Human Nature

Just saw the new flick Human Nature, which played Cannes last year but is finally making its way to The States. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Human Nature is another unique comedy from the mind of Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter behind Being John Malkovich. This project has music video artist turned first-time director Michael Gondry at the helm. While not quite as radical a concept as Malkovich (what is?), the same kind of twisted lunacy is obviously behind Human Nature.

This is the story of an uptight behaviorist Nathan Bronfman (Tim Robbins), bent on proving Humans can be civilized by teaching table manners to mice. He meets Lila (Patricia Arquette), a successful back-to-nature author of such books as The Wind in My Hair and Fu*k Humanity. She also has a secret shame, something she cannot reveal - not even to Nathan as they fall in love. While hiking in the woods one day they discover a true feral man (Rhys Ifans), who has been raised as an ape - an unspoiled natural example of humanity at its most basic instinctual level. Of course Nathan decides to make him the subject of his civilized humanity experiments.

If what I've described thus far sound closer to Nell than Being John Malkovich, it's only because I'm purposefully leaving out the truly bizarre and often hysterical details, or mentioning that the tone is that of a dark post-modern screwball comedy, or that it is framed by the three characters simultaneously telling their stories from a police interrogation room, a Congressional Hearing, and Purgatory, and that it even has a musical number. While I've outlined the basics of the plot, what it's more memorably about is electrolosis, salad forks, tiny penises, gun-weilding dwarfs, and the urge to hump.

While certainly not as groundbreaking or even quite as strikingly oddball as Malkovich, it's close. Besides the three leads of Robbins, Arquette and Ifans (Rhys Ifans will be familiar to many as Hugh Grant's coothless roommate Spike in Notting Hill), there are some funny supporting roles for Miranda Otto, Mary Kay Place, Miguel Sandoval, Rosie Perez and Robert Forster. Foster in particular was wonderful just with the expressions on his face.

Human Behavior is simply a lot of fun, the kind of comedy that can be totally stupid without insulting your intelligence.
Grade: B

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"Film is a disease. When it infects your bloodstream it takes over as the number one hormone. It bosses the enzymes, directs the pineal gland, plays Iago to your psyche. As with heroin, the antidote to Film is more Film." - Frank Capra

Sounds like my kind of movie.

Was Rosie Perez a huge influence on the movie? Because I can't stand the woman.

Rosie Perez is in, I'd say three or four scenes, tops. Though she does have one of the best lines.

If you only know Rosie from the noisy roles she had in the likes of White Men Can't Jump and It Could Happen To You, you're selling her short. I found her incredibly strong and with an impressive range in Fearless, deserving of her Oscar nomination. I also thought she was quite good as the lead in The 24-Hour Woman. Her performance in Human Nature is very low-key, and it's basically a cameo.

But whatever.

Fearless is when I first started hating her acting. Her voice grates on my nerves...but, whatever.

Her Brooklyn accent has grown less and less pronounced over the years. If you compare Human Nature to Do the Right Thing, I'd say it is hardly recognizeable as the same chick's voice.

Hm. Perhaps I should get over it, then.

Saw a trailer for this last night with Death to Smoochy. I feared it was only going to get an art house run, but maybe it'll actually play the multiplexes? Anyway, it's defnitely worth seeing if and when it opens anywhere near you.

I really enjoyed this amusing, one of a kind comedy that often borders on insanity.

From the writer of Being John Malkovich and Adaption thsi little gem slipped in and out of cinemas very quickly. Obviously not for everyone those who like it wil probably love it and those that dont will say "I just dont get it.

Hurling stones at the human animal from all directions and questioning our place in nature and our treatment of the primary urges this is one crazy ride. Part Social sattire, part intellectual and psychologicla study and a huge helping of farce are what those brave enough to think about what they have seen will find.

The script is complimented by eccentric performances from Arquette and Robbins. Quirky charecters are the order of the day and all involved deliver amusing perfromances.

Not for everyone but fans of offbeat humour and witty, multi layered comedy will enjoy this Pythonesque experience.

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******"The Majority Is Always Wrong" Steve Mcqueen in Enemy Of The People******

Loved Patricia Arquette's character in this movie (her name escapes me). This was a delightful show that I ordered off pay-per-view back during the winter blizzard. But after all the fun I was having with it, I was let down with the ending! It was so disappointing and "small" in my advanced film senses, that I had to question this first time director, Michael Gondry. I wanted to know more about the French bimbo scientist's secret. You know what I'm talking about? I have an idea, but I hate how teeny tiny it is. Maybe I should just rewatch the film, but I'm afraid I'd find the same problem.

Maybe the film should have ended with a rap song sung by the characters. Anything to have spiced it up more.