Floundering

Rating:
Summary: Oh...this one is really bad!
Review: A movie made during the peak of the indie film revolution tries so hard to be smart and thought provoking. However, the only thought it provokes is "How did this film get made?" It is filled with cameo performances that simply use up screen time with really nothing to say. One of the cameo's is an emabarrasing display of overacting by Ethan Hawke that was so overdone it surprised me. The film itself suffers from having no idea where it wants to go...Maybe this was the intent of the director and for it's lead character. But, it just doesn't work. This was a film trying too many techniques on how to look and be hip...like the indie crowd..tsk tsk. Sorry. it doesn't work at all. This film is pure trash. Don't waste your time.

Rating:
Summary: Clever, sarcastic portrayal of how life can downward spiral
Review: An offbeat movie with great one-liners that shows how when life starts to suck, it can spiral in on itself and slowly get worse, but nothing is completely unredemable and that things change. I started out doubting it but ended up really enjoying it.

Rating:
Summary: Flounders for 90 minutes
Review: I thought this flick would be good because Ethan Hawke, John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, and Steve Buscemi are listed as "starring" in it, but they only have cameos! James Le Gros was great in "Drugstore Cowboy", but he doesn't have the appeal or charisma to pull off the lead role in this miserable excuse for a movie. He goes on and on about the L.A. riots, his search to find himself, spirituality, etc. Who cares? Not me, and hopefully no one else either.

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: I've been watching this movie for years now. It's one of those I love so much that it never gets old (except to my wife). It takes place in LA after the riots and it's basically like looking at this crazy place through another mans eyes. It has a nice movie flow to the story, lot's of great actors and an amazing soundtrack. If you appreciate movies like Jesus' Son and American Movie, check this out.

Rating:
Summary: Independant Masterpiece
Review: James LeGros is by far one of the most underrated actors of all time. He plays John Boyz, a man trying to figure out the meaning of life. It has great cameos, wonderful narrarations, and terrific acting. If you like movies about searching for the truth, this is for you.

Rating:
Summary: Aimless, bizarre slacker flick leaves much to be desired
Review: The primary cast list in this movie is quite decieving. It makes you believe that "Floundering" stars John Cusak and Ethan Hawke, two fairly respectable actors who could easily draw a host of viewers. However, the protagonist is played by a no-name actor with little charisma. Ethan Hawke and John Cusak merely make cameos-and even in these few minutes they single handedly become responsible for the few entertaining scenes of the movie. The theme seems original and intriguing at the onlaught: a lonely, disenchanted twenty something is trying to find some purpose and meaning in his life. Living in Venice during the aftermath of the LA riots, the main character ponders various interesting and comical existential dilemas typical of early ninetess "generation x" slacker movies. However the plot soon becomes surreal and nightmarish, and from then on the movie wallows in a level of depression and sinister undertone that only your most die-hard movie fan would be willing to sit through. Ethan and John must have been close and personal friends of the creator of this movie to agree to apear in it, and though it has its redeaming moments, Floundering fulfills the connotation of its title in one too many ways.

Rating:
Summary: One of my personal favorities.
Review: This movie has everything: salient social commentary, great acting and character development, a captivating and touching story line, timely humor, cameos (Billy Bob Thornton, John Cusack, Kim Wayans, Steve Buschemi, Ethan Hawke, and others), and most importantly it deals with the human soul and the complexities of navigating your way through the hardships of the modern world in which we live. I stumbled across this flick while watching the IFC back in 97'. Since then, I've seen this film at least 10 times, and each time its has helped me to clear my head and put things in perspective. Everyone I've ever shared this brilliant picture with has been truly touched by it. If your in search of meaning in the world, yourself, or truth, this movie is for you. "What's so funny bout Peace, Love, and Understanding"

Rating:
Summary: Absurdly Funny
Review: This movie is absurd -- few would debate that. But wicked funny and inspiring in its holistic approach. It's hard to describe in a way, like what Louis Armstrong said about Jazz: "If you have to ask, you'll never know."

James LeGros plays John, whose life can't get any worse. He decides he's getting tired of it and pulls a final coup à la "Falling Down" (only with hilarious results and endearingly surprising fulfillment). His (mis)adventures are a slow-burn treat and the cameos (John Cusack/Ethan Hawkwe) are sublime.

Rating:
Summary: Better than its reputation
Review: This sixties time-warped retro kind of "power to the people" nineties flick is mostly a procession of set pieces, some of which are not bad. The bit at the gun store with Billy Bob Thornton was superb. The crack philosophers scene was also very good. And the way "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?" was sung so badly was just perfectola. (Actually that's "What's So Bad about Peace, Love and Understanding?" but whatever...) And the way that big silver fish popped those gold fish...gulp!

I think some of the negative comments about this movie ought to be greeted with a "Whoa, dudes--get a sense of humor." Or, "Don't be offended, man, it's only a movie." Or maybe, "Uh, the soundtrack is awesome, dude." (Oh, god, people really did talk like that!) The dream sequences fooled me at least twice. They were funny. Funniest line: when the trash lady pulls her rifle out of her cart and says "Vive la Revolution!" Second funniest line: "What kind of music do you want to hear?" "The farm report."

Okay, this was no masterpiece, and any episodic movie sans plot is not going to rival The Godfather at IMDb. And James LeGros ain't no Marlon Brando. And if you've ever been to Venice Beach...well, you know it's a freak show. But I think director and screen writer Peter McCarthy did a nice job of bringing that slacker street scene to life. I think the big mistake was to headline actors like Steve Buscemi, John Cusack, Ethan Hawke, and Billy Bob Thornton when they only had cameos. That should have been made clear up front. And there was more than a touch of the kind of sixties moral pretension that we've all grown a little tired of. But bottom line for me, this was a funny movie.

Rating:
Summary: Better than its reputation
Review: This sixties time-warped retro kind of "power to the people" nineties flick is mostly a procession of set pieces, some of which are not bad. The bit at the gun store with Billy Bob Thornton was superb. The crack philosophers scene was also very good. And the way "What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?" was sung so badly was just perfectola. (Actually that's "What's So Bad about Peace, Love and Understanding?" but whatever...) And the way that big silver fish popped those gold fish...gulp!

I think some of the negative comments about this movie ought to be greeted with a "Whoa, dudes--get a sense of humor." Or, "Don't be offended, man, it's only a movie." Or maybe, "Uh, the soundtrack is awesome, dude." (Oh, god, people really did talk like that!) The dream sequences fooled me at least twice. They were funny. Funniest line: when the trash lady pulls her rifle out of her cart and says "Vive la Revolution!" Second funniest line: "What kind of music do you want to hear?" "The farm report."

Okay, this was no masterpiece, and any episodic movie sans plot is not going to rival The Godfather at IMDb. And James LeGros ain't no Marlon Brando. And if you've ever been to Venice Beach...well, you know it's a freak show. But I think director and screen writer Peter McCarthy did a nice job of bringing that slacker street scene to life. I think the big mistake was to headline actors like Steve Buscemi, John Cusack, Ethan Hawke, and Billy Bob Thornton when they only had cameos. That should have been made clear up front. And there was more than a touch of the kind of sixties moral pretension that we've all grown a little tired of. But bottom line for me, this was a funny movie.