Your Name Here (2008/I)

Director:

Matthew Wilder

Writer:

Matthew Wilder (writer)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Reality is in the mind of the beholder.

Plot:

The lines between reality and perception blur in this comic journey into the life and mind (literally!) of one of sci-fi's most brilliant authors...

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Bill Pullman	...	William J. Frick
Taryn Manning	...	Nikki
Harold Perrineau	...	Rich
Traci Lords	...	Julie
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Kroger
Ivana Milicevic	...	The Blonde
Dave Sheridan	...	Duke
Bruce McKenzie	...	Hank
Mircea Monroe	...	Black Turtleneck Girl
Amanda Decker	...	Luanne
Mark Weitala	...	Davey
Richard Riehle	...	Lipschitz
Charles Napier	...	Chuck
Tom Morris	...	MC
Chris Pina	...	Mr. Secretary

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

MEB Entertainment

PKD was not only saner than Frick, he was a better writer

In a way, I hate to be the first to review this film. I had high hopes for it.

I am a Phillip K. Dick freak, and have been since the days when we had to wait with 'bated breath for the next book. So the idea of a film about multiple realities, loosely based upon the multiple realities of PKD's life, appealed to me. So did the idea that the unstuck-from-reality writer in question was to be played by Bill Pullman; I'm a fan of his work. So when this film showed up before its general release here at the Sitges Film Festival, I just had to go.

And although I can see this film becoming somewhat of a cult classic, I have to admit to being underwhelmed.

The problem with Your Name Here is that it's a film that jumps about in multiple realities but which fails to sell *any* of them to us as realities.

This is in stark contrast to the stories -- and the life -- of the man whose works -- and life -- inspired this movie. Phillip jumped from reality to reality in his writing, taking us readers with him as he leapt. But no matter where he landed, it was a *real* reality, something we could believe in and adjust to as quickly as we had adjusted to the previous reality.

That's what this film lacked for me. No matter where we jumped, and into what reality, none of them felt real.