MovieChat Forums > Head On (1998) Discussion > What a depressing movie...

What a depressing movie...

posted 21 years ago by freak_carnage
11 replies | jump to latest

After I watched this I felt so emmotionally disturbed and drained O_o I just wish the guy would have had a happy lovey duvey ending with Sean. This has to be one of the most memorable movies I've ever seen along with Bully, Requiem for a dream and Mulholland Drive. It was a good movie...but I love and hate it at the same time. I really liked what the (transvestite?) had to say after the whole police thing. I related alot to this movie and watching it was like a stab in the chest...If you have seen Requiem for a dream you will know how depressing that movie was, but for me now this is the most depressing and disturbing movie I've ever seen as it was closer to the heart (even though I wish it wasn't) then Requiem for a dream. RFAD was a great movie but I can relate to sexuality more than drugs being that I've never done any drugs. So what's your whole feeling towards Head on?

Head on: 9/10

[–] freak_carnage 21 years ago

Uhm Ok I think I'll add some more. *SPOILERS*

HEAD ON:
The movie leads us into hoping that Ari would settle down with someone. But he was way too confused about everything, he wanted sex with men but deep down wished he could love a woman. So that wish caused him to overlook Seans real love for him and to act selfish because of his need to have sex and self destruct. His environment and greek upbringing caused him to feel trapped and to spiral into sexual encounters with unknown men. It was sad to see Ari choose sex over love but everything he went through made him numb so he no longer cared about anything and just wanted sex there after. So we feel sorry for him because of all the pressure and cultural background he had to deal with of having to marry a girl. This of course would make any young person frustrated and depressed, you really wouldn't know what to do. Do you dissapoint your parents or live a secret life? I really did wish he would of chosen to be with Sean though. I think if someone has too much to deal with they just go numb and live life on temporary highs which is what Ari chooses to do.

Hmm this movie taught me to not ever judge anyone. Everyone starts out as a normal good human being, but things happen and people change and most of the time they change because of a good reason. We never really do know a persons background or what they had to deal with so I think you can only hope that people out there with low self esteems will some day learn to love themselves and recover from their past. I used to think whores were these dirty human beings that deserved to die because sex is a beautiful thing. But now I've changed my mind, I won't judge anyone, not even whores ;) OoOo I have to also say that this is the best Australian film I've ever seen and Alex Dimitriades and the transvestite were memorable performances. I am also really curious as to what the director intended on in making this film. O_o Oh by the way if you liked this movie I suggest you see Boys don't cry.

- Freak Carnage

[–] al91206-1 13 years ago

Great insight and exactly what I was thinking.

[–] coverboy_2 20 years ago

I seen when I came from work one day, it was cool, I don't remeber much of it, but i stayed awake, so it had to be good, I only remember that scene where he's fantasizing about that stocky guy in the alley.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] yngblkbeau 18 years ago

Excellent comments. But the last part of what you wrote is what makes this movie both depressing and brilliant at the same time. Most people's life stories do not have storybook endings. Its also true that the film's ending is better than anything Hollywood would have done...and the only exception is perhaps Brokeback Mountain. Even when Hollywood dares to venture into gay and bisexual male themes, until 'Brokeback', the screenplays used to be far too idealized and focused either or one extreme or another. Now we're seeing more indie films with gay themes and the storylines are much more realistic than before.

[–] macklin-1 18 years ago

I don't think the movie was depressing. When you're 19 you make a lot of mistakes and sometimes feel it can never get better. In reality, this movie is the begining. Although there will probably never be a sequel, think about what might happen to Ari 20 years from now.

Also, I found it quite amazing that this movie could be be 1998 or 1978. I could really identify with this movie, I was like this at 18 (1978). It so amazing how things have changed over the years.

Sodomy is between God and me.

[–] hotlittletamale 18 years ago

The ending turned out the way it did, because that's real life. I know so many guys like Ari, who will never change. That is their life. Drugs, anonomous sex, self destruction. If they ever change, it's often too late. If he had have settled down with Sean (who I couldn't stand) I would have been dissapointed. That's not Ari. If he had have settled down with Toula, that would have been interesting lol.

[–] androphile 15 years ago

yngblkbeau: Its also true that the film's ending is better than anything Hollywood would have done...and the only exception is perhaps Brokeback Mountain. Even when Hollywood dares to venture into gay and bisexual male themes, until 'Brokeback', the screenplays used to be far too idealized and focused either or one extreme or another. Now we're seeing more indie films with gay themes and the storylines are much more realistic than before.

Actually, Brokeback Mountain is an indie film. Its only connection to mainstream Hollywood is that Universal did the distribution. So actually it lends further support to your original point.

"Tell you what . . . the truth is . . . sometimes I miss you so much I can hardly stand it." --Jack Twist

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Xcalat3 15 years ago

very depressing

When there's no more room in hell, The dead will walk the earth...

[–] Alexandrexx 11 years ago

This is a slice of life movie. And we all know life ins't always about happy endings.
I think that we end up learning a lot more about life and ourselves from movies like this one, and Requiem for a dream, that from typical hollywood love stories.
This movie is really good in the way it portraits how most people cannot get away from the culture they have been raised in. If you know greek culture you should know what I'm talking about.
Keep in mind that this is taking place in the 80s New York suburb scene, when drugs played a big role in a teenager's life.