didn't have my weapon," she says after.

All three end up at an evangelical service and McAdams stands up to testify, blithely telling embarrassing secrets about her companions while they cringe.

After locking their keys in the car, they trudge off for help and end up at a Hummer dealership. On the way back in a luxury Hummer, they compare this one with what they're more used to.

When McAdams arrives at her dead boyfriend's family, she finds out his colorful depiction of them was somewhat embellished. What she decides to tell them about him is even more embellished to spare their feelings. In fact, this scene is so moving it is probably the highlight of McAdams acting career.

Robbins is at a rich man's party and meets a beautiful woman who begins flirting with him. He asks if she's married and she says, "Umm." They both start laughing hysterically.

This movie has many such moments.

One lowlight: A contrived, cheap-looking tornado scene that's just in the movie to give Pena and McAdams a chance to huddle in a drainpipe, allowing a certain delightful discovery to be made. Afterward, the twister has blown the landscape to pieces, but their vehicle is untouched.

Final thought: This is not an Iraq movie. This is an America movie.


I sat down to this film not knowing anything beyond what the trailer depicted...and I had only a vague memory of that. Is it a drama, a comedy, a what...? I can honestly say that I think the answer is yes. To all. It's the most honest, solid, watchable film I've seen in a long time. Nothing seemed forced, gratuitous, or pandering... it's just a well told, and acted, human story. Neither a magical, nor let-down ending...unless one would count "I wish more films could be made this well" as a let down.

So, that's my opinion, which doesn't mean much...unless you are like me, and enjoy the quality of a film more than the franchise future possibilities of one.


Well this movie could have been so much more. The trailers featured the emotional "I will remember you" but the movie, apparently adjusted to growing indifference to the Iraq War by many, was afraid to let you care too much. I was really disappointed to see what happened with this film. I did a little bit of extra work (was cut from the guitar scene at last minute) on this film and it never even showed in Edwardsville, Illinois (near ST. Louis) where "Denver" scenes were filmed.

I couldn't disagree more about Rachel MacAdams character. As an actress her job is reflect reality and some of the people who turn to the military in rural small town America where often times jobs were hard to come by before the economic meltdown. Someone from Colee's background probably wouldn't talk like someone Harvard bound, coming from a broken home etc. She brilliantly portrayed someone who refused to be held down by the life she was born into, was highly inquisitive, caring, supportive. She was a beautiful person, a great character that Rachel brought life to. She wasn't intelligent, but she wasn't dumb if you can wrap your mind about that. I thought she turned in a tremendous performance that too few people saw. I also bet there were tremendous moments left on the cutting room floor. I really thought many aspects of her performance were Oscar quality.

Oh gee and Tim Robbins isn't the first actor to have political views. He's a professional and I didn't see an overwhelming agenda in his role. He seemed to focus on telling a story about what happens to these people when they return home.

Michael Pena continues to be an underrated talent.

I give the George Lucas stale raspberry award for bad CGI moments to the crew for including a stupid tornado scene that looked like it came from the Buster Keaton era. They did a much better job in '39 with the Wizard of Oz! I wonder if this film will be "put back together" with the DVD.


After being a huge fan of Neil Burger's first big movie, The Illusionist, I was very intrigued in seeing his next film. With an interesting cast of Michael Pena, Rachel McAdams, and Tim Robbins, I was very interest in seeing how the chemistry of these three would be together. They were very good.

We have the older vet, Fred Cheaver (Tim Robbins), who just wants to go home and enjoy his remaining years with his wife and son. T.K. Pool (Michael Pena) got wounded in his private area and is afraid he can't 'get it up' with his girl where the relationship is apparently based on sex. And then we have Colee Dunn. She's the outgoing outsider with a broken family but means well with attempting to bring a guitar to a family she doesn't know where her friend and their son was killed in combat. She expects to live with them.

The chemistry between the main leads are very good (especially Rachel McAdams). They don't have a ego problem as you might see in most post war movies (see Stop-Loss). I believe Burger's biggest point was to demonstrate the bond the the army has on each other and how they would go to big lengths to make sure one another is OK and safe while of course testing one another with impossible questions. T.K. didn't like Colee's deceased friend Randy even though he never knew him. Randy robbed a casino according to Colee and T.K. felt that's what the military doesn't want. Soldiers escaping their problems. Fred would always be there to babysit the two if any issues between the two would get out of hand but the truth is, the three of them loved each other.

This film has no comparison to the very special "The Illusionist" but that is a very good thing. Variety seems to be an issue for a good portion of new coming directors in this new century. Neil Burger relied on a tight script and painted characters with ridiculous recurrences and run ins that made you one again understand why it was called 'The Lucky Ones.' My favorite was when Fred went to see his wife, she nonchalantly asked for a divorce. Moments later his son came home and said he needed tens of thousands of dollars to get into Stanford. After Fred went back out with his friends to relieve some tension, he ran into an old friend that he worked with who explained that the company that Fred and him worked for was out of business obviously meaning that Fred had no job and really no way of giving money to his son at the time.

Solid film and lots of problems bit it saved by very good chemistry and performances.


Three soldiers returning from Iraq after sustaining injuries received during combat expecting a normal 30 days of leave. When their flights get canceled is when their journey starts. Expectations of home are not what they thought it would be. Being in the Army you have heard of and experienced this and know it can be true. The movie does a great job of portraying the Army in and out of Iraq. Three very different actors that do a great job of showing the diversity in the Army and going from state to state show their different backgrounds. Too much driving and not enough action. Movie was boring at parts and the ending was pretty predicable. We would recommend to watch this after dinner with the family. Good movie but could have been a little more lively. Super and Mik out!


After watching the trailer for this movie, my wife and I were interested in seeing it and jumped at the chance to go to a free, advance screening.

During the movie, it kind of felt like the story was going somewhere and even though it was fairly slow, I was interested. Then the movie ended, and it felt like nothing had happened at all. Despite the decent acting and the initial promise of the story line, the ending to the movie just made it feel like we had wasted two hours of our life.

My wife also hated the way Rachael McAdams character was written. She said that she thought her character was written to be the stereo-typical sad, unintelligent woman.

I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone, unless you need somewhere to go to take a nap for about 2 hours.


Hi i just wanted to say that i am 16 and my parents always let me watch BaBar. I cannot even describe to you how amazing that show is. I still love it today and wish they still aired it...I suggest you find out where you can get the videos, buy them, and let your children see them...it is a very entertaining show. as i grew up i forgot about BaBar then after a while i began thinking about what my favorite TV show was. and i remembered that it was Babar. Definitely a A+ 10 out of 10 show. buy it! When i get older i am definitely going to buy it so that my children can watch it just as i did. in fact i even named my rabbit after babar!


When I was younger I used to like elephants, especially in cartoons. This was a very simple cartoon with some short and simple stories involving all the characters, but it was still good. Babar in his childhood had his mother shot by hunters, but he was rescued and looked after by an old woman. As he grows up he learns to dress, walk and talk like a gentleman. Soon many elephants are like this and they build their own place out in the country. Because Babar was the one that started it he was soon to be known to these elephants as the King Babar. Throughout the series Babar helps people with problems and runs his elephants well. It's only the rhinos that aren't too keen on the elephants. It was number 81 on The 100 Greatest Cartoons. Okay!


I certainly loved Babar as a kid, and have a soft spot for it now. I love how it is simple, and that it is lovely and cute. Children will definitely love it, and I do seriously think it is one of the better animated shows to come out in the 80s and 90s, most cartoons these days with one or two rare exceptions are awful with bad animation, lacklustre humour, poor music and lacks even juvenile appeal, or are shows that started off good and now are mediocre at best(Spongebob Squarepants I am looking at you!) Back on target, the animation in Babar is truly lovely, simple in design but has a certain elegance about it. Also the music is exceedingly pleasant, and the characters and story lines are endearing. Not only that, it is educational, and you learn good morals without feeling as though it is being forced down your throat. All in all, lovely to watch, really charming and I for one love who simple it was. 10/10 Bethany Cox


When I was a little girl, at 5, I watched this cartoon and was amazed by it's beauty, matureness and lovely music and backgrounds. It is very moralful to kids and very emotionally touching as people learn lessons throughout life, such as Flora seeing how people would work their hardest to provide for others, (even in the dead of night!) teaching her to be more respectful and more caring and concern for the benefit of other people, that are less fortunate then her. Also to not bad mouth about those shes loves and to bring out the good side of things of all she stands for. Other lessons such as Harsh, emotionally scared ones such as getting your life endangered by a poisonous snake and ending up in a coma. Alexander willing to make up for upsetting other people and endangering the lives of others. Pom learning to be honest and right and to be more confident. And to face up to faults and problems that you cause to people and improve your character. This cartoon is the greatest influence on my life that will stick with me forever:)


When you're not expecting much, it doesn't take a masterpiece to impress you. I watched The Sex Monster knowing that it had a bisexual-relevant theme, but uncertain of whether it would be a positive or negative portrayal of bisexuality and sexual experimentation in general. I was not disappointed.

Mike Binder somehow managed to take all of the tired stereotypes about gender and sexuality, weave them into exaggerated characters, put the characters in awkward situations, and make it all uproariously hilarious. Some viewers, no doubt, will interpret the caricatured portrayals as perpetuating outmoded stereotypes and perhaps even contributing to those stereotypes. But Binder's wit is both subtle and blatant: the dialogue makes use of every cliche imaginable, yet is still fresh and funny.

If you're cheek is prepared to accommodate your tongue, definitely see this movie (rent it! and then buy it to show all your friends). Be warned, though, that what you assume about people may be forever changed.


With a title like Sex Monster I was expecting a little more than what was shown. There were many suggestions and noises of sex happening, but no visuals.

Irritating.


and it's a damn funny movie (at times) to boot! We've all heard about Mariel Hemingway's bisexual proclivities and this film just adds more fuel to the fire that she seems to want to fan. Fine with me! Mike Binder has made a very enjoyable picture, and I never got bored with it. 97 minutes is just about the right length - any more and he might have lost me.


This low budget sex farce surprised me and turned out to be a madcap and funny comedy. Laura (Mariel Hemingway) and Marty (Mike Binder) are a regular couple with an ordinary sex life. But Marty is obsessed with a fantasy where he and Laura have a threesome with another woman. He goads her semi-seriously and when she finally shows some interest, he convinces her to invite over a girl from work who has been coming on to her.

But Marty soon learns that you have to be careful what you wish for. After an initial reluctance, Laura gets into it and finds she likes it. We're talking SERIOUS liking here. Marty is initially ecstatic that his fantasy has been fulfilled, but now that he has opened Pandora's Box (so to speak), he is not prepared for the Sex Monster that emerges. Laura becomes a sex crazed Lesbian nymphomaniac and proceeds to seduce all their female friends. This leads to numerous awkward situations, some zany, some silly and some just downright hilarious.

This film is just rollicking good fun. The sex is mostly implied, so if you were hoping to see Mariel Hemingway or anyone else naked, you are pretty much out of luck. There is a lot of moaning and bed shaking but nothing really provocative other than a couple of girl kissing scenes. But explicit sex isn't what this movie is about. It's about the comedy, and the comedy works, so it is just as well.

This is really the Mike Binder show. He wrote, directed and starred in the film. He didn't really excel in any of these roles, but somehow the whole exceeded the sum of the parts. He gave a generally droll performance which was occasionally terrible but more often comical. He was at his best when he was being tormented by Laura's obsession as he tried desperately to get the sex genie back in the bottle.

Mariel Hemingway was terrific in this film and made it truly funny. This is her second role with a bisexual theme having appeared in the heavy handed 'Personal Best' where she was an athlete who alternated between sleeping with her male coach and a female teammate. Her performance in this part was far better and she turns out to be a much better comedian than dramatic actress. She has a great ability to make humorous use of her 6 foot frame and made the most of the many sight gags in the script.

I rated this movie a 7/10. It doesn't redefine the genre, but it is a wacky sex farce that has more than its share of funny moments. If you are offended by profanity, sexual situations and lesbianism, you definitely want to skip it. But if you like a light hearted and offbeat roll in the hay flick, you'll probably enjoy it.


I highly recommend this genuinely funny sex farce involving the

mishaps that occur when a man talks his wife into having lesbian

relationships. Hemingway, Binder, and Cryder do excellent acting

jobs with long scenes with no cuts.

Hemingway, in my mind, grows more delectable with age.

Too bad it's not on VHS or DVD. I taped it from Cinem


This movie blew. Aside from starring the worst actors in the history of movie making, the "plot" was mind numbingly blasé, the dialogue painfully cringe inducing, and Mariel Hemingway's performance bad enough to make her poor grandfather vomit on himself in his grave. This movie was so bad, yet I could not stop watching it; much like a train wreck in which bodies are flying in all directions. I'm so glad that Mariel Hemingway has chosen yet another steaming piece of pony loaf to showcase her criminal lack of talent. The fact that a reputable production company actually financed and tagged this ridiculous wannabe edgy yet flaccid "statement" about bisexuality made me want to stick a fork into my retina and twist it around repeatedly. In fact, I wish I had done that instead of wasting my time with this ridiculous movie.


Mike Binder is a decent enough actor, but when it comes to writing and producing his own material, he seems to only be able to fixate on one, really weak Sex-farce situation.

This absurdly amateur production is shallow and offensive at times but it has its fans. And, believe it or not, there is a silver lining: apparently Binder got enough chops from this experience to pull together a more adult set of issues for use in his HBO Series THE MIND OF A MARRIED MAN. A series which borrows liberally from this first outing for its topics and somewhat silly presumptions about female sexuality and men's abilities or inabilities to stay "constrained" by marriage.

The Series, which was ill-timed, sadly couldn't hold its own against more strongly established series. It had its comic moments and if it took making this film to bring out the creator in him, well, hats off to Binder. Let's see him take a stab at the subject again some time.

The reasons why this film is most likely a Cult "hit" is because Binder put together a surprisingly diverse cast who seem to happily goof their way through this less than professional outing. Hey, if they had fun and its fans like it and it led to a half-way engaging TV series, well, I won't complain. I won't watch it again, but.. I won't complain.

If anything, the film is notable as the genesis of the series THE MIND OF A MARRIED MAN.


One of the few truly hilarious adult films of the 90s. Sophisticated while being silly, sly, witty, wry, insightful, ironic -- for mature people with a high degree of self-awareness, self-honesty & ability to recognize and accept the fluidity of human sexuality. Great acting: natural, unaffected, unself-conscious!


Mike Binder, who many know from 'The mind of the married man' has all the talent and capabilities of a young Albert Brooks or a Gene Wilder. This sex farce is right on and a perfect look at a the male scenario of his wife and a girl getting it on going bad. A fast (ninety some minutes) funny, (Hemingway is the funniest I have ever seen her) and fresh, (this is almost like a french film) Awesome little comedy. Don't know how I ever missed it but I rented it after seeing the TV series and laughed like crazy. Watch this with a date. You'll get the topics flowing all night. Also watch for cameos from Kevin Pollack and Steve Baldwin. Loved it!!!!!!!


This movie was a big, bumbling mess. There were a few humorous lines, but the viewer expects more laughs from a sex farce. I don't even think the flimsy plot was worth an entire 97 minutes; it seemed like it would have felt more at home as an hour-long comedy on Cinemax. Mariel Hemmingway was severely miscast as the bisexual wife, because she walked through the role like she didn't know what she was doing there. However, the lead actor Mike Binder (also the writer and director) put in a spirited performance. He reminded me of a cross between Matt Lauer and Woody Allen, and I'd like to see what he could do in future roles. The only other funny character in the movie was a radio voice- a lesbian obsessed DJ who was imitating Howard Stern. And for those who are intrigued by the movie's title: there was very little sex or nudity on-screen.

The DVD is in pan-and-scan format, and the only extra is the trailer.


Wow. Just when you think movies can't get any worse, you see Sex Monster (or, as it should be called, "I Became A Bisexual Sex Freak In Order To Obey My Husband"). It's basically about this guy, Marty (Binder), who really wants to sleep with two women at a time, and his wife, Laura (Hemingway), who is perfectly OK with his objectification. So she invites over a friend (Humphrey) they know is bisexual (because of course anyone who's bi will sleep with anyone-and the more at a time, the better), and BAM, they all get it on. But uh-oh, trouble in paradise: Laura realises she likes it!

Now she's addicted to crazy sex. Blah blah blah.

Not only is this film horribly offensive in every way possible, it's just plain old bad filmmaking. There are some directors I loathe (take, for example, Kevin Smith), but at least I can see that they are talented-it's just, to quote good ol' Mr. Ebert, they use their talent in an unworthy way. Not so here. Mike Binder has proved himself to be utterly inept in the directing business. I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate this movie. After we watched it, we ejected the video and passed it around so we could all punch it. And we did.

One more thing. Just to prove to you how profoundly evil this movie is, let me quote a little bit of the synopsis from the official website: "She changes and loves it. Marty, after first enjoying his new dream come true' freedom, comes to realize that his wife spends more time with the girls, has reached a new level of strength, freedom and happiness, and he's the odd man out in his own bed. Finally Laura comes to realize that she actually wants only her husband and they work to rebuild their marriage." Let's analyse this. She changes, and loves it. So far so good. She reaches a new level of strength, freedom, and happiness. Still good. But wait-she's just Marty's wife-a woman. And if Marty isn't happy, well then something's wrong-after all, he's the man. Men are more important. So, Laura realises that she only wants her husband, and they all live happily ever after. Good lord.


SEX MONSTER (2 outta 5 stars) No, this is not a porno... except for some four letters words and some swimming pool nudity this is as benign as a typical TV sitcom. Actually, the movie is basically an episode of Bewitched... except instead of the husband being upset about his wife's use of witchcraft he becomes upset at the emergence of her latent lesbianism. Mariel Hemingway actually gives a very good, amusing performance as the prim and proper wife who turns into the insatiable "sex monster" after she gives in to her husband's suggestion of a menage a trois. Unfortunately, writer/director/star Mike Binder's character is a poor cross between Woody Allen and Paul Reiser and doesn't do much to help this film rise about it's poor script. Actually it's not too much of a stretch to imagine Reiser and Helen Hunt playing these roles... it would have made an eye-popping "Mad About You" series finale! Events are about as predictable as you can imagine... husband talks wife into a threesome... wife winds up enjoying it more than the guy... guy starts to feel jealous and inadequate. Hemingway's performance is the only thing that keeps the movie from being a completely tiresome bore... not that I am recommending it... it's just to bad that her still-prodigious screen talent isn't being utilized more.


This movie bored me from the overly long intro. None of the women in the video are exceptionally attractive and Mariel Hemmingways height and nose bother me quite a bit, though in some scenes she does look rather foxy.

Of course this isn't porno(sure, sure, just tell yourself that) or even porno lite. It's suppose to be a sex comedy that just utterly falls flat. Mike Binder really can't act/write or produce this movie into anything worthwhile or entertaining. He even has a character making a joke about Brunch. It seems Mike is trying to be a cross between Jerry Seinfield & Woody Allen, but he doesn't even have 1/100th the talent of those two aforementioned peoples.

The only reason I give it a three is because of some semi-hot woman on woman scenes that you could probably see on TV nowadays.


This movie is a lot of fun. Lots and lots of laughs. Edgy but funny and Mike Binder is great. If you liked his TV show you'll like this which I'm sure was the inspiration. Mariel Hemingway is awesome too. A lot of people will think it's light but I didn't. A lot the sex stuff was left to the imagination.

There are several cameos that are clever too. Kevin Pollack is funny as a doctor. This is a good movie to rent if you're just looking to have some laughs.


For a movie titled so provocatively it sure had very little sex or nudity in it. The plot is your typical 90's lame pop culture brain rot. The writer/director is an ignorant and dishonest sell-out. I gave this nugget of nastiness a 1. I suppose one can mention a single good thing about this waste of time: Mariel Hemingway did it during a spell in which she was minus her usual breast implants. Her lack of talent was routine however.


I was skeptical to rent this movie after seeing some of the bad comments on imdb, but sometimes you have to take the plunge and decide for yourself. Thank God, I did and didn't listen to all of you who poo-pood this film. Binder is hilarious. He has a way of capturing the moment in his expression like great comedians (which he is) do. His film-making is nicely done as well, keeping the camera on his character as things go wrong, so you can wretch along with him. Hemingway is really a truly unsung actress. She can do anything, and here she and Binder are the perfect funny couple. Whoever said in their review that Binder is no Woody Allen was wrong. If you like Allen, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, Chevy Chase, Martin Short, Steve Martin: the greats, etc., you'll love this film. I promise!


This movie is Hilarious. I have seen it several times and laugh just as hard every time I see it. No Need for additional commentary here as the other commentary explains the movie. All I can say is MAKE SURE YOU SEE IT.


"The Sex Monster" is a witty sex romp (naturally) that excels in its humor. And unlike some reviews have said, it's not just some male fantasy. In fact, all the males in the movie are made out to look like idiots, especially the lead character -- who finds that his wife "Likes p**** more than he does" after a menage a trois. Acting is great all around, and there are so many beautiful women in the film it is mind boggling. Women should enjoy it too, as it shows how men's fantasies can backfire on them and laughs a lot at men's ideas about women and lesbians.

No gratutiutous sex, just a LOT of innuendo. Fun for the whole (adult) family. 8/10


Dr. Frankenstein, meet your monster! Mike Binder wrote, directed, and starred as a husband who gets to make his own bed only to find that he is no longer needed to lie in it! Mariel Hemmingway steals the film as the wife who takes charge after giving into hubby's desire to expand her sexual horizons. She looks fantastic too, and is incredibly sexy without ever actually revealing her breasts.

It is sweet justice watching the lesbian partners express the husband's insignificance by gently lowering their partner's head while ignoring his whines. Once he realizes how this has gotten out of hand, the results are surprisingly twisted and contorted to an hilarious extent. And the grand finale is priceless.

If it doesn't embarrass you to watch a movie about sex, this is a marvelous escape from grim realities.


Unless you are totally into "lesbian sex sounds" (there are few visuals here) stay away from this horribly made piece of junk.

There's one or two funny lines, and that's it!

1 out of 10.


Marty is typical guy who wants to spice up his boring married sex life. He gets the idea that he should get his wife together with another woman and he does this because he is self centered, of course. At first his wife does not want to be with another woman but soon enough she likes it. She likes being with another woman so much that she starts to reject Marty and his whole plan blows up in his face.

I think Marty gets what he deserves and it's pretty funny. He gets more than he asks for and that is what makes the movie great. The whole scene with the sister is pretty funny as well. Wishes do come true and sometimes they come true a little too much.


Is the Bee Movie the best animated movie we've ever seen? No. But, defying the critics, I took my 11 year old daughter (who didn't really want to go) and my 5 year old son to see the movie and we all really enjoyed it. Most importantly, the story and humor of the movie operates at multiple levels, so it appealed to all of us at our individual age level.

What is beyond dispute is that the visual feel of the movie is incredible. Some of the bee hive interior and flight scenes were just breathtaking. My kids were spellbound.

To me the best judge of a movie is how fast it moves along. This one kept us all entertained throughout and its 90 minute running time felt like half that. So, ignore the critics, and take your kids. They'll have a great time, and even if you're not a Seinfeld fan, so will you.


This is a silly movie. It's goal is to make you laugh, and little beyond that. Indeed I laughed for most of the movie. It is hard for me to find much fault when I am laughing that much. That the last act had fewer jokes was a minor misstep. The characters were cute and the story didn't get in the way of the humor. And I kind of enjoyed the story, it was a little odd and funny.

It is unusual among animated movies in that its focus is jokes, kind of like a stand-up act. There are a lot of these jokes and they are quite funny! Does anything feel better than laughing? (OK, well very few things.) The story is mainly there as a vehicle for the jokes. So perhaps slightly different expectations will serve you well with this movie.

Don't go to this for a serious story! It is light humor, and at that game a great success. If you recognize that that is what the filmmakers are going for, then you will enjoy it. If you are expecting an incredible story or thrilling action or amazing animated beauty, then you might be disappointed.

As lighthearted humor with playful animation, and a great ending song, the film is a success.


A professor in the University of Central Florida that taught me very well about cinema, submitted a wonderful script to different movie studios about two kids over the summer living with their father inside a boat, as they sail the western hemisphere for multiple reasons. But, despite the good script, had a major issue that did not allow for it to ever be filmed: it did not figure out its audience and failed to reach a demographic to aim for. The script was much too mature for kids to watch; yet the piece was about kids, which wouldn't interest the adults. It was a coming-of-age story that would have issues entertaining anybody, despite the rich material. This is the biggest issue of Bee Movie.

Bee Movie tries to entertain kids and adults yet has very little humor for the children, nevertheless a plethora of jokes for the adultsbut the cutesy factor becomes a turn-off for the parents. As a matter of fact, Bee Movie could have definitely benefited from edgier material and aiming the film towards an older audience. Jerry Seinfeld has a wonderful story to tell, but the kids would definitely not be interested. Bee Movie involves a major lawsuit, celebrity cameos, hidden humor about actors, and the typical Seinfeld humor that made the comedian a household name back in the 90s. The movie does have its laughs, does indeed contain its moments, but it could have been much better if it didn't try so hard to appeal to the kids.

In this movie, we follow a recently graduated bee by the name of Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) that decides to fly away from the hive to see the world prior to picking the one job he'll work for the rest of his life, whatever that may be. After an incident involving a tennis ball, a spunky florist Vanessa (Renee Zellweger) saves him. As his relationship with humans, especially Vanessa, improves, he learns that humans eat honey and decides to sue the entire human race. About a dozen of well-known actors and actresses are sprinkled in this movie, ranging from Oprah Winfrey to Ray Liotta to Chris Rock to even Sting (okay, so he doesn't act). The best vocal performances in this movie however come from Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller, adult Simba) and of course, Patrick Warburton (Kronk in Emperor's New Groove, The Tick, and Joe from Family Guy).

Unfortunately for Dreamworks, Pixar is once again raising the bar in animation with the incredible Ratatouille earlier this summer. So, with such competition, the animation department suffers a lot. Whenever the action slows down (the flying sequences, albeit not enough of them, were good) the lack of detail becomes obvious; the trees look the same, the buildings look the same, and some of the voices doesn't match the faces. For example, when Ken (Warburton again) screams and rants, his face does not match the explosion of rage. Even older flicks like Madagascar, Over the Hedge, and Ice Age looked better. Seinfeld's vision of the bee world was unveiled, but not with a rather lack of detail.

Where the movie scores its biggest points lies in the fast-paced, unpredictable humor of Jerry Seinfeld. This is a well-written story with an original plot and plenty of jokes to throw at everybody. The slapstick and physical humor rather misses more than hits, but the Seinfeld-humor (you whether understand this very well, or not at all) delivers most definitely. Whether it's the sidesplitting one-liners, subtle pop culture gags, or the hilarious cameos (Ray Liotta's scene was comic gold), the Master of Nothing still has the jokebug in his blood. The performances do indeed enhance the experience, but some are underused; best example is Chris Rock. The slow moments come whenever slapstick replaces dialogue, and it happens several times.

Bottom Line: Bee Movie is a decent flick for adults, but not that great for kids. Finding the balance between material for kids and material for adults is not easy yet in this film it becomes so one-sided, you wind up laughing a lot but feeling sorry for the kids watching at the same exact time. The story and dialogue are unique and refreshing, but at the same time it almost feels wasted because half the audience will get a kick out of it. Jerry Seinfeld once again delivers, but should probably try to stay away from making substance for kids, and remain with the witty adults. Animation isn't a big deal either, so the visuals will not astound you that much either. Instead, come in for the great dialogue and a potential step towards making more computer-animated flicks for just teenagers and adults---even though this genre is almost always marketed towards the "rugrats."


As with many computer-animated films this is a sharply observed visual comedy grafted over hilarious voice-over. For about ten minutes. Then, amazingly, they run out of ideas. All the bee jokes are front-loaded and the film can't survive either on it's script - which has been left quite open for improvising - or on Seinfeld/Zellweger riffing - because that's a bit weak too.

I was waiting (along with 40 easily bored children, who didn't get the Pomp & Circumstance joke when I did, to my embarrassment) for some drama to cut in, rather like the revenge or rescue plots of the Toy Stories. The writing team are keen not to get in too deep and stick to the surface gags. Though these revive every so often, it's not particularly satisfying over 90 mins. 4/10


It was a light hearted-animated-comedy-for the whole family. It taught good values, like take pride in what you do as a person. But it was geared in my opinion toward little kids. I took my 3 cousins (3 years to 8 Years) and they loved it but they wanted to get bees as pets.... try to explaining why a 3 year old can't have a bee as a pet. When i saw the parts in the court room the way the bees moved in sync it was amazing. It has nothing on the original computer generated movie "Shrek". It set all kinds of ground work for newer movies like The Bee Movie. The CG of the bees flying was a pretty cool look how they all flew in droves just like it was an actual bees taking flight. I think that there should be more family friendly films like this one. But, all in all it was a good Flick.


This is a mediocre and uninspired script packaged in cutesy computer animated figures (soon headed for your nearest toy store shelves). This film is an easily forgettable loser in trying to entertain children.

It doesn't entertain adults much either because it lacks the playfully devilish double entendre humor you find in animated cartoons like "Shrek" or "The Simspons Movie."

The only side-splitting humor is in a mosquito character voiced by Chris Rock - and that lasts just a few precious screen minutes. He would have made a great sidekick to the Seinfeld bee character, but alas, I guess Jerry didn't want to be upstaged by another comedian.

Instead, Bee Movie is low-calorie on energy, excitement, slapstick and the tickle-your-funnybone fun-loving momentum that propelled classic animated cartoons like "Cars," "Toy Story," "Robots," and "Over the Hedge."

The laughs are few and far between. I watched this in a theater with lots of families and I can count on one hand the number of times children giggled with delight.

So, this movie met my worst apprehension: a television sitcom comic tries to make a children's cartoon with a lot of clever dialog but little action.

For example, the parody on using outside personalities like CNN's Larry King,the rock star Sting, and Ray Liotta is completely lost on young viewers (but it did guarantee a promotional spot for Jerry Seinfeld on the real Larry King Live broadcast).

Also, I can't think of anything more boring in a children's film than having courtroom scenes, of all things. The worst and scariest bad guy the cartoon has to offer is a lawyer in a three-piece suit. Nyuk! nyuk! yet *another* lawyer caricature.

Bee Movie tries to work in a gratuitous environmentalism statement in the final 15 minutes. But by the time that rolls in you've already looked at your watch a few times wondering where you parked the car.

There's nothing honey sweet about this film, it's purely Saccharine: no nutritional value and bad aftertaste.


I must admit, my first impression was it would be just for kids. I was pleasantly surprised just how much of a kid I still am! The Bee Movie was an adventure in honey heaven. The cheerful animation and very funny script kept me flying high to the very end! I loved this movie. It lifted my spirit and helped me to relate to my own dull working world experience. I see so much potential in this film for sequels and spin-offs. A clever script and comic timing that only Jerry Seinfeld has mastered, this film is sure to take you on a journey. It blends fantasy and reality so delicately they are both interchangeable. Seinfeld was at his best. I also have a new respect for the little buggers (bees)! I recommend this movie to anyone who feels trapped in their routine... set yourself free and see the Bees!


I really enjoyed Bee Movie. The role of Barry Benson was just made for Seinfeld, can't think of anyone better to be cast as the voice.

Plenty of humor for the kids and adults alike. I thought the plot was going to be a bit thin in the middle, but the ending ties it up just nicely. Would have liked to hear more from Chris Rock though!

Anyway, a very entertaining, light hearted film (even with a hint of a message about Ecosystem preservation for the kiddies).

One of the better animated films after a long run of disappointments(except for Ratatouille). I'll be getting this one on DVD without a doubt. 8/10


If you like Jerry Seinfeld you'll like BEE MOVIE; if you don't...you won't. I'm in the latter camp, but watched to see what the hype was about. Barry B. Benson(Seinfeld)is a new graduate and must decide his future. Instead of being a worker bee with the same job everyday forever is not that appealing. He would rather be a pollen jock and go out into the world and collect nectar, but he knows that job is but a lofty dream for a young bee. Barry soars out into the world on his own and breaks one of the most important rules of beedom...he speaks to a human. He is saved from a bad situation by Vanessa Bloome(Renee Zellweger)a florist; and through that relationship Barry decides to sue the human race for manufacturing honey. Some pretty big named stars lend their voices: Chris Rock, Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, Kathy Bates, Rip Torn and Michael Richards.


This is a very entertaining movie as expected from the cast list and the exceptional trailers, that showcased producer Seinfeld as a human bee and had a cameo appearance of the studio head, Steven Spielberg.

A nonconformist bee graduates after the nine days of mandatory education from which he missed one. He is faced with choosing a job for life which only becomes available on the death of another bee in the very organised bee colony/hive.

He is only interested in one job 'Pollen Jock' for which he has not qualified for on his breeding but gets to try and qualify for at the movie end.

Because a human spares his life, he breaks the bee law of not speaking to humans, discovers that humans obtain honey from bee prison camps, and successfully sues humans to return all the stolen honey. This has effects that he could not have predicted.

There are some biological errors on the role of bees in pollination that are redeemed by the final message of the interrelatedness of all species in nature.

I particularly liked the irony of the bloodsucking mosquito's conversion to lawyer. This exemplifies the use of verbal and visual humour designed for the adult viewer.


This was one of the worst CGI films that I have seen in a long time. Basically this bee goes outside and gets caught and then there's this really boring part in the middle and some stuff happens in court. Then all of the flowers die because the bees don't work anymore. This in itself made me angry that this movie was released but what happened next only made me angrier. The stupid bee and his human friend stole a float for and got on a plane for some reason. This, like I said made me angry but this next part took the freakin cake; the plane gets struck by lightning and everything fries. After than millions of bees come and land the plane. Airplanes don't work like that! Everyone should have died!


The Bee Movie is very verbal and witty and the premise is cute if not novel. However it never resolves the main issue of beekeeping. Instead it paints beekeepers as evil thieving villains without morals or scruples and even manages to play the race card. It does a good job of coming full circle and educating young viewers of the important role that bees play in the food chain however it never goes back to the beekeepers, a fact which plays way down to every viewer. The movie revolves around a hive of wild bees and never instructs us in the difference between wild bees and domesticated bees, which are the ones that beekeepers tend, transport and care for. Domesticated bees are the bees civilizations have relied upon for thousands of years for crop yield, feeding the planet, etc., etc. Wild bees are good only for, well, bears and other varmints that are dumb enough to wrastle with them for the sake of their sweet tooths. Even Indians and primitive man calmed wild bees with smoke to get the honey. It's kind of like a cartoon movie about a wild mustang in the desert wanting to free all the domesticated horses in the world in the 1800's. Taking honey from a hive does not kill the bees or kill the hive. The movie presents disingenuous and unwarranted disinformation.


This movie is by far the worst thing to come out since cats and dogs. I felt confused and disgusted throughout the whole bee experience. the dialect was dry and uninteresting. I was disturb by the fact a grown woman left her husband for a bee. Not only did this movie not have a plot , but it lacked any humor. seriously anyone who gives this movie any credit needs to get a life. obviously if you think bees flying planes or talking to humans is cute. the humans didn't even acknowledge the fact that they were talking to bees. they just went to court with them. yea thats really lame. know one wants to watch a movie about a girl and a bee in court making honey? my only question is how did this movie make theaters. I'm truly sorry for the people who have lost 8$. next time when you see a movie about bees and humans. Don't WATCH!


My husband and I took our ten-year-old grandson to see this movie, assuming it would be a delight. It was not. My grandson laughed two or three times; same for me. My husband fell asleep. Boring is the best word I can think of to describe the movie. I will say that some of the writing directed at adults was clever, but it wasn't enough to carry the film. I'm a fan of Jerry Seinfeld, but even he couldn't make this movie something worth seeing. Many children's movies have lovely animation and cute little characters ... that just isn't enough ... they must be entertaining and interesting. Lots of children's movies have succeeded, but this one doesn't. Wait for the DVD rental.


When first looking at the trailer, I did not have much high hopes for this film. I was thinking maybe a cross between Antz and try to be cute bugs life. However, the second I popped in the DVD, I realized that this movie was different. The story tells of a bee named Barry who questions what he wants to do as a job. As the pressure increases, he decides to leave the hive and meets Renee zelwegger's (sorry for the spelling) character, who actually shows him true friendship. Despite some little boring moments in the film, I found that it was humorous and a nice ride as you join Barry and his fellow bees soar into the sky. So don't take negative reviews to seriously, this movie is actually worth the watch, maybe even with your kids or little brothers, sisters, and or even relatives. Its fun, interesting and even provides a positive message that some people underestimate. If your still thinking of watching it, think like a bee.


Jerry Seinfeld isn't really known for being anything BUT Jerry Seinfeld,so when I first became aware of this movie(sometime in early summer of 2005,and they were doing preview trailers BACK THEN!)I was quite intrigued to see this,since this was a project that was going to be a combination of two elements that interest me:animation and Seinfeld(both the show and his stand-up). I wasn't going to be deterred,as this show neared,then opened,by the criticisms of the show,steeling myself to think that I would catch this show out of curiosity and moderately low expectations.

That was probably the right move.

Don't get me wrong:for the most part,I thought this movie was an entertaining diversion. Seinfeld is BArry B.Benson,a seemingly average young bee who graduates schooling and is readying to go into the hive workforce when it occurs to him that he might want more out of his life than being an average worker bee. When he travels into the world outside the hive,he is awed by the larger,mostly human-dominated world,but later comes to realize that the very product he and his fellow bees make(take a wild guess what that is)is being exploited by humans for large profit. With the help of a charming,friendly(and reasonably sexy for a "family"film)florist named VAnessa(voice of Renee Zellweger),he endeavors to sue humanity for abuse and misuse of his kind and the honey they make.

With enough biological inaccuracies to cause buzzing(sorry for the pun)among a number of viewers and non-viewers,and perhaps a little TOO ambitious in scope for its own good(though not as off-the-tracks in that regard as,say,HAppy Feet),this show's strength really IS in Seinfeld,his gift of gab,smart,fast humor and his interplay with other bees(notably his parents and his brother<?> Adam,voiced by MAtthew Broderick)and the human element he encounters(most of it being with Vanessa),I'm afraid that the main strength of this film is the exact thing that could be identified as its weakness:namely,that this film is going to be too over-the-heads of kids in verbal humor,too simplistic and cutesy(thought that's forgivable for animation,I suppose)for many,if not most,adults. THerein lies my summary line.

Co-written by Seinfeld and "Seinfeld"co-producer and scribe Spike Feresten,this movie seems to have a little too much adult sensibility to be considered easy family fare,but just enough eye candy animation to keep it in that park. The animation is technically sound and the colors are brilliant,but the entirely computerized(by HP,which is even noted in the credits)images seem to lack some warmth. Directors Steve Hickman and Simon J.Smith have great eyes for visual chase and proportion,but I don't think they gave much thought to how much plausibility would be divined out of this show. I suppose one,going into or(eventually)renting this film has to approach this as a hybrid curiosity of a film:a film for the whole family that is going to be understood and appreciated at different levels for each member(assuming its appreciated at all). I hope Jerry tries more endeavors,maybe even like this one,but hopefully with a better idea of what level it can settle at.


A must-see! One of the most delightful animated flicks ever! Just like the efficient worker bees in Bee Movie, this is what happens when everyone does their role right: the cast, the director, the writers, editors, the animators, etc. Everything just hums along smoothly with nary a glitch.

Bee Movie works even if it is heavily reliant on the incredible comic timing of lead bee voice-over Jerry Seinfeld, who delivers the laughs as his whiny but likable stand-up comic personality is retained even in cartoon bee form. He plays Barry Benson, a fresh grad who goes against the drones of bees who are satisfied working one job for the rest of their lives in the comfort of their hive. He ventures out into the dangerous world and meets florist Vanessa Bloome (Renee Zellweger), who saves his life and helps him sue the human race for illegally taking bee honey for their own profit. Matthew Broderick plays his best friend and sympathetic foil Adam.

The impressive graphics of Bee Movie draw you in, making you feel like you're part of it. The visuals are so vivid it's almost extra-sensory; it would be great to see this in 4D where you can even smell the flowers, feel the rain, wind and sunshine, and taste the honey! It's hard not to tear up and feel emotional in several parts of the movie, no matter how incredulous the plot is, unlike in other recent animated disappointments such as Enchanted and Shrek the Third. The dialogue, animation and story all appeal to adults and children alike; all that help make Bee Movie immensely enjoyable!


Okay, so "Bee Movie" is not up to the animated magnitude of "Ratatouille," the other animated movie about creatures we hate and fear the most, but are made in benign form thanks to these movies, but it is entertaining and will leave a smile on your face.

Welcome back, Jerry Seinfeld. We missed you after 9 years of your legendary sitcom bearing your last name as the title. We still catch up with you on reruns and buy your DVD sets and never stop laughing. Jerry, your character, Barry B. Benson, I'd say, is a filmlike version of your TV persona. Both Barry and Jerry from TV are neurotics trying to figure out how to make it in society aided and abetted by friends and relatives.

In Bee Movie Jerry has his cast working well with him. They are Matthew Broderick as his best pal Adam, Renee Zellweger as a human florist named Vanessa Bloome who realizes that bees have a purpose in life and are not out to hurt others, Seinfeld guest regular Patrick Warburton as Vanessa's bee-allergic boyfriend who wants to kill Barry, Kathy Bates and Barry Levinson as Barry's worrywart parents (and both sport glasses), and Chris Rock as a mosquito named Mooseblood. Throw in cameos by Oprah Winfrey as the no-nonsense Judge Bumbleton, John Goodman as the opinionated lawyer Layton Montgomery, and Sting, Larry King and Ray Liotta as themselves. Of course, there is the unforgettable Barry B. Benson, a graduate of the hive who becomes a lawyer and wants to rid the human race of stealing their honey, but after a courtroom trial, he would learn the hard way the true meaning of life of a bee.

As in so many animated movies, all the actors are recognizable playing characters that best match their TV and screen personas, so you will have no trouble identifying them. It is best for Jerry to play a neurotic bee so the character would be convincing. See that? Now some of the jokes may go over the kids' heads, like why would Ray Liotta want to wipe out the bee race by stealing honey and putting his name on it as the brand, in a reference to Ray Liotta's movie roles as heavies. Otherwise, kids would enjoy the sweet nature of it and adults would pick up on in-jokes.


I can not believe this was made into a movie. The concept I guess is good enough but the story. ugh. it reminded me of when we were kids and each kid will add a new line to the story. that's how this film is. it was slapped on together to make a movie that is so corny and has no sense whatsoever. first barry graduates and doesn't want to work in the the hive doing boring work. so he goes out to be a bum and found himself a project to sue humans for taking honey. and unbelievably they won. so all honey is returned to them. now all bees don't want to work. all flowers die. so barry goes to retrieve the last remaining flowers to revive the dead flowers. he does this through a plane which is carried by bees! so that's successful now the bees are back collecting honey. and all flowers live. now barry's job is to be a pollen/honey collector. which is what he wanted to be in the first place! so all the drama was for nothing. i mean if he wanted to be this pollen/honey collector, the story could have evolved to something more meaningful instead of this. this is a waste of time and money.


Jerry Seinfeld is a bit of an interesting case to me. I used to hate his insanely popular TV series, but over time, have slowly become quite fond of it. And when I heard that he was prepping his own animated film to basically follow it up with, I was a little worried. But rather intriguingly, Seinfeld has pulled off quite the animated picture, albeit one that is distinctively Seinfeldian.

In Bee Movie, Seinfeld voices Barry B. Benson, a young bee who just graduated from school (which seems to only take less than two weeks to complete). Disenfranchised from the whole idea of working the same job for the rest of his life within the hive at the Honex Corporation, Barry journeys outside the hive and what he discovers just may change bee/human relations forever.

Even at its most ridiculous moments, Bee Movie packs a lot of fun into ninety minutes. Comical moments fly at every waking instance, and in some instances, are just absolutely riotous. I was not expecting a whole lot by way of genuine adult humour (disguised nicely like anything from Pixar, or just shoved in rather blatantly like in the recent Shrek the Third), but Seinfeld manages to land just enough jokes to impress even the most avid haters of his TV show. A lot of the humour is clearly Seinfeldian in its conception, but it manages to feel a lot fresher than one would imagine, especially from a stand-up comedian. It just has that pure comic zest that many writers search for, and can never quite nail down. Here, Seinfeld and company do it rather easily, and still have plenty of room left to continue on.

But there are some downer moments joke wise, and a few that just seem like Seinfeld is trying to hit the young audience by bashing them over the head with his ideas. I realize the man is not subtle, but clearly children are either going to get the joke, or just laugh at some of the words the character ends up using because they sound remotely amusing. Seinfeld just does not grasp this at all time, and unfortunately, makes some scenes feel a little forced. Likewise, and not so much a criticism, but there is a bit too much dark humour for a children's film. A lot of the moments are clever and not too obvious, but some just stick out as being bad form for a children's flick. I appreciated it, and I know the people around me did, but when we are the only ones laughing in a room full of screaming five-year-olds, I think there may be an issue content-wise.

But even with its off and on dialogue, the story still manages to be effective and rather clever and creative. Barry journeying outside of the hive is not all that original an idea, but some of the hijinx that ensue are. In a time where everything seems to be a ripoff of everything else (and a few scenes here are no different), it was nice to see some element of a film feel unique and original.

The voice-work on the other hand, is a very mixed bag. On one hand, Seinfeld just does wonders embodying Barry. Even when the character ends up clearly being him, he manages to use his voice to project a certain finesse and gravitas that not a lot of big name actors can do when they do voice-work. If I had no idea who Seinfeld was, I might even have been inclined to think he was a voice actor all along (albeit one with a rather whiney Jewish sensibility about himself). He is not perfect by any means, but he does a really great job of providing his distinctive voice to a character I doubt could sound any other way.

On the other hand, Seinfeld manages to outshine the entirety of the cast voice wise. His enthusiasm is unparalleled, and as a result, no one sounds as good as he does, and nobody even seems to be attempting to even try and match his level of intensity. In fact, the likes of Matthew Broderick do not seem to even care about how they sound. They just voice the part like any other, and seem to not really want to have any fun with it. Even veteran voice actor Patrick Warburton (who appeared on Seinfeld) does not seem to be having a whole lot of fun with his role, and usually his characters are some of the most memorable because of his voice work. I will say though, it was nice to hear Michael Richards voicing a character, bit part or not (although not so nice to not hear Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus or Larry David at all). Some of the wacky celebrity cameo voices like Chris Rock, Larry King, Sting and Ray Liotta were amusing to hear as well.

The animation, as wonderful and vibrant as it is, is still not up to the par Pixar is setting. Yes, Barry is immaculately detailed. A lot of the bees look great too. But the humans he encounters just do not seem to have that jive about them. They look good, but when it comes down to precise and meticulous details (such as in the brilliantly detailed Ratatouille), they just do not have them. The cars driven by the bees (yes, bees drive cars within the hive) and the humans fare even worse, basically looking like small blobs on wheels. What happened to even attempting to compete in the animation market? Did Dreamworks concede defeat and not bother telling anyone? Because it sure looks like it. It still looks great, but it just does not attempt to overcome any barriers.

Bee Movie, even with its problems, is still a treat to watch. I laughed harder and enjoyed the movie so much more than I could have imagined. I just wish they went a little further.

7.5/10.


Whatever it was that they were taking when they came up with Bee Movie, I suggest you have some before watching; it'll make the experience less painful.

I've seen some weird films in my time, from the surreal output of Lynch, Miike and Jodorowsky, to the visual excesses of Argento and Gilliam, but I've never seen a film quite as strange as this effort from Dreamworks (whose standards have really been slipping as of late).

A kids movie that features talking bees and cows, hints at interspecies sex, mentions suicide pacts, features lengthy courtroom scenes and a freaky dream sequence in which the heroine dies, and ends with thousands of bees helping a jumbo jet to land (!!!), Bee Movie is an unbelievable stinker of monumental proportions, albeit (or should that be 'all-bee-it?') one that keeps you watching purely to see what the hell they'll come up with next.

The story starts off with a bee questioning his role in society, turns into a bizarre (or should that be 'buzz-arre'?) love story, becomes (or should that be....alright, I'll stop now) a quest for truth, warps into a courtroom drama, and ends up as a race against time with the fate of the Earth at stake.

With barely a laugh to be had (not including those nervous giggling noises that I made as I felt my sanity sliding slowly away from me), I left this film questioning what kind of idiot green-lighted this train-wreck of a project.

Bee Movie narrowly escapes getting a 1 out of 10 thanks to its dazzlingly colourful CGI, the very occasional genuinely inspired joke (the bee repeatedly hitting the window, the bugs on the windshield), and the smokin' hot female character, Vanessa (only pixels, I know... but WHAT pixels!!!).


I've enjoyed every major computer animated Pixar and Dreamworks film that I've seen since, well, Toy Story. However, the honeymoon (no pun intended) is over.

This tripe is lacking in almost every regard. The story is completely inane. It's moralistic bullshit from the get-go. Of all food industries to criticise, honey is probably one of the least deserving.

The jokes are all at best old, more often just not fun. The only thing this movie has going for it is pretty colours and a few visual gags that are quite funny. Perhaps this is the beginning of when computer animated movies will suffer all the bad points of regular (children's) comedies. I sure hope not.


I went to this movie with my family last week. I was told by a friend that it was great, and I have always been a fan of movies like Toy Story, Bugs Life, etc.

I am also a fan of Jerry Seinfeld, so I really had some expectations good expectations for this movie.

This move was funny in a few places and started out stronger than it ended. In fact the last 30 minutes are painful to sit through.

The sad part is that they took a great idea, and a strong opening and lost it in silly court room scenes that weren't funny, a Rose Bowl heist that was made no sense, and ended with nothing more than a political message on living green.

It is evident that this is not an "A" movie, or even a "B" movie. I would say that it is like a "C-" to "D+" movie at best.

Save your money and rent it, watch the first 45 minutes, then call it a day.


Oh for the days when animated movies could be enjoyed by the whole family. Not only was this movie boring, it didn't even follow the science of bees! It had it's moments. The bee stuff was almost reasonable. As soon as the humans came into it the story completely derailed. A courtroom scene in a kids' movie? Come on! No chemistry, no story, little humor, and a completely ignorant and inaccurate portrayal of the bees' place in the world means I will not be taking my nieces and nephews to see this film. They had a great opportunity to subtly explain the importance of pollination, the way all life is intertwined, even the workings of capitalism, but instead they decided to take the oh-so-popular stand that humans are bad for the planet. It rates a three because I did laugh a few times and I didn't walk out in disgust.


It's been a while since I acquired a headache from a movie. For that, I thank "Bee Movie," a dreadfully mindless excursion into the worlds of both copycat kiddie fantasy and shameless commercial promotion (for a show that's been off the air for years).

This was a movie I never even wanted to watch. So the disc was inserted without my blessing into a DVD player that should be praised for its patience at showing such garbage, and I was subjected to all 90 or whatever minutes of this trash festival. I was told I wouldn't even notice the nasal, whiny, someone-please-strike-him-mute voice of hack comedian Jerry Seinfeld (that's right, I said it, Seinfeld *and* his show are two of the most cruel things that can be unleashed upon mankind). Naturally, that was wrong.

Basically, that meant that the movie was basically a rehash of movies like "A Bug's Life" and "Antz," both of which were very good movies in which insects dreamed of a better life and had the fortitude to make it happen. That sentence should be its own genre by now! Even the actors I had genuine respect for (Matthew Broderick, John Goodman, and Larry Miller, the hilarious voice of the pointy-haired boss in "Dilbert") were unimaginably uninspiring. They had absolutely no shame, wasting what seemed like hours on jokes about rock star Sting. They even sank so low as to feature a character called "Bee Larry King." Next time, can we please get Dugong Dr. Phil a role in a "Madagascar" sequel?

When a bee stings, it dies. It's a fact of biology. And this putrid bug corpse starts stinging the moment the disc drawer is closed.


If only our poor politicians could muster the money to create the incredible advertising monster that was Bee Movie. If you have kids it is pretty much a guarantee that you'll be asked to go see this movie or buy it when the DVD is released. Do not fear, this film actually lives up to the hype. For the infants, bright shiny colors and movement, for the kids, good animation, a fun story and some fun set pieces. For the adults pretty much all of the above and a plot that will keep you entertained if not enthralled and some laughs. The storyline goes through responsibility, duty, family, consequences for actions and Ray Liotta. The cast is a great ensemble, including, the aforementioned Liotta who parodies both himself and his career, Rene Zegweller, Matthew Broderick and of course Jerry Seinfeld who also co-wrote this. It also has Rip Torn who I cannot watch now without hearing "if you can dodge a wrench you can dodge a ball." Forget logic, this is a kids movie and it's not about you, just be thankful Jerry Seinfeld put some stuff in this to keep you happy too, not all kids movies are so considerate.

If only all kids movies were this good.


"It's gold, Jerry, gold!" We looked forward to seeing Bee Movie for months, and we were not disappointed. I expected a 'different' kind of story-line from Seinfeld, and, sure enough, the plot included an interesting twist involving bees, a courtroom, and nefarious humans. It seemed to me that the writers took pain to explain (in a comical manner) the intricacies of the bee world, which might enlighten the kiddies somewhat. You don't get that in 'Shrek' or 'Cars', even if those flicks offer a few more belly laughs. I'll trade that off any old time for a film that stimulates the interest of the young ones.

I found the movie more 'witty' than hilarious. Seinfeld has surprised me in the past by turning out a show that I didn't 'get' completely the first time - but later I did. There are also a lot of little things going on that only occur to you after a few viewings.

Bee movie benefited from some speedy pacing, nifty animation & special effects, fine delivery by Seinfeld, and a great 'performance' by Renée Zellweger. More and more very talented 'acting' is being displayed in animated films these days (wonder, then, if we'll ever see Matthew McConaughey try his hand in this genre?)..

All in our Sunday matinée audience had a great time. By the way - 'Bee Movie' and 'Game Plan' were the only 'family' movies at our theater - but there were three 18A gory, violent, obscenity-filled flicks. No PG-13 at all. Thank you, Jerry Seinfeld. Critics: haven't you got a more important job to do?


I had very low expectations for this movie. It failed to meet any of them. I heard an interview with Seinfeld saying that they went through 40 drafts. It looks like they forgot to pick one, instead they ended up with a disjointed mash up of one-liners mixed into stupid plot devices. Some of the one-liners were funny - laugh out loud funny, in fact. A 30-minute show could have covered those one-liners and contained the about nothing nature of the show, much the way the Seinfeld TV show did. I do not expect perfect science or good lessons from a cartoon, but this one has such flawed science, and such poor lessons that it was difficult to suspend disbelief. Not clever, not funny and I wish I could get my time and money back.


This animated movie from Dreamworks is visually stunning and at the same time hilarious. The graphics of the movie are really top notch and path breaking. The imagination of the bee life is really cool. Imagine a bee having bath, applying some hair gel, deodorant and eating breakfast all of which is nothing but honey.

The movie is about a bee (Barry) who has just graduated! Yes graduated and will now be doing some work at the honey comb. But he just can't decide what work to do. So he ventures out of the honey comb and make friends with a human. One day he finds out that humans like honey and they trap a lot of bee to make it. Now he decides to sue the human race for illegally taking the honey made by bees. This single point could be the most hilarious point in the history of movies. Surely no prizes for guessing who wins the case, it's a "BEE MOVIE".

One should give a pat on the back to the writers and the screen players of the movies for writing such a hilarious movie and a beautiful movie. Even the quality of the animation is great. Don't forget to watch the fun with the Dreamworks logo at the start of the movie.

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Why is it that a film, no matter how fun or cute, can't be bothered to take science seriously? I'm referring to the main character in "Bee Movie," Barry. If the producers had taken the time to do a bit of homework, they would have realized that bee hive workers are ALL female; the only purpose of the males is to reproduce with the queen. Having Barry wanting to be a "pollen jock" is nothing more than pure fantasy, and, for me, it destroyed any credibility the film might otherwise have.

That said, the animation was certainly up to standards, and there were a number of amusing events sprinkled throughout the movie. However, when a producer can't be bothered to get the details right, it's hard to go away feeling anything less than cheated.


Christ Stopped at Eboli is one of the best movies by Rossi, loyal to his tradition of neorealism. The movie depicts isolated rural-peasant life as an account of an urban intellectual  doctor, painter and a political activist who has been exiled to this remote area due to his political dissent during the Fascist rule in Italy. Not like similar movies in lenght, Crist Stopped at Eboli constantly absorbs audience, probably due to its realist description and selective representation of peasant life which is "frozen in time". The film pushes the audience to contemplate on philosophical aspects of the concept of time and it is heavily imbued with the display of social and political problems.

Rosi beautifully describes the destitute of the peasant settlers of this remote and isolated land, their ignorance and apolitical life, the deep rift between these people and state, and the irrelevance of the quasi-comic "victories" of the Il Duce to these people among many other social and political issues. Like Rosi's other movies here again neorealist representation goes along with the combination of documentary techniques and fictional context. Rosi lets the images to speak for themselves rather than the Gian Maria Volente who is in the central role in the movie.

In the movie (as it is in the book), the peasant life and urbanity are represented as two alien civilizations and antithesis of each other. These peasants have their own way of life, own customs, own aspirations and means of joy. What is going on Rome or the war in Abyssinia for "regaining the glory of the Rome" does not capture their interest. They are aware of the state through the taxes collected or men called for military service. In his letter, Levi describes the urban civilization as an antithesis of this peasant life which aspired throughout the history to "colonize" it.

The Christ Stopped at Eboli also pushes the audience to ponder on the philosophical meaning of history, its relevance nature and meaning. It describes this peasant life as "frozen in history", cut from outside life and lacking the understanding of time that we have. History as we understand is the history of "urban civilization". As peasants are alien to this civilization they are alien to this concept of time as well. In the village you stop counting days, hours as they become more and more irrelevant, there you return and base your life on the natural cycle of life which is based on seasons. In this sense the movie challenges our notion of history which is the history of the "city".

In this sense Christ Stopped at Eboli is very analogous to Y. K. Karaosmanoğlu's Yaban. Yaban is also the story of a Turkish intellectual war veteran who abandons amenities of Istanbul for the Central Anatolian village with the hope of finding his roots and alleviating the torments of his memoirs. However, to his disappointment he finds himself in an alien peasant "civilization" where he can not communicate to those people, can not be similar to them and can not understand their aspirations. What makes Yaban and Christ stopped at Eboli similar is their approach to dichotomous nature of human civilization and the concept of time. In both novels there is a representation of antagonist peasant and urban civilizations, and a relative concept of time. In both novels there is description of life which is "frozen in time" and alien to urbanity. Indeed the study of Yaban from this perspective can be insightful for the discussions of continuity and change in the History of Mediterranean, as Turkey is widely excluded from such studies. However when you read Christ stopped at Eboli and Yaban what strikes you first is the patterns of similarity in peasant life and experience of the intellectuals visiting these places. They can back both the universality of "two civilizations" argument and lounge duree approach in the Mediterranean area.


Carlo Levi, an Italian who fought against the arrival of Fascism in his native Torino, was arrested for his activities and sent to exile in the Lucania region of the country, now known as Basilicata. The hill town of Gagliano was to be his home for the time he had to serve. This was the Italy of the 1930s where the rise of Mussolini and his quest for conquering Ethiopia, an ill conceived idea from the start.

We watch as Dr. Levi arrives at the Eboli station, where he must change to a local train and a taxi in order to reach the hill town, which was also the home of other political prisoners. Right after Levi descends from his train at Eboli, he sees Barone, a dog that has been abandoned and who will become his companion in exile. His arrival in Gagliano causes curiosity among the local folk, who see in him a cultured man who sticks out. Carlo Levi observes the people as he takes his daily walks. He can't help but notice how backward everyone seems to him. At the same time, he gets to appreciate them because even if they are ignorant of the outside world, they are genuine.

Levi, who had training as a physician, receives a visit from his sister Luisa, a doctor herself. He comments on the primitive state of medicine in the town, a place that boasts two doctors, who are ineffective and set in their ways. Levi clashes with the mayor, a man who is a devout follower of Mussolini and his movement, because the way he wants to censor his communication with friends. After he receives his release, Levi is not prepared for the way he made his presence felt among the locals who come to see him off.

Francesco Rosi, who adapted Carlo Levi's novel, is a director with a strong sense of political awareness. He presents the figure of Carlo Levi as a noble man who was helpless against what he wanted to do for the people of Gagliano, but the local government was not exactly enthusiastic about his meddling in the local affairs. Where he is able to connect with the populace is with his knowledge of medicine. Carlo Levi also painted the people of the region.

Gian Maria Volonte was an actor of quiet intensity. He is in almost all the scenes and he expresses a rage with his eyes. Mr. Volonte was the main reason for watching the film. Since he had collaborated with Rosi before, it seemed logical he would portray Carlo Levi in the movies, something that he does with ease and elegance. Others in the film include Lea Massari, as Luisa, Irene Papas as Giuglia, Alain Cluny as the Barone Nicola Rotondo. A favorable impression is made by Paolo Bonacelli, who appears as the mayor Luigi Magalone, who even when censoring Levi showed a lot of respect for him.

The actual filming was done in Aliano, an ancient hill town, where the real Carlo Levi went to live after the war. Pasqualino DeSantis, the cinematographer, captured in vivid images the picturesque town, the countryside and the people of this lost city. Francesco Rosi made an interesting film about a man of principle that will live forever.


this movie did more than any other Italian film i've seen to interest me in italy itself--the people, the land, the culture. it also opened my mind to the intelligence of the uneducated among us--i loved that guilia was so real and right-n and so full of peasant superstition that in no way interfered with her ability to "get it." i have begun to travel in italy and having seen this film i am driven to see the south and visit the carlo levi house and museum. his paintings see into the object, to me, like a quality black and white study which i find the most expressive medium. as soon as i see the faces in the beginning of this film, i am drawn in. i found the melancholy music somewhat sentimental (like the music in truffaut's films) but a necessary comfort.