Julian Po (1997) User Reviews

"I'm not going to kill myself today, you can all go home"

[tctill · 6/10 · 7 February 2005]

"Julian Po" can be described as a darkly comedic drama with romantic undertones. Mostly, though, "Julian Po" is just strange.

The film stars Christian Slater in the title role and, in terms of a very basic plot, somewhat resembles Hal Hartley's "Henry Fool." Like Henry, Julian wanders into an unnamed town and turns its residents' lives into a frenzy. However, unlike the joyfully arrogant Mr. Fool, Julian is glum, mysterious, and basically wants to stay anonymous.

A 30-year-old bookkeeper, he apparently was on his way to the sea when his car broke down, and he decided to stop in the little town. He checks into a broken-down hotel and immediately his presence strikes up curiosity in the weirdo townspeople. Thanks to the redneck-ish hotel manager ... the town mayor, his wife, the sheriff, the priest, etc. are all soon aware of Julian. They are also very suspicious of him! Some of them think he's a drug dealer, and the mayor's wife also convinces many of them that Julian is some sort of serial killer and has come to their town to kill again. Finally, they confront Julian in a restaurant, bombarding him with questions and demanding to know why he is there. Julian blurts out his answer; he did in fact come to the town to kill somebody ... himself.

This is where the movie gets really odd. All of a sudden, the townspeople are fascinated by Julian! They start stopping by his hotel room to chat and bring gifts. They confide their darkest secrets; they also come to Julian for advice, and take what he tells them to heart. A whole bunch of the townspeople, led by a gang of young boys, literally follow him around everywhere. The hotel manager presents him with a gun to do the deed, and an old woman even starts taking bets on which day Julian will "off" himself!

Julian is baffled by this, and vaguely annoyed, but mostly he humors the townsoddballs. And when a pretty young woman named Sarah comes to his hotel room, tells Julian she has been waiting for him all her life, and starts kissing him ... he's thrilled. (*spoiler alert*)Unfortunately, Julian's relationship with Sarah leads her to take her own life, as some kind of love proclamation. The townsfolk aren't happy with this; as a result, they more or less force Julian to do what he came to do.

Quirky as that story might sound, surprisingly "Julian Po" works. I've seen the film a few times now, and it's one of those movies I like a little more with each viewing. Writer-director Alan Wade succeeds at both of his jobs, particularly with his offbeat script. And Patrick Williams' score is lovely, haunting, and effective.

However, the strongest of "Julian Po"'s assets are its characters -- and the talented cast that brings these characters to life. Christian Slater is fabulous as Julian! Tunney brings a nice intensity to her portrayal of the sweater-knitting Sarah.

Also noteworthy, in smaller roles, are: Cherry Jones as the hotel manager's mute housekeeper sister who may or may not have a crush on Julian (though her inquisitive eyes and perpetual frown might bug some at first); Allison Janney as the gossipy, busybody mayor's wife, Lilah Leech; Jeremy Jordan as Bobby, a mechanic who wants to be a movie star -- despite the fact that he says "Are you talking' to me?!" in the same tone he says everything else; Dina Spybey as Bobby's mousy blonde wife, who pledges to do anything for Julian; and Zeljko Ivanek as the men's clothing store owner -- who confesses to Julian his crush on Leon, the town sheriff. Many members of this cast are staples on Broadway, and that shows in their performances. ("Julian Po" is in fact very play-like.)

I must also give mention to young Io Tillett Wright. Miss Wright is a girl, but if I didn't happen to know that fact ... well, let's just say her portrayal of a boy named Walter makes Hilary Swank in "Boys Don't Cry" look like the girliest icon of femininity. Wright looks like a boy, walks like a boy, talks like a boy. I guess it's a testament to Wright's acting skills, but it did make me wonder -- why not just cast a boy?

There are a few things wrong with "Julian Po" that make me unable to rate it higher than I did. One big problem I had with the movie was its portrayal of the town pastor. At first, he is just kind of overearnest. Later on, though, a talk with Julian leads to a sermon in which the pastor announces, with great zeal, that he doesn't believe in God. This is yet another similarity the film shares with "Henry Fool" ... but at least in 'Henry' the pastor was more of a doubter ... and not an out-and-out goon like the pastor in this movie. Granted, almost everybody in "Julian Po" is a goon -- but, still, I do get tired of almost all religious characters in movies being played as evil or foolish. It's so unoriginal. Religion does not always make someone a bad guy.

But my other gripes about "Julian Po" are mostly minor...e.g. the film takes awhile to get into. Overall, if you're a fan of small quirky movies, "Julian Po" is worth checking out. And if you don't like it at first, give it another chance...it just might grow on you.

Good Dialogue

[dansview · 7/10 · 7 February 2013]

Remember that Christian Slater already did a film about an alienated guy in a small town who alleviates his anomie by narrating his streams of consciousness. It was called "Pump Up The Volume." Only in that film, he spoke on a Ham Radio show, rather than into a cheap tape recorder.

I enjoyed this film. Let's get certain things out of the way first. Yes, the characters, while funny, quirky, and interesting, were over-baked and unrealistic. Yes, to a degree, it showed a condescending portrayal of small town folk, and yes, it portrayed a clergy person who was all too happy to admit that he had not faith, thus keeping in step with the Hollywood view of religion.

The most confusing scene to me, by far, was when he makes a sincere religious blonde strip for him, after she tells him that she will do anything to comfort him. Another reviewer said that he did this to humiliate her and highlight her naivete, so that Hollywood could take another swing at religious people.

But maybe he felt he was doing it to her for her own good...to call her bluff and make her re-analyze the extent of her convictions. Or maybe he was just horny, and he liked the power surge that she offered him at that moment...the idea that she was his slave.

I don't know why he stood back-to-back with her, unless that was some kind of symbolic bonding mechanism or his way of showing that he was just as confused and lost as her..that he was her mirror image.

Having said all that, the dialogue and delivery were excellent, and Slater's facial expressions were priceless.

One clarification..The main character did NOT come to town to kill himself. (Unless you want to go out on a limb and say that maybe he really did.)He just wanted to get the people off his back and alleviate their fear that he came to town to kill them.

The movie was an example of "existential" French philosophy. It was also a commentary on the vastness of America, and how that can affect some people. This guy was "a nowhere man." All his life he had simply blended into the framework of mid-sized city life, without any distinction. He had no special skills or attributes. But the one thing he could call his own, was his longing for something better.

His age, 30, was significant. That's when you first realize that your youth is over forever, and you look into the future as either a glass half full or a glass half empty. No doubt, turning 30 is part of what made him quit his job and head for the sea.

There are numerous references in dialogue, to the fleeting nature of life, and to the idea that many people are living lives of quiet desperation. This proposed the idea that our lack of time should motivate us to act on our dreams, or that we all live with the illusion that we are never going to die. There is always tomorrow.

The film managed to squeeze in a gay guy, some black folks, some minor sex, kids, religion, deafness, and hunting.

Another reviewer also mentioned that the film moved at the pace of life. (Or at least in a small town) I like that. It's true. In real life, we have many boring, uneventful moments when we are just sitting in a room, or walking.

Most movies have so much background music going, that you don't notice these moments, or the music romanticizes them. In Julian Po the music is subtle and non-existent at times, so we get a real sense of how boring certain moments in life can be. (Him pacing in his room) If you can suspend belief with regard to certain unrealistic plot devices, like a lack of ways of getting out of the town and a hotel with no guests, and you are the type who can relax and appreciate dialogue, check this one out.

If it's simple, it works. Period.

[VgbndKng · 25 January 2000]

Indeed, if it's simple, it works. But the irony herein lies when you realize that simplicity and deep thought combinations, make extraordinary things. And this film, in my opinion, is simply delightful. Simple purpose, yet very thought-provoking in itself. I'd recommend it in a heartbeat. Being one of the few who find that the critics aren't always "up to par" so to speak, I think this flick was definately worth it's weight in gold. Go have some fun. Watch this. And when you're through, though you may be left saying "Uh... but..." see if you don't feel the same.

It's an illusion that we have forever to live

[JakeRfilmfreak · 7/10 · 16 February 2024]

Julian Po is a 1997 dark comedy drama that follows a mysterious drifter who wanders into a small quiet town and becomes somewhat of a local celebrity when the reason he is there is discovered.

This is a really interesting movie with a very intriguing story that will not only baffle you, but capture your attention at the same time. It's a dark film at its roots with just a hint of comedy thrown in certain areas that almost feels forced because of its uncomfortable subject matter. Christian Slaters performance portraying the title character is very good, making it easy to get behind him, and there are a few uplifting moments, but as the tone of the film changes as it moves along so does your hope for a happy ending which unfortunately doesn't seem to happen although they leave that up in the air. But overall it has a good cast, original premise, and It's a pretty good movie that I ended up liking a lot more than I expected.

If you haven't seen it before, I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Where's the Point?

[Jennel2 · 4/10 · 10 July 2002]

I really, really wanted to like Julian Po. I think that Slater is underrated as an actor, and that many of the supporting players here are better than they are given a chance to demonstrate in this film. I realize this is based on a short story which I have not read. So, I do not know if what I see as the film's faults originated with the story, or were imposed on it by the director/screenwriter. The premise is wonderful, and I loved the voiceover, confessional tone the opening narration strikes. But then...? Nothing! Several of the cliched local characters ask Julian pointblank to explain his intention to commit suicide. One could argue that he doesn't answer, because it's none of their business. But Julian is the one who, under only token pressure, blurted out his intentions in public. Then neither Julian nor the director/writer, despite the fact that the Julian character is keeping a tape recorded journal for God's sake, seem inclined to provide anything beyond the scant initial information on Julian's life. He says he was a bookkeeper. He says his family moved around when he was a child, due to his father's job. So what? There are several interactions with the locals which seem designed to illuminate Julian's purpose. But none of them go anywhere, because Julian seems to regard all these dopey locals as if they were aliens from another planet, as if he were the ultimate (and only) sane one among them. This might work as an allegory, if Julian Po had any defining characteristics or anything approaching wisdom to impart. The closest he comes to revealing anything about himself is in the scene in which he purposely humiliates the naive, religious wife of the mechanic. And what this scene reveals is not anything that would inspire empathy for Julian. I can only see the Julian character --as rendered--as selfish, petty, and totally condescending. Sort of matches the attitude of the director of this half-baked, contrived film. And poor Michael Parks, an actor who once had so much promise, is given nothing to work with here.

My advice - watch it a second time

[bob12538 · 8/10 · 10 October 2006]

I saw it on one of the arts channels 2 days in a row last year and was surprised at how much better it was the second time. It's an unusual movie, to be sure, the type that doesn't make a ton of money but it IS a good film. It has good direction, good characters and a good cast. You don['t walk away feeling like you've been hit in the face with a ton of bricks. Its much more subtle than that. And it doesn't take a great stretch of the imagination to realize that this is a slightly different version of the last 3 days in the life of Jesus. I'm serious. Watch it again with this idea in mind and watch all the pieces fall together. I'm by no means a religious person and this is not a religious movie but the parallels are there. Like I said, watch it again, its worth your time.

Meh at best, too much was cut.

[josieholstead · 4/10 · 4 June 2021]

I lived in fleischmanns during the filming. Bunch of my friends and family were extras, got to meet the cast, thought the whole thing was awesome(granted I was 9). They let the town view the whole movie before editing, then they cut so much out of it. The way it is now is okay, but could have been so much better had they not left so much on the editing room floor. Watched it again a few days ago... not the same.

Don't read about it; see it -- it's a strange, delightful surprise

[mintonmedia · 9/10 · 16 November 2000]

I can't believe the tone of the external reviews linked to this entry...these guys didn't get this film at all!!! What in god's name did the bozos expect from a film adapted from a novel in French by an author of obvious Eastern European descent?

"Julian Po" is a fable, folks, about life and death and all the states in between. It's funny and sad and bewildering and tragicomic in the way good European fiction can be and even good American fiction rarely is. It's beautifully cast with people from some of my favorite TV series, from "West Wing" to "Homicide" to "Remember WENN" and from some damn good films such as "Fargo" and "Kill Bill". It also has Christian Slater's best performance since "Heathers" and manages to be "quirky" in a way different from those generic indie films that equate quirkiness with quality.

It IS a little slow, because it moves at the pace of life, but this allows it time to fill each moment with the stuff of life. It misses being great because it doesn't have the final twist that takes it beyond our expectations, but it is nonetheless the best surprise I've come across in several years -- a genuine small, unheralded, lost gem.

Please don't read too much about it before you see it. Judge for yourself, with your heart and your head. This film should appeal to both parts of your anatomy.

Allegories do not need to be delivered sledge-hammer style

[ayn5242 · 3/10 · 10 June 2006]

Quirky, independent, theatrical, Christian Slater--these are all teasers that made me look forward to spending an hour or so "discovering" a jewel of a film. Boy, was I disappointed. Julian Po never gets over itself. The film is relentlessly self-conscious. I found myself unable to suspend disbelief for even a moment. The overdone, obviously theatrical sets, the overdone, obviously theatrical acting, the overdone, obviously theatrical directing -- well, you get the idea.

Allegories do not need to be delivered sledge hammer style. And it's hard to feel much of anything for Julian Po because we never know much about him. The ridiculous girlfriend, the annoying townsfolk, the idiotic clergyman, the bratty kids -- why would anyone, particularly anyone with a life long ambition to get to the seaside (Slater's character), decide to stay in such a dismal place?

A lot beneath the surface...

[amcwl · 6 April 2000]

Julian Po is a film that I hadn't heard of until a casual channel surf stumbled me onto HBO. I was hooked immediately. The characters in this town are so unbelievably strange and almost creepy. Julian (Christian Slater) is a wanderer, narrating his own story, who goes to a small town in order to end his life. When the townspeople find out, it becomes a sort of obsession with them. The children follow him through the streets, he's offered gifts from shop owners, and a beautiful, intense woman, Sarah, (Robin Tunney) falls in love with him, creating a very karmic bond between the two of them. Ironically, in the course of his procrastinating his death, he changes the lives of everyone around him. They ask him for advice in life matters. A man "comes out of the closet", a Priest denounces God, etc..

Julian Po left me sad. It doesn't end the way anyone would think, but it left me with one recurrent theme running through my head. Life is a beautiful thing, not to be taken for granted. Never make life or death decisions when you haven't even experienced life. And maybe one more thing... a real man sticks to his obligations... :-)

Could be better.

[Jack-153 · 1/10 · 24 January 1999]

The beginning of this movie was good. It started to get really dumb after he told the people he wanted to kill himself. I think if I came from a little town like that I would be offended after seeing this movie. They made a lot of these people look dumb and crazy. How could these people have so little to do that they follow him around all day. A lot of times these people were telling him ways to kill himself like they were urging him to do it. How can so many people have little respect for other people? I also think they could have made a much better ending for this movie. There were some good parts to this movie also. Some people might like it, but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

Po'? Indeed not! This rich, imaginative film is well worth seeing, kudos to writer Alan Wade, who adapted the script

[inkblot11 · 8/10 · 21 March 2011]

Julian Po (Christian Slater) is headed to the beach. A bookkeeper by profession, his life is not evolving the way he wanted it to, so he has quit his job in favor of this quest. However, before he reaches the beloved ocean of his dreams, his car breaks down and he walks to the nearest town. Talk about an unwelcoming committee! Although he is rented a room at a boarding house, Julian is immediately under intense scrutiny and avid speculation. All of the town folks, the mayor (Harve Presnell), his wife (Allison Janney), and the rest are convinced that Mr. Po is a killer-drifter, a con-artist, or, well, fill in the blank. Finally confronting him on his second day, at a diner, the residents are startled to hear that Julian's main plan is to commit suicide. All of a sudden, he is extended the hand of friendship for choosing their village as "the spot". The barber gives him a free haircut, stating that undertakers do lousy work, and Julian also gets a new suit, delicious muffins, and a marriage proposal from beautiful Sarah (Robin Tunney). It's heady stuff. Soon, kids are betting on what day the deed will be done and folks are coming to Julian for advice and fervent goodbyes. But, now Julian is not so sure what he wants, especially with the lovely Sarah in his life. Will Mr. Po follow through? This is a delightful movie, with an outstanding script of humor and insight. The credits state that it is based on a classic foreign novel, which is unfamiliar to most, but Alan Wade did a great adaptation of the work. Also fine are the cast members, including Slater, Tunney, Janney, Presnell, Cherry Jones, and all, all of the others. The small town setting is a beautiful, the costumes are well-chosen, and the cinematography and direction are most competent. The only caveat may be that the film's jacket doesn't do it justice, giving few clues to the strength of the story. Therefore, if you passed it by at the video store, thinking it appeared dull, ponder again. Po is not "po" but very rich.

Yugoslavian movie

[boza978 · 3/10 · 18 December 2021]

This is completely same story as 1982. Yugoslavian movie "Death of mister Goluze" (Smrt gospodina Goluze) with famouse serbian actor Ljubisa Samardzic.

Interesting and thought-provoking

[kacee4 · 8/10 · 8 August 2004]

This movie has an intriguing plot that is carried out by strange and wonderful characters. It examines one man's time spent in a small town where the townspeople put undue faith and expectations on him.

Because the people believe the man's time is coming to an end, they seek guidance and knowledge from him that he isn't necessarily qualified to give.

The subsequent changes in people and their stories carry the audience through a variety of emotions and leave one contemplating the nature of human existence.

Highly recommended. Slater and Tunney are particularly good.

Wonderful tender story

[bazdol · 22 October 2004]

A truly tender tale and one that makes a person to reflect on life and its for a handicapped person The acting is superb showing that Christian Slater can really handle a demanding role with skill; I note that the commentator who hides behind the name of "anonymous" says that "it could have been been better but does not say how it could have been so.. My feeling is someone of that irk might say "Casablanca" or "Gone with the Wind" "could have been better." Ha!

Tragedy/Drama/Dark Comedic overtones

[bat-lev6 · 8/10 · 28 December 1998]

This movies has wonderful elements of drama. The Tragedy of life and the human perspective on death.This movie has a subtle dark humor about it, and in fact that is the only way to describe the ending.

very good movie

[ogrizkoo · 8/10 · 2 February 2009]

I think it is a pretty good movie.

It is a little bit strange but different from other movies and interesting in my opinion.

Also, there is deep thinking ...we see how change the life of people when they starting to look every day for last day in their life... they start to appreciate the moments and we see that people afraid to go after their dreams until J. Po appears to give sense to them :)

So, it was a good movie with messages in it, you will not regret to watch it at least once.

So, I voted 8.

An Exquisite Existential Drama

[adamant-2 · 14 March 1999]

Poetic, tragic, pathetic, funny, and romantic do not do this movie justice. A great and subtle piece of film-making with great performances and a splendid and unobtrusive soundtrack. There are no easy answers. There is no Hollywood ending.... See this movie!

The Point

[dementia100 · 10/10 · 30 January 2004]

I think that the reason that Julian's past was not reflected was because they want people to relate. For example, If julian was going to kill himself because he...I don't know, let's say, killed his sister and was on the run, we wouldn't be able to relate to that because we've, hopefully, have never done such a thing.

Instead, they chose to keep Julian's past unknown, so when he states that he is going to kill himself, we can all relate, because, and lets all admit, we have thought about it before. They want us to use our imaginations (and for some of you, this may be hard) as to what his past consisted of, because they want us to relate to this movie in one way or another and say "oh, I can understand what he feels, I've been there too."

I also think that there was alot of symbolism. The townspeople saw the comming of Julian as somethink particular and strange when he first arrived, but when they found out that he was going to kill himself, they saw this as an opportunity to help a human being, hence the fact that they gave him several gifts and attention. But when he chose not to kill himself, the town felt taken for their good nature; they gave to him, trying to make his last days meaningful and with kind people, however expecting him to later take his own life. This, I think, is the meaning of the movie.

A story filled with both comedy and tragedy...

[Koosh-2 · 10/10 · 3 September 1999]

This was a movie I had no history of prior to viewing. I watched it out of curiosity and boredom. It was not a waste of time.

Though it begins rather vague, the story quickly picks up withen the first 20 minutes. You find yourself laughing as the movie progresses at the many different and unusual reactions of the townspeople to Julian's announcement of suicide.

Though sometimes dragging, quotes like "You can all go home! I'm not going to kill myself today!" make the movie worthwhile.

The weak-excused ending may seem frustrating, but it leaves you with a sense of awe as the credits roll and you watch for a few minutes thinking "What now?"

In my book, any movie that leaves me speechless and thinking at the end is a good one. And if you liked this, may I also suggest Gods and Monsters (1998).

strange attractors

[edwardsorfleet · 3 June 2004]

This is the kind of film you can only sit through after midnight whilst flicking incoherently through the channels. That is how i came upon such a strange film, one which i could not stop watching, despite the efforts of the oncoming dawn light telling me to.

Slater plays his role very well as the confused outsider, a role that the audience can only find themselves joining him in, and Tunney's performance as the attractive girl who wants to run away from home is also well performed. All in all, this is a good film to sit through only if you are in an open minded mood, if you are feeling at all skeptical, leave it on the shelf.

Think Twice Before you Kill Yourself!

[whpratt1 · 10/10 · 22 October 2004]

Just the name of the picture makes you want to see if this is a BOMB or an interesting story! As I watched the beginning of the picture and watched Christian Slater,(Julian Po),"Mindhunters",'04, stroll down this very old town that looked like it was from the Dark Ages, it started to capture my interest. Julian Po picks this town to sort of destroy himself and runs into all kinds of situations, meeting a minister, barber, hotel owner and lots of women for warm romantic SEX! Po meets Robin Tunney,(Sarah),"Paparazzi",'04 who arranges all kinds of candles around his bed and falls madly in love with him. Christian Slater and Robin Tunney gave outstanding performances in a rather difficult character role. You can possibly laugh and cry with this film.

Bad Day At Black Rock revisited.

[searchanddestroy-1 · 10/10 · 25 February 2021]

There should be more films like this one, so original and interesting, a weird manner to describe the human nature and behavior, human soul and also ugliness. I guess that Chris Slater gives here one of his best performances and the most memorable film, at least for me. if in one decade I have to name a movie with him, that's the one I will choose. I have always craved for those topics around strangers in towns. Excellent ending, typical from an Indie.

allegory of the price of fame

[darobsta · 7 November 2001]

I've only seen this movie once, so my interpretation might be a little off, but it seemed to me to be an allegory of the price of fame, how famous people, in American popular culture in particular, are often driven to suicide. Of course there are a few holes in my theory: Julian never sought fame himself, but the relentless media attention (the group of children who followed him around), the riches and free stuff he received, and the boredom of a small town (representing America in general) has nothing better to do than make a celebrity out of an ordinary person. And finally, the callousness of the people when they drive him to suicide sums up the allegory.

Forgive my interpretation if it's wrong... but those were just my ideas.

Subtle, but brilliant

[statman122 · 8/10 · 7 February 2020]

This is truly a hidden gem of a film. It is slow, and many will say it doesn't make any sense. Watch it again. It is beautiful and brilliant.