Pumpkin (2002)

Directors:

Anthony Abrams
Adam Larson Broder

Writer (WGA):

Adam Larson Broder (written by)

Release Date:

12 March 2004 (Spain)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

A comedy for the romantically challenged.

Plot:

A sorority girl is drawn to a disabled man.

Plot Keywords:

Pumpkin | Sorority | Athlete | Love | Sorority Girl

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Christina Ricci	...	Carolyn McDuffy
Hank Harris	...	Pumpkin Romanoff
Brenda Blethyn	...	Judy Romanoff
Dominique Swain	...	Jeanine Kryszinsky
Marisa Coughlan	...	Julie Thurber
Samuel Ball	...	Kent Woodlands (as Sam Ball)
Harry Lennix	...	Robert Meary (Poetry teacher)
Nina Foch	...	Betsy Collander
Caroline Aaron	...	Claudia Prinsinger
Lisa Banes	...	Chippy McDuffy
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Dr. Frederico Cruz
Phil Reeves	...	Burt Wohlfert
Marisa Petroro	...	Courtney Burke (as Marisa Parker)
Tait Smith	...	Hansie Prinsinger
Michael Bacall	...	Casey Whitner

MPAA:

Rated R for language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Canada:14A | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Azusa, California, USA

Company:

American Zoetrope

Trivia:

The shot of Kent's car flying off the cliff and exploding is actually taken from Hudson Hawk (1991) - you can even see the dummy, that represented the bad guy, on the hood.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Carolyn's poetry teacher writes his name on the board the first day of class (prior to instructing the students to turn their desks in a large circle facing one another) as he puts the chalk down on the ledge a horizontal line is formed near his name that is clearly visible. When the camera switches frames to the class and then back to the teacher the line has apparently been erased and is very hard to see where it was once prominent.

Quotes:

Carolyn McDuffy: I've caused everyone a great deal of grief. You were all right. What I did with Pumpkin was against nature. And now everyone is suffering because of it. I ruined rush. I ruined our charity. I ruined the formal. Kent is probably injured beyond repair. And now, AO Pi is runner-up again. I'm sorry. I'm leaving the sorority. I'm quitting SCSU. I'm transferring to a community college.
Julie Thurber: But Carolyn, you're a senior. You can't transfer to a community college. You have too many units.
Carolyn McDuffy: Then I'm transferring to Long Beach Tech.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Le huitième jour (1996)

Soundtrack:

Challenged Games Fanfare

Reckless Brilliance

As I watched the film "Pumpkin" recklessly and fearlessly go from somewhat absurd situation to complete and utter silliness, I got the sense that it was made with a sense of joy that few movies are made with these days. The fact that the film refuses to wink at the audience or play funny music during all the absurdity, makes it all the more impressive. Everything in this movie subverts itself - - in the big satiric moments, this is obvious (the car crash after which Kent's face is unscratched), but one must look closely at what seem to be serious or sentimental moments to realize that these are indeed hilarious and subversive moments as well (the romantic dialogue between Carolyn and Pumpkin is completely absurdist if you keep in mind Pumpkin's "problem.")

Indeed, most Americans are used to films cueing them as to when they are being serious and when they are being funny and audiences are trained to watch for this. Because "Pumpkin" doesn't do this, a lot of its humor probably goes over the heads of people not used to anything this "poker-faced" - - especially when done with such sweetness.

The reviews I've read try to condemn "Pumpkin" by pigeonholing it into one genre or another - - either the mean-spirited sharp satire of Todd Solondz or the over-the-top buffoonery of the Farrelly Brothers - - but "Pumpkin" is neither. Indeed, when you realize that "Pumpkin" fits in no box and, in effect, challenges our notion what a movie should be, you're set free and you begin to laugh at what is the funniest film I've seen in a long time.