MovieChat Forums > My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done (2010) Discussion > Horrible Lynch-Wannabe Snoozefest

Horrible Lynch-Wannabe Snoozefest

posted 14 years ago by snake-boy
17 replies | jump to latest

Had I NOT seen the reference to David Lynch in the beginning, I would STILL have drawn the same conclusion. Clearly, this is just someone else trying to get on the Lynch "wtf movie" bandwagon. (aka The art of making a movie that is so "deep" and confusing that you can blame the audience for "not getting it" instead of accepting that it's nothing more than a failed attempt at being artsy.) I digress.

Perhaps my hopes went up too high when I saw Willem Dafoe's name in the opening credits. I mean he's one of my favorite actors, this can't be rubbish, right? Wrong!

Of course all those who've sat in on an hour or two of a directors course and now think of themselves as deep intellectuals with special insight to the REAL secrets of movie making and plot crafting will try to make you feel like not enjoying this movie makes you just one of the shallow masses out there unable to see the masterpiece hidden within the symbolism. Yawn! Whatever.

Although acting was great all round, I found this movie utterly dull and un-entertaining. I was not at all amused by the "groundbreaking" attempts to stray from "conventional" movie making in the interests of "art". It really just felt to me like someone was trying to make a movie in the style of David Lynch (and failing horribly). I honestly wish I was not such a masochist so that I could have at least done myself the service of turning it off when it became unbearable (I reached that point about 45 minutes in). But no, stubborn-idiot me doesn't want to see money shelled out for another pretty coaster go down the toilet without at least doing the movie the common courtesy of watching it until the end. Thank GOD Willem Dafoe was there to ease the agony.

Now, before all the pseudo-intellectuals jump on their high horse and tell me how great this movie is and why, let me state what SHOULD go without saying:

This is MY opinion, nothing more, nothing less. People have different tastes and I'm not trying to convince anyone to share mine. Just for the sake of balance, if others have the right to gush their praise for this movie then surely I too am entitled to express my contrary opinion?

I thought it was terrible and an now 1 hour and 31 minutes closer to death as a result. I could not recommend or discourage anyone from watching it though because I'm no expert on what YOU find entertaining. This just wasn't for me.

Have fun.

[–] rollstuhlwolf 14 years ago

I agree, the film is almost unwatchable. I think Herzog was hoping the pseudo-intellectual douche bags of cinema would deconstruct the obvious mental illness and sudden religious zealotry, and turn it into some meaningful symbolism.

The guy has a traumatic event.
It sets off a mental illness.
The guy did drugs before, heavily if you pay attention.
His bipolar and/or schizophrenia creates religious delusions.
He obsesses about thing and eventually a play.
He kills his mother in the style of a character in the play.

The End

Chloe Seveigny and Udo Kier are underused, but ultimately unnecessary in the film.

Although cinematic competence and some acting is well done, overall the film is dull, lackluster, and a weak attempt at creating art and spiritual or metaphysical meaning from mental illness.

A rare miss for Lynch, Herzog, or Dafoe fans.

Live with it.

[–] MisterBizzones 14 years ago

Did you just call Werner Herzog a Lynch wannabe? Did you know anything about him at all before you wrote this crap?

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] rollstuhlwolf 14 years ago

Both Herzog and Lynch are great, true cinematic masters. Which is why I think this collaboration was so truly disappointing. It was a rare miss in Werner's story telling abilities, and unfortunate that Lynch was attached as a producer. It is an aptly written and acted and directed film. It just never comes to fruition and never really showcases the abilities of anyone involved. There in lies the true tragedy of this film. So much ability, creativity, potential, and skill... all coming together in a gray bowl of stale, tasteless, bland cinema.

[–] polysicsarebest 14 years ago

I like both directors just fine, but I guess I didn't find this film disappointing (it was just average), but I also don't find Herzog and Lynch "True cinematic masters". I think Lynch generally works with talented people, like his editor Mary Sweeney and his composer Angelo Badalamenti, and I think that's why his films shine. I think Herzog made some absolute classics long, long ago but is more important as a documentary filmmaker (he might actually be up there with Erol Morris as far as compelling, unique, enlightening, one-of-a-kind documentary filmmakers go) and hasn't really done anything too noteworthy as a fiction filmmaker in a long, long time. A string of decent films.

Otherwise, I agree with your assessment, that something seems just a bit OFF about the film. There's nothing particularly bad about it, but I can see why so many people call it a bit aimless and pointless.

I think people were expecting an out-and-out Lynch/Herzog team-up, and I don't think the film's really about that, and won't be satisfying to anyone except the most hardcore Herzog fans. It's at least the best film Lynch has been involved in since the Straight Story (and that includes all of his awful, awful shorts), though he usually picks interesting projects to produce -- Nadja, Crumb, Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time are all excellent.

-
pre·ten·tious: characterized by assumption of dignity or importance.

[–] danberado 14 years ago

Werner Herzog had already completed several surreal/ambiguous films by the time David Lynch finished Eraserhead. He even beat Lynch to the to the whole dwarf imagery motif.

[–] james-mac 11 years ago

My words exactly.

[–] GMustache 14 years ago

I could not have said it better if I tried my very hardest. This was complete garbage. I'd rather watch my dog take a shat on the lawn. Of course the jerkoff 'artsy' tools are sticking up for this 'film' and claiming those who know what crap it is are merely missing the point of it. Um, no, moron this was just plain boring and pathetic.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] franzkabuki 14 years ago

The lingering shot of Shannon and Dourif posing in front of the midget was one of the coolest scenes in the film.

As to all this "Lynch wannabe" stuff, the film totally felt like Herzog´s work, despite the frequent "nods" to his producer.

"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] PrimordialDreamer 13 years ago

It didn`t feel like a Lynch at all to me, it didn`t have any of the atmosphere, but it was kind of an odd and intriguing film. I wasn`t really into it at first, but it ended up being all right. I`d give at a 6/10 and I wouldn`t mind rewatching it at some point.

I`ll get a mop!

[–] kkhsiivonen 13 years ago

I though it was extremely Herzogian. It's exactly the type of movie he's been making for 40 years. It was mostly told in flashbacks with content being the organizer instead of chronology, but that's just about it. The movie was about mentally ill guy, and it didn't have any of the craziness of Lynch's movies. Also the guys delusions shouldn't be confused Lynch's symbolism.

In fact I wonder if anyone making such claims have ever seen either Herzog's or Lynch's movies. Don't be offended if you have, it's just not showing.

Well to be fair, Mulholland Drive had some similar eeriness (rest of Lynch's movies aren't as eerie as they are intense), but that's likely Lynch dabbling in Herzog's territory.

[–] madmiri 13 years ago

This is the first Herzog movie I've seen but, I have watched enough of Lynch's stuff to safely opine that My Son [...] was nowhere near "Lynchian". Considering the main character's mental illness, I think this movie warrants some "wtf" moments.

That being said, I did find the movie a little slow at times but, Michael Shannon's performance and the weird bits of humor were enough to keep me interested until the end.

[–] MrAgmoore 12 years ago

I fell asleep one hour into the movie. I dreamt that while sleeping in my bed, it floated to Australia and I woke up on an enclosed, indoor test launch pad. I woke up inside the dream and was in shock at what I was looking at ; there were 2 small warheads ( each in the 20 kilo range ), hidden under my mattress. I started to climb up an elevated ladder to get a better view, as a guy started to explain what the warheads were for and I cut him off explaining that I knew what they were for- my father worked on submarines... The Australian guy was really nonchalant - as if people floated in all the time.

I think that my dream should be the subject of Werner Herzog's next movie.

[–] maz89 11 years ago

Just for the sake of balance, if others have the right to gush their praise for this movie then surely I too am entitled to express my contrary opinion?

Your opinion is worthless, though. It's just paragraphs and paragraphs of you complaining on and on about how you didn't enjoy the movie. You rather confidently claim Herzog (an accomplished and exceptionally talented filmmaker, no less) is a "Lynch" wanna-be. And you seem to be suffering from some deep-seated inferiority complex given the way you defensively dismiss "deep intellectuals" who "get" the "symbolism" and who might make you feel bad about not getting it. It is perfectly okay to dislike the film. You've just expressed your dislike of it like an idiot.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

[–] kurtismichaelgibbs 9 years ago

Haha. You know, Herzog has been doing this style of film for A LOT longer than Lynch. Herzog was making messed up revolutionary eerie disturbing possessing movies while Lynch was wearing diapers. Learn your film before you smash more uneducated rants on your keyboard.