The Brown Bunny review by Cinema Guru Boy

I hear Roger Ebert hated this movie. This was supposed to be the worst film in history. Everyone at Cannes blasted it. But then it became successful at Toronto. And with a film like Buffalo '66 on his resume, Vincent Gallo obviously is an extremely talented filmmaker. So with all this circulating it, The Brown Bunny was an enigma I thought needed to be revealed.

Now, mainstream audiences are going to be appaulled by anything that's a character piece or a thematic piece. Such a small percentage of the population liked Magnolia or Lost In Traslation, and this is so far and beyond that. A fellow named Bud (Vincent Gallo) goes on a trek to California, where he and his ex-girlfriend Daisy (Chloe Sevigny) used to live. Along the way, he hooks up with a bunch of other chicks who are also named after flowers. "Hooks up" might be too strong, it's more like a flirtatious thing, with just a little kissing. None of these interludes, however, are very interesting. And between each one, we see scenes filled in with a view on the inside of a truck, looking through the windsheid staring at the road as Bud travels across the country. These shots go on. And on. And on. And on. None of this is particularly engaging either. Actually, the entire film is incredibly boring, and could be considered build-up to a climax, but really was more like just killing time.

Now the climax is another story entirely. This is where the story lies. If only the conversation between Bud and Daisy was viewed, the viewer would still grasp the entire concept of the film. It was all packed into the end. So there's really not much to say about this film, since there really wasn't too much going on before the final 20 minutes. It was dull and really tests your patience. Of course there's a major tone shift, with the infamous X-rated climax (which was far more graphic than I ever thought it might be). It seemed very out of place considering the slow pacing of the film up until then. And though the scene, even sans fellacio, finally grasped my attention, as the plot finally began to unfold, the payoff just wasn't strong enough to justify the excruciating 70-minute first act. It's as if, as soon as the movie got interesting, it was too embarassing to watch.

Gallo has so much promise as writer and director, but I must have just missed the point.


2 out of 10 Jackasses
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