Hurlyburly (1998) Rated: R. Runtime: 94 mins. Director: Anthony Drazan Writer: David Rabe (play), David Rabe (screenplay) Cast: Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Chazz Palminteri....complete cast Genre: Drama
Most memorable quote: "I lie to myself. I'm a great liar. And I'm very gullible."
There are guy movies, and then there are guy movies. The first I speak of are the kind of movies with shallow plots, lots of explosions, car chases, gunplay and sexuality. The second I speak of are the kind of movies that address guy issues in terms that guys can appreciate and understand and that girls never will understand. Hurlyburly is of the second type.
Hurlyburly is a drug-fueled, haze of a testosterone charged dialogue fest that takes place sometime in the late eighties to nineties. We meet Eddie (Sean Penn) and Mickey (Kevin Spacey), Hollywood casting agent/producer types who appear to be doing well financially despite their weak emotional states and heavy drug use. Mickey is apparently separated from his wife and currently staying at Eddie's place. We also meet Phil (Chaz Palminteri) and Artie (Gary Shandling) who frequently party at Eddie's, the latter of which brings an underage drifter Donna (Anna Paquin) home to stay with them and act as their sex toy and plaything. Darlene (Robin Wright) is Eddie's girlfriend whose love for Eddie is not reciprocal and in fact is most interested in Mickey. There is no action in this movie, only dialogue and not much of a plot either other than watching some of the coolest actors in the business portray some of the sorriest and most emotionally damaged characters ever to be portrayed on screen. It is a 2-hour talkathon about men who hate women yet want women in their lives. All the women in Hurlyburly including Bonnie, played by Meg Ryan, are simply for the sexual pleasures of the male characters and it appears that the women are always more than willing to oblige.
It is clear that Hurlyburly was adapted from a play as there are not more than 3 or 4 sets where the action takes place, in fact, one major portion of the movie takes place during a single party scene where I began to realize that the characters were not interesting to me. The acting is dead-on accurate as should be expected with the star-studded cast. It is clear that David Rabe has a superb command of the English language and that he wanted Hurlyburly to be a clever character drama, but in the end, the movie is nothing more than a meaningless look at the ridiculous lives of four or five selfish, absorbed in the me-generation, empty souls caught in a whirlwind of drug addiction and emotional dependence.
I give Hurlyburly a relatively high macho factor due to the fact that it is the cinematic version of a male Oprah episode addressed in a manner that only men will appreciate. There are many funny segments and I found myself often laughing at, and at the same time feeling sorry for, the characters. It receives a 0 in the Julia Roberts factor as it basically depicts women as pitiful sex objects and will probably irritate rather than entertain most women. Do not watch this one with children or in-laws.
June 19, 2002 Response: Hurlyburly - def: noisy confusion, tumult.
Yes, noisy confusion would be an accurate depiction of what this movie is all about. Men talking (and talking).. how about that? Sound unappealing? Probably.. but it's not. Hurlyburly's star-studded cast makes this movie what it is.. an eye-opening and often jaw-dropping earfull of male miscontent which only breaks for the occasional drink, snort or romp in the sack. With an ever-witty Kevin Spacey, miserable Sean Penn, frightening Chazz Palminteri (THAT is football!), and humbled Gary Shandling (possibly the first time I've ever appreciated his acting) hogging the screen time, you can be assured they drive home the old addage that 'men are pigs'. Director Anthony Drazen's smattering of well-chosen female talent helps keep Hurlyburly from becoming merely monotonous "man talk" as Robin Wright, Meg Ryan and Anna Paquin each liven up the screen with well-timed and unique performances.
This is one of those movies that you channel surf to and never change, only to later realize that you just watched the entire movie. There were a ton of great scenes and dialogue sequences.. but the one that still makes me shake my head was the continuing discussion between Eddie and Mickey as they leave their shared condo, drive to work in separate cars (while talking on cell phones), arrive at the same job, same office, side-by-side desks.. all the while continuing their same face-paced conversation, never missing a beat. Ratings? Frank's category reviews are dead on.
SINGLE GUY CLIFF NOTES: First, I'd like to reemphasize that women will almost certainly not like this movie. It's a guy flick, but not one that's good for bringing the guys over to watch. No, this is more along the lines of a late-nighter/wife-and-kids-in-bed/I-can't-sleep kind of movie. The men in the cast are abusive, corrupt and self-absorbed and the women are treated like sex-objects at best. No good can come from watching this movie with a date!!
Hidden Features: There is a small hidden feature on New Line Home Video's release of 'Hurlyburly'.
Go to the disc's main menu and then select the New Line logo. If you press 'Enter' now you will see a credit screen with information about the people who brought you this DVD.
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Hurlyburly (1998)
