Most messed up movie I've ever seen

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Its a wild film but it still 'JUST' a film. This movie was designed to get a reaction out of the viewer and make the viewer ultimately decide, whether or not what she did was art. I don`t think it was! Art is supposed to be for the benefit of people... its supposed to portray a certain amount of beauty and its supposed to make you ponder deep subjects. What she did simply had none of these characteristics in it.

Okay, the film does make you ask the question... art or not? However, if the piece you`re viewing FORCES you to ask this question, then its not art, simple as that.

And that line written at the end of the movie- 'Moralists don`t belong in an Art Gallery' is completely absurd! So you have to be void of morals to understand and appreciate art? That is the stupidest thing i`ve ever heard! Perhaps Evelyn knew what she did was immoral and therefore, it can`t qualify as art.

This film definitely makes you hate the lead character and thats what its designed to do. So in this sense, TSOT did a great job at accomplishing this. And everyone in this film did a great job. But ultimately I would have to agree with Adam, it was a sick joke but mildly funny. hahaha

The real 'moral' of the story is don`t let people change you, just be yourself. Atleast in this regard, the film has a good message.

Wow, I stumbled into this just looking at some of the credits after having absolutely nothing else to watch while I was doing stuff around my house. I had thought it was one of those indie films that just didn't make any money and was now just an HBO filler in the afternoon, at least that's what it looked like watching it. The characters and production design were two dimensional and the story was boring with one twist that came at a point that made it predictable.
When I took a quick look to see if anyone saw any of the hypocrisy in some of the statements made in the art show, I had no idea that people were actually getting as worked up as they are on this thread. It's looking like people have pretty much just gotten caught up in the very poorly hidden traps set by the directer taunting us by telling us to not attach moral judgments, yet the judgments were to be inevitable. Funny how drippping with moral judgments Evelyn's piece was. The silly moral lesson at the end when she asks whatshizface to come home with her and he refuses and her face is one of numb despair.
Then again, by the poor execution of such a story, maybe they weren't poorly hidden traps but just a disconcerted melange of cynical ideas that come from the overly confused adolescent. Whatever this is, I could never see it as the "thought provoking" or "disturbing" piece others have, but I am amazed at the reaction from the other users of this site. When I scanned the reviews that came up on the credits page on this site, I was absolutely amazed at the superlatives that came up in regards to this film, including "masterful" as an artistic expression. I'm guessing that if this was translated to a canvas it would be a paint by numbers clown face and perhaps these readers would consider such a painting on par with Picasso. So we were taunted to be moral, we were taunted to be indifferent, We're asked to question why we do things and what our motives are with our friends, what else is new? Was being bored ever one of the options or does that fall under the indifferent heading? Next time I have nothing to do in the afternoon, I'll put on Oprah, for the comedic value of course.

it is kind of disturbing and many other things

but still a good Movie

I Worship The Goddess Amber Tamblyn

I really liked the film, but what she did to him was so *beep* up. Not only that, but to be so diluted to actually think what she was doing was "art" makes her an even crazier bitch than before. What hit me the hardest with this film is that I know people like her who act that way and it is pretty sad. That's not art. It's just hateful.

Well, you can despise the characters and still think it's a great movie. Some movies are supposed to make you think about a whole variety of things, and this is one of them. Yes, Evelyn (Weisz) was a terrible person... but I think the movie is brilliant and thought-provoking.

"Life can be wonderful if you're not afraid of it" - Chaplin, "Limelight" (1952).

Neil La Bute rocks. His movies are always thought provoking and disturbing, particularly because they push the boundries of supposed ethics and morals and hold them out there naked and raw for all to see. Usually, the behaviors he so openly displays in his characters are the simply quiet thoughts that we think just inside our own skulls. If people could read our minds and really hear our thoughts, we would be continually punched in the face. No one in their right mind would ever want to be our friend, or hire us, or stay in a relationship with us. It's just how the human mind works. Neil La Bute simply stretches, exaggerates and exposes this "human condition" for all to see.

I say "supposed" ethics and morals because there are all these rules for behavior in the human species. Rules of Society that state how we should outwardly treat each other, but inwardly, the bottom line is that we are usually thinking judgmental thoughts of others and how we can best get our way. Most of the time, this comes out in very nice behavior, like saying how good our professor looks today so we can ask her if we can go home early later. Or saying something nice to my husband to ensure he still loves me. Or how I think I can do a better job than my boss and I really know how things should be run. Or how the bank should be run. Or how I would handle things differently if it were ME that was dating my friend's boyfriend. I would do it differently, don't you know. I know how things should be run. Or how dare that person take that parking space from me, cut me off while I'm driving, wear their hair like that, etc. I must judge people with that little voice in my head a billion and a half times a day. I don't even recognize it any more, it's just become such a stream of consciousness.

I like the fact that La Bute uses the canvas of "Art" to paint his position that society really does feel that flash is more important than substance. The things that your momma told you all along when you were little were bull$%it: That beauty is only skin deep, or how you are inside is more important than how you look on the outside. Sorry, but anyone who has experienced being ostracized can tell you that this is something parents say to children to make them stop crying when they come home from school after getting beaten up, that allows them to go back to school the next day. Or back into the world when you get older. La Bute is simply pointing out society's obsession with beauty and perfection as the be all and end all. How many times does the ditzy blonde with the big boobs get the promotion over the heavy-set girl in the corner with the glasses and the frizzy hair, even though she has a Master's degree and 5 years more experience? There have been psychological studies done with small children, where they were shown a picture of a young woman and asked to rate her as a good or a bad teacher. 10 times out of 10, a picture of an attractive young lady was rated as a "good" teacher. The pictures of the less attractive girls were rated as "bad". If the picture was of an especially unattractive person, the reaction of the children was that of disgust and fear.

I think it's funny that people would be disturbed by this film. The truth hurts! It's just exposing all these lies we tell ourselves daily, that hard work really does matter, that if I just keep trying I'll get ahead, that makes us get up in the morning and have the courage to face the day. La Bute is simply saying "wake up and smell the plastic surgery!" Which is, by the way, a 10 billion dollar a year industry for those of you who didn't know, don't color your hair, don't get a manicure, pedicure, put some kind of styling product in your hair, wear designer labels, etc...

P.S. If you'd like to see another thought-provoking film, check out "Down in the Valley" with Edward Norton and Evan Rachel Wood. Brilliant Indie flick!!!

I saw this movie a few years ago, and when I first saw it was available on Hulu.com I at first resisted watching it. All I remembered was that while overall I had enjoyed the movie the female lead totally destroys the guy in the end.
So I finally broke down and watched it again. The acting is above average but the dialog is a bit stilted.
The "friendship" between the two male leads is a pretty big stretch. While it is possible they may have been roommates, I can't see any sort of real friendship materializing between these two. They were both pretty much losers in different ways, but I doubt even their mutual loneliness would make them socialize with each other past the roommate stage. The supporting male was pretty much a *beep* and I can't see him having any friends beyond those of his own ilk.
Likewise I can't see Jenny staying with him. Not for more than an hour or two anyway.

Call it what you will, and defend it if you must, but what she does to him at the end is just wrong wrong wrong. If you can't see that, I seriously recommend that you do some real introspection and examine your life and beliefs. While I get that it is just fiction, those actions elevate her to the level of monster. For the morally challenged that means in the final analysis she was more of a *beep* than the friend. Much more.

However, the underlying premise is true. Men are as faithful as their options. Emotionally the Rudd character clung to her because on a primal level he got that all good things were coming as a result of her influence. But as other females started to pay him more attention, and as his confidence grew, he did in fact become as she put it, more sly.
I think the saddest part was at the very very end, as she walks away, it is clear that even after all the humiliation and anguish, he is desperate to find a way back to her. Clearly he had come to her in some hope that there was a hope for them.

So after a 2nd viewing and reading over the posts here, I still say, it is a pretty good movie with a really hateful ending.

I really enjoy Paul Rudd's work and have enjoyed pretty much everything I have seen him do.