Jimmy and Judy (2006)

Directors:

Randall Rubin
Jon Schroder

Writers:

Randall Rubin (writer)
Jon Schroder (writer)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Love. Obsession. Murder. Caught on tape.

Plot:

Two misunderstood suburban kids challenge society and run from the police while documenting all of their deeds with a digital camera.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Commune | High School | Love | Revenge

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Edward Furlong	...	Jimmy Wright
Rachael Bella	...	Judy
William Sadler	...	Uncle Rodney
James Eckhouse	...	Jimmy's Dad
Gay Storm	...	Jimmy's Mom
Chaney Kley	...	Dinko
A.J. Buckley	...	Buddy
Jane Leigh Connelly	...	Hazel
Nicole Randall Johnson	...	Prostitute
Patrick Bristow	...	Dr. Walters
Lindsay Beamish	...	Connie
Denver Jade	...	Billy Rensing
Crystal Wilson	...	Megan Cleary
Rob Wilds	...	Grocery Store Manager
Michael Friedman	...	Police Officer

Also Known As:

Jimmy & Judy (Australia) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, nudity, violence, drug content and language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:16 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Kentucky, USA

Company:

Hairy Productions (II)

Review

Jimmy and Judy This clever, heartfelt piece of gonzo indie film-making is the movie Natural Born Killers should have been. It commences with a clever premise: everything we see is captured through the lens of Jimmy's videocamera. In the first reel, this conceit works a tad like Bogart's character just out of prison in Elmer Daves' Dark Passage, with the subjective camera point-of-view employed until after plastic surgery.

Jimmy (a great turn by former child star Edward Furlong, whose career seems to be headed in the right direction again) reveals himself only in the presence of Judy (Rachael Bella). Jimmy has poor impulse control. He woos Judy by exacting revenge on the kids who have bullied her at school, films his parents' gender-switching sex, and, in a very funny piece of Americana, freaks out in a fast-food car lane after pickles are improperly included with his double cheeseburger.

They hit the road for their obligatory crime spree. A bout of in-car flirting leads to a very twisted hit-and-run accident. J & J wind up in a rural commune where young folks of both genders become the playthings of a speed freak Hitler (prompting a scary monologue by William Sadler).

J & J would be truly sublime if the plot gave more attention to Bella's Judy. Furlong and Bella have that rare sexual/emotional chemistry that allows one to suspend judgment and enjoy the ride. Furlong is a smart, intuitive actor who seems willing to do almost anything to satisfy a role. The fast-food diet gives him a slightly bloated look, which is good for the character, bad for Eddie. Superbly helmed by writer/directors Jon Schroder and Randall K. Rubin, this one would make a deliciously twisted teen triple-feature with Larry Clark's Another Day in Paradise and Francois Ozon's Criminal Lovers. (Roxie, 2/4; Women's Bldg., 2/12)