Fuck (2005)

A documentary on the expletive's origin, why it offends some people so deeply, and what can be gained from its use.

Director:

Steve Anderson

Stars:

Reinhold Aman, Drew Carey, Billy Connolly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Reinhold Aman	...	Himself
Steven Bochco	...	Himself
Pat Boone	...	Himself
Benjamin C. Bradlee	...	Himself (as Ben Bradlee)
Drew Carey	...	Himself
Chuck D.	...	Himself
Billy Connolly	...	Himself
John Crossley	...	Himself
Sam Donaldson	...	Himself
Janeane Garofalo	...	Herself
Ice-T	...	Himself
Timothy Jay	...	Himself
Ron Jeremy	...	Himself
Alan Keyes	...	Himself
Janet LaRue	...	Herself

Storyline

This documentary takes a look on all sides of the infamous F-word. It's taboo,obscene and controversial, yet somehow seems to permeate every single aspect of our culture - from Hollywood, to the schoolyard to the Senate floor in Washington D.C. It's the word at the very center of the debate on Free Speech - and everyone seems to have an opinion. FUCK exams how the word is impacting our world today through interviews, film and television clips, music, and original animation by Bill Plympton. Scholars and linguists examine the long history of fuck. Comedians, actors, and writers who have charted and popularized the upward course of fuck are heard from, often while defending the Constitutional Right of Free Speech, all the way to the Supreme Court. FUCK visits with those who actually fuck for a living. We hear from advocates who oppose fuck and its infringement into our everyday lives. We watch some of the most famous and infamous film and television clips that feature fuck, we hear some...

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Plot Keywords:

word | free speech | interview | f word | comedian | 

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Taglines:

The movie that dare not speak its name

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Genres:

Documentary

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 November 2007 (Japan)

Also Known As:

F*ck

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$5,299 (USA) (10 November 2006)

Gross:

$19,791 (USA) (8 December 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bad Apple Films, Mudflap Films, Rainstorm Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to the film makers, if it was broadcast uncensored on network television; the FCC fines would reach over 200 million dollars.

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Goofs

The narration says that "fucking" in the phrase "fucking brilliant" is an adjective, but it's an adverb.

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Quotes

Janeane Garofalo: Would you like to have sexual congress with my vagina?

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Crazy Credits

A Very Special Double Fuck You To ... Cancer A Very Special Fuck You To ... Steven N. Kurtz A Special Fuck You To ... Carlo Cavagna George Parker Steve Bickel M. Muzatko C. Martin Shawn Levy Sean Mantooth Dr. Manwaring Dr. Wong Brett Doyle Terry Fisher Brian Moss Tony Sodano Chris Sorenson Dan Dye Adam Sampson Bob "Pork-it" Loftstrom

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Connections

Features Lenny Bruce in 'Lenny Bruce' (1967)

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Soundtracks

"Hallelujah Chorus"
Composed by George Frideric Handel (as Georg Friedrich Händel)
Courtesy of DeWolfe Music Library

User Reviews

Can expletives be boring?

It’s the Queen Mother of curse words, Although it’s been supplanted in some regards by the c-word (ask your parents), eff dash dash dash has far more uses - why, it’s probably the single most useful word in the universe, or at least the English language, since it can be used as a noun, an adjective, an adverb, an interjection, a verb, and so on. Seriously, let’s see your “the” and “thing” do that.

This documentary uses the bomb 857 times, so you know it’s not shying away from its subject matter. Pontificators from all sides of the spectrum weigh in on the word, from its uses in movies and songs to its origins and meanings to its use in the arena of politics (as famously used by the sitting Vice President on the floor of the Senate).

But in the end, it’s not as if anyone is going to be swayed one way or the other here. Those who think the word’s not all that bad (although perhaps shouldn’t be used anywhere, anytime) seem to make reasoned, thoughtful arguments, but the people watching this movie are probably on that side of the fence already, anyway. (By contrast, the more-conservative voices offering opinions come off as uptight jackasses who want to control everything.) Those interviewed include Janeane Garofolo, Billy Connolly, Bill Maher, Pat Boone, Sam Donaldson, Ice-T, Chuck D, John Crossley, Ron Jeremy, and Tera Patrick. All come off pretty well, doofy conservative arguments notwithstanding. But, man, is it just me, or does Billy Connolly look weirder every year? He looks like the Cowardly Lion on crack. Add in his sometimes unintelligble Scottish accent, and you get something you’d expect to find in the mines of Moria. That’s a Lord of the Rings reference, for you non-nerds out there.

Love Pat Boone, though, even when he comes off as a crusty old bastard. He said that he created a new word that he uses instead of cuss words - “boone.” Yep, he uses his own name. He drops something on his foot - “aw, BOONE!” Awesome. And then Ice-T, learning of this, agrees - he says he’s gonna boone his wife later that night.

It’s not a bad documentary, but it’s no great shakes, either. It actually feels a little tedious and repetitive and redundant after a while, because you’re like, “Okay, I get it! It's a bad word!”