Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)

A film set in a strange afterlife way station that has been reserved for people who have committed suicide.

Director:

Goran Dukic

Writers:

Goran Dukic (screenplay), Etgar Keret (short story "Kneller's Happy Campers")

Stars:

Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Shea Whigham

9 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Patrick Fugit	...	Zia
Shannyn Sossamon	...	Mikal
Shea Whigham	...	Eugene
Leslie Bibb	...	Desiree
Mark Boone Junior	...	Mike (as Mark Boone Jr.)
Abraham Benrubi	...	Erik
Cameron Bowen	...	Kostya
Mikal P. Lazarev	...	Nanuk
Clayne Crawford	...	Jim
Tom Waits	...	Kneller
Chase Ellison	...	Kid Kostya
John Hawkes	...	Yan
Will Arnett	...	Messiah
Adam G.	...	Gas Station Attendant
Mary Pat Gleason	...	Eugene's Mother

Storyline

Despondent over his breakup with Desiree, Zia slashes his wrists and goes to an afterlife peopled by suicides, a high-desert landscape dotted by old tires, burned-out cars, and abandoned sofas. He gets a job in a pizza joint. By chance, Zia learns that Desiree offed herself a few months after he did, and she's looking for him. He sets off with Eugene (an electrocuted Russian rocker) to find her, and they pick up a hitchhiker, Mikal, who's looking for the People in Charge, believing she's there by mistake. They're soon at the camp of Kneller, where casual miracles proliferate. They hear rumors of a miraculous king. Can Zia find Desiree? Then what? Where there's death there's hope.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | death | afterlife | russian | hitchhiker | 

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Taglines:

Love will always exist, even after you've "offed" yourself.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and disturbing content involving suicide

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

Pizzeria Kamikaze

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$42,808 (USA) (19 October 2007)

Gross:

$104,077 (USA) (26 October 2007)

Company Credits

Production Co:

No Matter Pictures, Crispy Films, Adam Sherman

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene in which Mikal asks to drive the car was filmed at the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns in Carlsbad, New Mexico.

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Goofs

When Mikal first gets into Eugene's car she rolls down the window. In the very next scene when they drive away the window is up.

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Quotes

Zia: I don't know about you Eugene, but I got a cock. Do you have a cock Mik?
Mikal: Yeah, I got a cock. A big fat one.

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 3 November 2007 (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Occurrence on the Border"
Written by Eugene Hutz
Performed by Gogol Bordello
Courtesy of Tee Pee Records

User Reviews

Captivating

This is one of "those" movies. You know the kind - like a catchy tune the vibe of this movie stays in your head... the movie had all the chances in the world to be depressing, but it was far from it, there are only a few drama elements and the title is not deceiving, it truly is a love story and a beautiful one at that and also threaded with great humor, when I laughed, I laughed hard. And I would probably cry if the ending was any different.

I won't go into possibilities and impossibilities of metaphysical, because that's absolutely not what this story is about; purgatory, if you will, is only the stage, where the romantic play is performed, with that, it's innovative though actually daring, as it was probably obvious the box office would never explode from what 'Wristcutters' would make. In my opinion, the movie is so well made it would have been great even if it was stripped of suicide thing and it was just a plain love story. Oh and Shannyn Sossamon was so convincing, I think I'm in love with her now. ;)