rating:
(out of
4 stars)United States, Japan, France; 2003
Directed by Robert De Niro; produced by Vincent Gallo; written by Vincent Gallo
Starring Vincent Gallo, Chloè Sevigny, Cheryl Tiegs, Elizabeth Blake, Anna Vareschi, Mary Morasky
Below you will find a temporary review for this film. The real (better, more complete) review will be online very soon.
The first hour of 'The Brown Bunny' is like the ultimate road movie. Not
because it is that great, but because at least ninety percent is filled with
images of the road where Bud Clay (Vincent Gallo) is on. I realized I liked
the film more than I wanted to. What we learn about Bud in this first hour
is that races with his motorcycle, that he drives a van with the motorcycle
in the back and that he is on his way to California. We see he is sad and
unhappy and that something has happened that involves a girl named Daisy
(Chloë Sevigny) which is probably the cause. Although the man was sad, this
first hour gave a relaxed feeling. From time to time, when the images of the
road continued, I was reminded of a scene from Tarkovsky's 'Solyaris'.
Although this film is not nearly as good as that one, it does say something,
I guess.
All these scenes do lead up to an explanation, the reason why Bud is the way
he is now. Around that point the film provides us with a very graphic sex
scene, one that should be there, although I am wondering whether it had to
be there in the form it is now. Many will not want to see the film because
of it. Admittedly it is very well acted and although the scene is
pornographic it is no pornography. The scene goes much deeper and with so
much more thought than any porno film could ever have. Still, I am not a big
fan of scenes like this, mainly because it makes your audience a lot
smaller.
Gallo is not only the star, he is also the director, producer, writer,
editor and director of photography. With 'The Brown Bunny' he has made an
original and unique film. A film I am glad I have seen, but also a film that
will have a very hard time to find an audience. The sex is one reason, the
endless images of the road or Gallo's face is another. I liked those scene a
lot more than I would have thought, but maybe I was just in the right mood.
I do not think many others will be.