Human Nature (2001)

Director:

Michel Gondry

Writer (WGA):

Charlie Kaufman (written by)

Release Date:

12 September 2001 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

In the Interest of Civilization... Conform.

Plot:

A woman is in love with a man in love with another woman, and all three have designs on a young man raised as an ape.

Plot Keywords:

Nature | Scientist | Manners | Table Manners | First Date

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Patricia Arquette	...	Lila Jute
Rhys Ifans	...	Puff
Tim Robbins	...	Dr. Nathan Bronfman
Ken Magee	...	Police Detective
Sy Richardson	...	Police Detective
David Warshofsky	...	Police Detective
Hilary Duff	...	Young Lila Jute
Stanley DeSantis	...	Doctor (as Stanley Desantis)
Peter Dinklage	...	Frank
Toby Huss	...	Puff's Father
Bobby Harwell	...	Congressman
Daryl Anderson	...	Congressman
Bobby Pyle	...	Young Puff
Chase MacKenzie Bebak	...	Young Nathan (as Chase Bebak)
Mary Kay Place	...	Nathan's Mother

Also Known As:

Human Nature (France) (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality/nudity and language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

France | USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #38161) | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:R13 | Finland:K-11 | France:U | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Germany:12 | Iceland:12 | Australia:MA

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fine Line Features

Trivia:

Steven Soderbergh was first interested in directing Charlie Kaufman's script back in late 1996, when Kaufman was still trying to get Being John Malkovich (1999) produced. Soderbergh's considerations for casting were for David Hyde Pierce in the role of Nathan Bronfman, Chris Kattan in the role of Puff (likely due to his character Mr. Peepers on Saturday Night Live at the time), and Marisa Tomei in the role of Lila Jute. He was about to go into pre-production when he was offered Out of Sight (1998) and after much deliberation he left the project.

Quotes:

Puff: Mother...
Puff's Mother: Yes, Derek?
Puff: It's a pleasure to meet you mother, but I'm an ape, like dad was, and I have to go back into the woods now... forever.

Movie Connections:

References To Sir, with Love (1967)

Soundtrack:

Au dehors frémit la pluie

Oh Come On, this one is great

I don't know what's happening with the votes on this movie. It IS really great. May be people just get offended by lots of nudity in this picture? Why to bother? It's VERY thought-provoking, extremely smart, funny and in a same way sad. I prefer it over Eternal Sunshine sometimes. Really great story about how hopeless we all are. A bit farce, a bit comedy, and great philosophical meaning. Why don't we live in forests? Why don't we try to be free? Why do we live in this world of steel and plastic? Just think about what questions do Kaufman movie rise.

Being John Malkovich .. is pretty shallow, not strong work. I still adore it, but it's worst Kaufmans work for me, though it's extremely original.

Adaptation brings out greatest thoughts about movie-making, about human relations, about creativity and Hollywood, about mainstream and real art. And the funny thing Adaptation even mocks about itself. Great script.

Eternal Sunshine is mainly about love, destiny and memories. Nothing else there. Though i have to admit it's a perfect script.

Human Nature is an anti-human, Greenpeace-pro movie... till the very end. It mocks humanity sometimes, but mostly talks about how self-important we are, how ungracious to the nature around us. But the end ... Well, wont write spoilers here.

This movie is a skeptical answer for all those hopeless romantics out there. And i think it's a great symbiotic relationship. Romance and skepticism.