The Chumscrubber (2005)

A darkly satiric story about life crumbling in the midst of a seemingly idyllic suburbia.

Director:

Arie Posin

Writers:

Arie Posin (story), Zac Stanford (screenplay)

Stars:

Jamie Bell, Allison Janney, Rory Culkin

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jamie Bell	...	Dean
Camilla Belle	...	Crystal
Justin Chatwin	...	Billy
Glenn Close	...	Mrs. Johnson
Kathi Copeland	...	Parent #1 (as Kathy Copeland)
Rory Culkin	...	Charlie Stiffle
Thomas Curtis	...	Charlie Bratley
Tim DeKay	...	Mr. Peck
David Ellison	...	Student #1 (as David Ellsion)
William Fichtner	...	Mr. Bill Stiffle
Ralph Fiennes	...	Mayor Michael Ebbs
Richard Gleason	...	Parent #2
Caroline Goodall	...	Mrs. Parker
John Heard	...	Officer Lou Bratley
Susan Hegarty	...	Aide to Mayor Ebbs

Storyline

The Chumscrubber starts out with Troy, a normal teenager who supplies "feel good" pills to everyone in his high school (this way he spreads happiness all around). But when his friend Dean pays him a visit, Dean discovers Troy has hanged himself in his bedroom during one of his mother's pool parties. After the death, three local teens: Billy, Lee, and Crystal, want what's left of Troy's stash of pills and they know that Dean is the only one who knows where they are. But when Dean refuses to get the pills, the three teens kidnap Dean's little brother, until they realize they've kidnapped the wrong kid.

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Plot Keywords:

haldol | window blinds | pills | death | chumscrubber | 

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Taglines:

Meet Generation Rx

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, violent content, drug material and some sexuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Allison Janney and William Fichtner would go on to co-star in the CBS sitcom "Mom" as girlfriend/boyfriend. They portray a married couple in The Chumscrubber.

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Goofs

Before Dean unlocks the door to Troy's apartment, there's a shot where you see Dean from inside Troy's apartment. In that shot, you can see the gap between the door and the door frame that the deadbolt is not locked. You can also see the thumbscrew on the door knob is in the typical unlocked position. But Troy gets a hidden key to unlock a door that's not locked.

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Quotes

Lee: He won't die!
Billy: You are such a pussy.
Lee: ...He's stronger than he looks!
Billy: [laughs towards Lee]
Lee: You do it then!
Billy: No fucking way, Lee!
Billy: [Hands Lee his pocket knife] Here. Take it.
Lee: What if he tries to grab the knife away from me, or something?
Billy: I don't know, just fucking stab him really quick...
Lee: Like where?
[...]

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movies with Terrible Titles (2015)

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Soundtracks

Run
Performed by Snow Patrol
Written by Iain Archer, Nathan Connolly, Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland and Johnny Quinn
Courtesy of Polydor Ltd. (UK)
Under License from Universal Music Enterprises

User Reviews

A dark indie satire

There are two kinds of independent movies, those that belongs to the first one passes unnoticed for most moviegoers. They are playing mostly in art houses and patiently waiting for you in video stores. At the same time, movies from the second and much smaller group for some reason (which is hardly explainable sometimes) get all possible attention and sometimes they can replace mainstream production in theaters.

Chumscrubber, which obviously belongs to the first group, is a rather unique and courageous satirical attempt of showing on the surface quiet and peaceful life of suburbia and middle class people there. Welcome to Hillside, a town where all people know each other and at the same time, no one of them cares much about others. But, the unexpected event brings some changes to a monotonous life of the town.

Dean Stiffle's best friend Troy, a teenager who supplied drugs to a local high school commits a suicide and a company of school tough guys believe that Dean knows where to find Troy's store. After the school, they kidnap Dean's brother Charlie but they make mistake and take a wrong Charley, thirteen years old Charlie Bratley. It's not completely a kidnapping; for some of them it looks just like a funny game and even for Charlie himself, big boys and a pretty girl at least for the first time is a funny company and amusing experience he have never had before. Dean gets a threatening call but to his surprise and relief, he sees his brother playing video games in a neighboring room. He expectedly gives "I don't care" answer and mistake soon will be revealed. Day passes but no one from adults don't see what's going on. They are totally absorbed in planning their personal lives and making own careers and unable to see anything above that. The only subject for Dean's father is his books on psychology, which he is trying to use on his son while his mother is elsewhere trying to sell some herbal medicine. They don't see that the family is falling apart and then his brother Charlie found a way to escape reality in video games, Dean, who is one of very few relatively normal teenagers, become an outcast among his schoolmates and withdraw into himself. Troy's mother spends all the time telling her neighbors that she doesn't blame them for her son's death. Divorced Charlie Bratley's mother for a long time has been planning her wedding with city's major, who becomes obsessed with a strange visions and ideas. She doesn't even notice his son's disappearance and talking to him through a closed door. Billy who is the head of the company and its inspirer bring Charlie to his home but his parents also don't see anything special. "It's for school" is a perfect answer that assures everyone that everything is on its tracks and in order. Even a direct truth is taking as a joke. The children are completely left on their own and soon Dean realizes that nobody's noticed that a kid is not home for a long time and he's the only one who could do anything to resolve a conflict even if it is no concern of him.

The movie cast unites too many famous actors for a small budgeted indie movie. The adult actors always have good performances of their satirical characters, but they are mostly the background of the story, where the main stars are young actors and their characters. Jamie Bell (mainly known for his first role in Billy Elliot) who is playing the main young character is excellent and his ability of creating required accent deserves the highest praises. Justin Chatvin is strong enough as a company leader Billy and the youngest of characters, Thomas Curtis as Charley Bratley steal the show in a couple of crucial moments.

Such rather absurd satirized image of selfish behavior combined with blissful ignorance works pretty well with adult characters in the movie. This is satire that doesn't make you laugh watching the movie, its just make you think why such things could happen. Unfortunately, on the contrary, important young characters are underdeveloped and sometimes the movie doesn't give us a reasonable explanation for their acts and way of behavior. The story itself also has perceptible lapses and problem points, which don't let creating a complex image and evoke obvious questions. However, despite some problems with characters, continuity flaws and possible overusing of symbolism without a certain need, the director was able to make a mostly captivating picture that brought me to deep thoughts for a while. The main problem is that the movie and its intensive climax don't give any solution or escaping for the situation as well as it doesn't give the answer for above mentioned question why such Hillsides are possible. The Chumscrubber is a striking contrast to mainstream movies, a movie that obviously worth seeing and makes you think, but because of its perceptible flaws and partly narrow-minded approach, it's unable to reach complete success.

8 out of 10

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 October 2006 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Untitled Arie Posin Project

Filming Locations:

Calabasas, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,800,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$28,548, 7 August 2005

Gross USA:

$52,597

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$351,401

Company Credits

Production Co:

El Camino Pictures, Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG II, Go Fish Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1