Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006) User Reviews

A wild, wacky, enjoyable ride - you won't slit your throat in the middle of it

[Chris_Docker · 8/10 · 9 August 2006]

Sometimes we find beauty in the strangest places; and, remarkably for such a gruesome title, Wristcutters could probably be said to be a rather uplifting affirmation of life, hidden within a seriously quirky black comedy. Set in an afterlife reserved for people who commit suicide, it seems to contain wacky nuggets of truth from oddball characters including Zia, searching for the love of his life, Mikal, an accidental visitor, Eugene, a Russian musician that electrocuted himself on stage from being badly heckled, and the weird and wonderful Kneller, played by the ever-mysterious Tom Waits.

Zia slits his wrists and promptly wakes up in a world resembling this one, except that the colours are rather washed out and nobody smiles. He abandons his job at Kamikaze Pizza to search for his former love Desirée, and soon makes close friends with Mikal and Eugene, who accompany him on one of the strangest road trips since Dorothy lost her innocence in the Wizard of Oz.

What gives Wristcutters its edge, are the frequent, addictively interesting, and not immediately fathomable symbols that keep cropping up and nagging away like in any good movie that yearns for cult status: such as the black hole under the passenger seat where things just disappear. We just know that place - how many things have you lost there? Then there are people who are just far too weird to have been dreamt up on the back of a Hollywood paycheck: like the throat-singing mute, the dead-again messiah, or the policeman who still has a hole in his head.

There is a temptingly meaningful logic at work that will leave you fitting the pieces together long after the film has finished. Explaining how to perform minor miracles to the lovelorn Zia, Kneller tells him: "As long as you want it so bad, it's not going to happen - the only way it's gonna work is if it doesn't matter . . . " We soon start looking for clues to this rather crazy world and here Mikal (played by the much under-rated Shannyn Sossamon) looks like a good bet - but then so does anyone if you let your imagination run wild enough.

The religious orthodoxy behind the ultimate ideas of Wristcutters is a weakness, but it is put subtly and light-heartedly so will be inoffensive to most viewers.

If the stars in your sky have gone out for a while, maybe treat yourself to this zany and very well-produced story to set them on fire again. Wristcutters - a Love Story is at once touching, hilarious, thought-provoking and a hugely enjoyable ride.

I wonder if they wish they just didn't shoot the last 15 minutes...

[ucetincan · 6/10 · 18 April 2011]

This movie has certainly got an interesting concept. All suiciders living their afterlife together in a limbo-like place and stuff... Visuals are also good enough to make this film worth a 7.5/10.

But I really think the last 15 minutes (the king and the gathering for the great miracle) just ruined the whole movie. It suddenly went from dark humor to absurdity, then ended up like a cheap Benn Stiller style romantic comedy. The film pushed the limits of persuasiveness for a guaranteed happy ending. That was simply unnecessary.

Also there were some characters in the movie that seemed interesting and worth getting deeper into their own story, but instead, were just left as side characters.

I expected more from the movie title and IMDb ranking and got disappointed. But it still is a nice movie to watch and entertain your evening nevertheless.

Enlightening

[letsroll · 7/10 · 12 April 2006]

Where do we end up when we die? What type of hell do we go to if we've "offed ourselves" as the characters in WRISTCUTTERS say? This fanciful movie opens with Fugit's character Zia organizing, cleaning, and straightening his room, readying himself for his death. In the blink of an eye, we see Zia's body on the floor of the bathroom, blood everywhere, and we're transported to a world which is hot, dull, endless, and sad. Zia discovers that everyone in this world has offed themselves, and the physical traits remain. Zia offed himself because of intense sadness caused by his girlfriend Desiree. He's befriended by Eugene, whose whole family is there. There days are filled with drinking, doing odd jobs, and trying to make the time pass. But Zia discovers that his girlfriend has committed suicide and he's on a mission to find her. With Eugene, they roadtrip ... to nowhere, searching for the woman and meet Mikal, who is also on a search, for the PIC: People in Charge. The film follows these characters as they search for something, someone to fill the void that they had when they were alive. The film is well shot with great music and tender moments. The only negative about the film is the writing. It would have been much more interesting to see an arc in Fugit's character, instead, it's rather straightline as everyone around him changes.

Disconnected

[infinajt · 6/10 · 14 September 2008]

Cases like these are so frustrating. It's like falling in love with a pretty smile, only to find the target of your affection has no heart. I wanted to like this one, because of the idea and because these small productions deserve everyone's attention.

Alas, the imaginative backbone that could have offered remarkable chances in the hands of a skillful writer is turned into a generic mess. Some of this is Keret's fault, too. As you probably know, the story is about an afterlife for those who have died by their own hand. The thing is that the world is just like ours, except even more grey and bland. Our main character ends up on a road trip with his Russian friend and a girl who "shouldn't be there", in search of some sense for the events and perhaps a way to find love again.

The problem is that the afterlife is not the only thing that depresses the watcher: the total unimaginativeness of the (original) story is the second. So much could have been derived from the setup, but the sad truth is that everything of any importance is shown to us during the first fifteen minutes: Joy Division playing in the bar, no one can smile, everyone carries the scars of their death. After this introduction, it all starts going wrong because nothing else connects with the theme; all sorts of goofy things happen, but they could just as well happen in a Charlie Kaufman -movie or in any reality-twisting comedy. The quirky events, characters and items have no context and quickly turn out to be just there to make the world seem a bit stranger. Yeah, there's a black hole under the car's seat. Yeah, Tom Waits sleeps in the middle of the road. Yeah, one of the characters is an Eskimo who speaks only in guttural sounds. None of this matters, and it's not even funny. Later we are introduced to 'miracles', which are just as boring and out of context as the rest of the material. Not only unimaginative, throughout the movie we get many painful examples of bad writing, like the scene where one of the characters just pops out of the blue to tell the main character (and us) what is actually happening. You DON'T DO THIS, especially not in A MOVIE, A VISUAL MEDIUM! Every writer knows this: maybe someone was just too lazy at some point. The ending, otherwise pretty well modified from the book's, creates at least one major plot hole.

The dialog is quite bad and the characters are mostly uninteresting, but some of the blame goes for the actors who seem to spend all the time thinking of their older hits. Fugit is a slightly more depressed version of his William from 'Almost Famous', Sossamon plays the girl from 'The Rules of Attraction', Waits has had many similar roles and Arnett is once again GOB, although it's questionable if he ever plays any other character. The only one with no former references is Shea Wigham, who just goes on to do a really poor man's imitation of Eugene Hutz. Considering that the director knows Hutz personally, it would have been much less painful to give the part to the man himself.

But it was an intriguing idea when it started. Shame there's really nothing to cling on to here.

"Wristcutters: A Love Story" is a very strange yet unique look at what a person would do in the name of love.

[ScottDMenzel · 9/10 · 2 April 2006]

Wristcutters" is about guy named Zia (Patrick Fugit) who commits suicide after his girlfriend breaks up with him. Once he does, he doesn't die but goes to a place where others who have committed suicide live as well. It's a bizarre tale of love, friendship, and the afterlife told through the eyes of director Goran Dukic and is based on the short story "Kneller's Happy Campers" by Etgar Keret. A funny, strange but very original film ensues…

I had the pleasure of being able see this film at the Philadelphia Film Festival earlier tonight and I was glad that I got the opportunity to see such an original and creative film which so few will ever see. While this movie may actually be too dark or weird for some audiences, I personally loved it. It's been a long time since I have seen a romantic comedy that is this unique and this original. The plot for the movie is so bizarre that your eyes and brain are glued to the screen the entire time.

This movie puts a whole new spin on the idea of a romantic comedy and does it flawlessly. All the characters seem to connect as they interact with each other. The movie seems to be a mix of the movie "Interstate 60" and the work of writer Hunter S Thompson. The movie at times is very dark and odd but it only adds to the originality and creative minds behind the film.

When watching this film, just sit back and enjoy the ride. This film takes you to a world that you have never seen before. Who would ever think you would see a movie about a world that exists only to those who have committed suicide? And the funniest thing is it's the same thing as our world but a few minor differences. This is a movie that relies on imagination, something we as adults seem to forget to use anymore. This movie challenges Hollywood to take risks and go beyond the typical storyline and into something more creative and out of the ordinary.

The acting in this film is very solid. Patrick Fugit who I feel is always underrated as an actor really does a great job in this film. I mean you think after movies like "Almost Famous" and "Saved!" his career would have taken off but oddly enough it hasn't yet. Regardless of his career, I think he did a great job with the material given to him. Also Shannyn Sossamon who played Mikal did a great job as well. Again I think she is another actress who has potential. She hasn't had a great breakout performance as of yet but I feel she has the potential to be big and when she does land that breakout role, she will be. Shea Whigham who played Eugene was very amusing. I enjoyed him as the crazy sidekick to Zia. And finally just because I think the guy is a riot and since half the audience started to laugh when they saw him appear on screen I must give credit to Will Arnett (GOB from Arrested Development) who appeared on screen for way to short of a role in my opinion. What made his role stand out was the fact that so many people recognized him as GOB on "Arrested Development" which as he came on screen near the end of the film, half the theater laughed and clapped. There are several others I haven't mentioned here but they all did a fine job as well.

Director and writer Goran Dukic did a great job on this film especially since it was his first feature film. As the audience talked with Mr. Dukic during the Q&A I found out that a lot of this film was taken directly from the short story but the way he brought the film alive was amazing. I honestly think this is probably one of the most original and creative films I have seen in the theater in the last year or so. And Mr. Dukic does a fine job directing this film and capturing this bizarre world.

In conclusion, if you're a fan of dark comedies I highly recommend this film. If you like movies that dare to be different I recommend you see this film. Honestly, I don't know the target audience for this film but it's definitely a must for those who want to see something original and different from the norm. It's a fine first film from director and writer Goran Dukic and it puts a new spin on the romantic comedy genre and all the things we will do for love. I would have to say it's probably the second best film I seen all year maybe not for being powerful or moving but for being really original and creative.

MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Wristcutters: A Love Story" is a 9/10. A must see for those who love creative and dark stories or like movies that go beyond the norm.

A wealth of humour aptly masked in gloominess

[Flagrant-Baronessa · 7/10 · 8 November 2006]

This is a creative treat that, while boasting of no discernible insight or idealist film-making ambitions, manages thoroughly entertaining – perhaps it is due to the aforementioned low-key approach that Wristcutters fares so well. Balkan director Goran Dukic combines the best of offbeat indie cinema with 'traditional' dark humour, making the film appropriately edgy but never tipping over into 'desperately quirky' like so many "festival type films" fall prey to.

In fact, when I sneaked in as a volunteer to a screening during the Stcokholm International Film Festival, the manager presented the film as one of his personal favourites of 2006. This should serve as a mark of its success and indeed I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had. This is highly ironic since both the style and substance of Wristcutters are unspeakably gloomy and sad. Much credit it due to Dukic for making something as tragic as suicide victims into laugh-out-loud catalysts.

But the film perhaps belongs to Patrick Fugit who inhabits the protagonist Zia – a young man who slits his wrists in the first scene of the film and ends up in a 'suicide limbo' of sorts, where all people who have taken their own lives are banished. I say 'banished' because this afterlife is an unreasonably gloomy, grey and grainy nowhere-place that is captured remarkably through a seemingly colourless lens that aptly emphasizes the mundane and depressing state. There are barren industries and vast stretches of desert – nothing else. Oh and no one smiles. Ever.

Zia leads a dull life in this post-apocalyptic hole until one day he finds out that his ex-girlfriend on earth has also committed suicide and ought to be in the same place as him. He sets out on a road-trip with his friend Eugene (a superbly funny Shea Whigham) – a Russian immigrant who lives with his whole family of suicide victims and soon the two are joined by a beautiful newcomer and hitchhiker (Shannyn Sossamon) who claims she got here "by mistake" and is now trying to rectify it by finding the people in charge.

Although much fun is to be found in the creatively barren setting, the central triumvirate is possibly one of the most dynamic mix of characters on film in recent years, no hyperbole. Shea Whigham is gloriously hard-boiled and hilarious as Eugene the Russian and enables the director Dukic to reconnect with his Slavic roots. It is both admirable and puzzling that the film manages so funny without resorting to laughter or smiles (there are two smiles throughout the movie, seriously).

But 'Wristcutters' has problems: it remains a shallow look at an infinitely more layered issue, suicide. It explores no characters to depth nor does it ever bring up what drove them to taking their own life in the first place. In this way, no interesting philosophical notions are navigated and no insights or messages come through other than an overriding 'Pro-Life' attitude – Pro-Life being for living and against suicide which is punished by an eternity in a perpetually gloomy state, a subtle hell of creative proportions.

Thankfully it avoids most of its shortcomings by simply being short and sweet. Of course, this renders Wristcutters: A Love Story an ultimately forgettable little indie romp.

7 out of 10

An excellent film

[zaphodchak · 9/10 · 9 September 2007]

An excellent film and well worth seeing: It defies pigeonholing into a genre; it's a romantic comedy, but not *at all* like the stereotypical romantic comedy, even if it does use some of the same conventions. It's a road movie, but not in the traditional sense. The dynamics and even the plot work and are believable, requiring less suspension of disbelief than I would've imagined. The music and cinematography work well into a story that is darkly/morbidly funny but also a bit sweet, without being saccharine. The acting is well done and the characters believable and quite well developed. This is definitely an art-house film, but one that it really decently pedestrian and accessible, rather than esoteric or exclusionary (that is, appealing to only art-house film lovers). The sound works well, and visual effects are only ever momentarily cheesy.

Just got back from Sundance...

[susani8-1 · 6/10 · 25 January 2006]

Spent the evening up at the beautiful Sundance Ski Resort. Wristcutters: A Love Story was playing. I had a list of 4 or 5 films I wanted to see this year, but the only one available when I could attend (after work) was Wristcutters. As a warning - I talk some about movie content - but not really any more than is already available in the movie blurbs distributed by Sundance.

It is the result of the ongoing Sundance Institute's efforts at nurturing up and coming filmmakers. This film began at the institute 2 years ago when the director / screen writer, Guran Dukic took a screenwriters course. For his screenplay he choose a novella by an Israeli, Etgar Keret "Kneller's Happy Campers". All the particulars of the film making process Dukic covered during the Q&A after the film.

As a brief summary, this is a story about a young man (Fugit) who, after his girlfriend leaves him, cuts his wrists. He suddenly finds himself in the afterlife in the same, if not worse, situation than he was in life. After quite some time of pointless existence (who knew they had pizza in the afterlife?) he learns that the woman (Bibb) he ended his life for, missed him so much, she too suicided. He immediately decides he must go looking for her. The afterlife is filmed in an overexposed way, making everything look dusty, dirty and washed out. (It was all filmed in and around the LA area.)It was actually fairly effective in making this seem - as Dukic described it "like this world only a little worse". This place is peopled by other suicides, all miserable, all mostly alone. Their main topic of conversations is "so how did you off yourself?" A strange assortment of characters eventually come together as each one explores the issues that led them to suicide in the first place, and through associations, experiences, etc. they start to work through these issues. These characters include Shannyn Sossamon, who did a fairly good job, though at times seems strangely stiff; Shea Whigham as a Russian rock-n-roller (he was great!); Tom Waits as Kneller who runs a "camp", I loved his part and character - though his time in the film was too brief. Will Arnett's part was almost cameo-like.

Interesting theme, and actually fairly unique. The underlying storyline that suicide really solves nothing - just takes your pain and problems to another level is one that many should hear. "What can I do about it now, kill myself again?" -Zia talking about his miserable afterlife.

The filming was pretty well paced, not too long at 91 minutes, with enough comedy thrown in to keep it from being maudlin and enough drama to keep it from becoming clownish. The direction was classic art-house style, with cut aways, closeups, erratic use of music, etc. The direction was pretty clear and concise, though without the polish I'm sure Dukic will pick up with experience. The music worked fairly well. Dukic specifically picked the music played throughout the afterlife by bands that had experienced suicide at some point. There was some beautiful "northern" music as well - you'll know what I mean when you see it.

The language was raw, it would definitely earn an "R" rating. The only concern my friend, who went with me, had was about the love story. She's a middle school teacher and thought that the love story aspect would glamorize suicide as a way to find your "true love". I think they'd be smarter than that - but then we are talking about teenagers! I enjoyed the film, meeting the cast members (Whigham, Lazarev, Dukic, and the producers, etc. were there). I don't know if this is "movie house" quality. I do foresee the day, however, that Dukic will make that leap, he obviously has talent - I just don't think "Wristcutters" is quite there yet. I suppose it will make it to art houses and smaller theaters that show art films. I would recommend it, it was an enjoyable evening.

Captivating

[placebotonic · 10/10 · 14 March 2008]

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. ;)

Original and Surrealist Road Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 13 August 2008]

When his girlfriend Desiree (Leslie Bibb) breaks up with him, the heartbroken Zia (Patrick Fugit) commits suicide cutting his wrists. He awakes in the arid Beyond, a dark place inhabited by suicidal people and worst than the world of the living. He finds a job in the pizzeria Kamikaze, sharing a room with a weird roommate. When Zia meets a former friend, he is informed that Desiree has also committed suicide a couple of months after his death. He befriends the Russian guitarist Eugene (Shea Whigham), who died electrocuted in a rock concert, and together they decide to seek out Desiree. While driving in a lonely road, they meet the hitchhiker Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon), who is chasing the People in Charge to clarify that she is not a suicidal, but a victim of OD. In their journey, they befriend Kneller (Tom Waitts), who owns a camping, and Eugene falls in love for Nanuk (Mikal P. Lazarev).

"Weistcutters: A Love Story" is an original and surrealist road movie. The pleasant story is weird, but a great entertainment due to the chemistry among the lead trio - Shannyn Sossamon, Patrick Fugit and Shea Whigham. The conclusion is excellent, open to interpretation of the trip of Zia. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Paixão Suicida" ("Suicide Passion")

fish and whale

[mskatherinespiller · 9/10 · 4 April 2006]

this is a must see picture. if you enjoyed Garden State then you will most definitely enjoy this. A movie that deals with life, and the appreciation of it all, even from a dead perspective in a creative way. a must see for Tom Waits Fans and recommended to anyone who's a sucker for a love story. The movie deals with what's at the core of a person. Cinematography that let's a viewer sink into the story, and laugh at what most would refer to as a "dark" or "sad" topic. With all that's going on in the world, it's about time that we start to realize that life is what we have, it's something valuable, that we have the choice to live, and can start living it any day. When Mikal says, "most of my friends were already half dead or dead anyways.", it does make you think and the movie pushes the idea it's never to late to start your life. The actors are all well picked for this movie, it seems as though they all move with ease together. You will leave the theater feeling not so much better about life, but with a smile on your face. You'll feel not a huge sigh of a relief, but a sigh of delight. Something about the movie made me remember time and time again that the purpose is to enjoy what you have, and to love without regret. It's a movie that makes you appreciate life from a new angle.

Suiciders Beware!

[fwomp · 7/10 · 9 June 2008]

Thinking about suicide? Think again. And watch WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY before you pull out that razor blade, swallow those pills, or pop that gun barrel into your mouth. The world beyond is not what you want! Zia (Patrick Fugit) is so depressed about his girlfriend leaving him, he feels he cannot go on. One slit of the wrists and it's bye-bye boy. But what lay beyond for Zia? Well, it ain't any prettier. In fact, it's downright depressing. No laughter. No smiles. An empty road full of empty lives lay ahead. Or so it seems.

Zia runs into another lost soul named Eugene (Shea Whigham, TIGERLAND) who has a car and the two spark up an unusual relationship. Zia pines only for his lost love Desiree (Leslie Bibb, TALLADEGA NIGHTS) while Eugene wanders aimlessly (or so it seems) through this netherworld. That is, until Zia finds out that Desiree has committed suicide, too! Yes! Love cannot be denied, even in this depressing purgatory. But how to find her? Of course. Road trip! Zia and Eugene set out to find Desiree but run into several speed-bumps. Headlights that don't work. No air conditioning. And even a black hole that exists under the passenger's seat that swallows up sunglasses or anything else dropped in its direction. But none of this prepares Zia for his run-in with Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon, KISS KISS BANG BANG), another lost soul that they find hitchhiking along an empty road. But Mikal claims she didn't commit suicide, and is looking for the people that "run this place." The journeys of the threesome interlock in unusual ways, including a romance that will play itself out in the end of all ends.

Most interesting about Wristcutters is that symbolism plays a huge role. And that symbolism is actually quite funny. The fact that no one is able to smile is very funny considering the circumstances surrounding the deaths of those that are in this unhappy place. Parasailers are seen as enforcement officers (archangels?) And whoever does run this place doesn't want these souls to leave (which includes allowing suicides to happen a second time). There are also entire families of suiciders who help prove that mental illness can be genetic. And Eugene's death by pouring "Dead Guy Ale" over his electric guitar is something that is sure to elicit chuckles from just about everyone.

Eugene is not as he seems ("You must have friends in high places") nor is just about everyone in the film. The ending certainly makes this abundantly clear (which I won't spoil for those who decide to watch this). But I will say that I'm glad they decided to go with the ending on the DVD and not the alternate; that would've been TRULY depressing instead of depressingly funny.

Even with its dark comedy, Wristcutters isn't going to be for everyone. The comedy isn't in your face or, sometimes, even self-evident. Occasionally you have to dig deep to find the witticisms but find them you will.

There are some weak points to the film, most notably the production standards and some of the very lame sets, but these can be overlooked (if somewhat difficultly) by enjoying the deathly guffaws.

I just didn't feel it.

[jrobins2 · 4/10 · 16 May 2008]

I stumbled upon the trailer on the internet, and it looked like it had all the makings of a quirky indie film: an interesting setup, a road trip, Tom Waits, so I was excited to see it, and... I don't know, it just fell kind of flat for me. It was neither all that funny, or all the dramatic, just sort of plodded along. There were whole spans of this movie that were aimless and without spark. The characters never become full or interesting. It's not bad, it's not good, it felt like cinematic purgatory. I just kept waiting for the movie to take off, but then it was over. Patrick Fugit does a good job trying to make an incredibly uncompelling character watchable, and Shea Wigham's a riot when given the chance. Still, you'll spend the movie wishing there had been a more experienced director, crew and a more innovative writer (Charlie Kaufman, vielleicht?)

At Home In The Land Of The Dead

[loganx-2 · 12 December 2007]

Supringly good, funny and original. Guy kills himself and awakes in the grey dilapidated world of the suicides, where everything is just like earth but a little worse, after learning of his girlfriend's suicide he sets out on a cross country mission to find her. I didn't like the end(really for petty reasons), but up till that point it was one of most enjoyable things I had seen all year. Tom Waits appears in the film as a major character, and provides some of the soundtrack, too which doenst hurt. Well performed, well thought out, film from an exciting up and coming director. My favorite of all the things I've seen in theaters in the past 6 months.

A fantasy comedy loosely based BUT uncredited on OUTWARD BOUND

[jaybob · 7/10 · 20 July 2008]

In the late 1920's Sutton Vane wrote a play called OUTWARD BOUND about a group of people who passed on, including a few suicides. It was made into a movie of same title in 1930 & then again in 1944 under the title BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, Each version was a heavy fantasy drama with little comedy,

Now in 2006 Gorin Dukis wrote a screenplay based on a short story.

The author of the short story must have been influenced by the original, & since the play is in public domain freely adapted it. Gorin Dukas directed this very funny fantasy creating humorous situations out of something quite serious.

By casting little or unknown actors is these somewhat different characters & situations, a very funny & also very tender romantic comic fantasy has been created,The settings seem & are very bizarre & actually very beautiful. The cast which has as its leads Patrick Fugit,Shaannyn Sossamon,Shea Whigham & featuring among others Tom Waits, Will Arnett & Leslie Bibb.

The running time is a brief 88 minutes, it also has a very good song score, many of you know that I generally detest song scores. this one fits. Its from Sundance so it probably will be on that cable channel soon or rent the DVD. I doubt that you will be sorry you did,It is a good film & the ending is a pleasant but obvious twist,just like the play & films mentioned above, Look up Between two Worlds for its all star big name (many still familiar today) cast.

Ratings: *** (out of 4) 82 points (out of 100) IMDb 7 (out of 10)

Roadtrip meets black comedy meets love story

[Babybug3 · 10/10 · 4 June 2006]

This is one of the best movies I've seen in a while! It's also one of the funniest movies I've seen recently.

The beginning definitely sets you up for the action to come and adds shock value. The first half hour or so was hilarious, filled with nice little humorous tidbits. Then it launches into the whole road trip scheme and focuses a lot more on the characters' emotional journey.

What's also neat for anyone who's spent a lot of time in Los Angeles and the valley is that you can recognize most of the scenery. This brings the plot into our world a little and makes it sort of familiar. The characters bring you along with them on their journey.

Patrick Fugit was fantastic in his role, as were all of the other actors. There were even a few surprise castings that had the audience roaring with laughter and cheering towards the end of the film.

This is truly a character-driven film of the type that you don't find much anymore. You won't regret any minute of it!

Classical Hollywood storyline, indie-fied.

[laura_mohai · 6/10 · 30 May 2006]

Warning! Major Spoiler! I feel this film is a funkified version of, in essence, a classical Hollywood story. The plot is drawn by the active goal oriented protagonist (Zia trying to find Desiree, his ex-love, in the suicide world), fueled by desire (his ex-love), who in the pivotal moment has to make a decision (new girl Mikal or old girl Desiree), comes to a realization (I love Mikal!) and ultimately changes (accepts his situation, lets himself fall into the black hole, ultimately comes back etc). The film also has a pretty strong sense of ending closure and the narration tends to be objective.

In essence these elements are all found in the ol' Hollywood formula. The film's style, however, reeks of indie all over. The offbeat dark humor, free flowing, low budget road trip section, and fantastical characters and situations may not always appeal to the mass Hollywood audience. Furthermore, while the girl and the guy do find each other again in the end (and presumably fall in love again), it is not because both characters fought obstacles to remain with each other. Mikal clearly leaves Zia in the suicide world to have another chance in the world she left behind. Even though they wake up in the same hospital room, look at each other, and light up with a knowing smile, Mikal still has ultimately abandoned her love to pursue her own self-serving goal. This hint of disappointment and satire so close to the end of the film perhaps encompasses a more accurate and whole view on the complexity of sacrifice and individuality in relationships. This overall uplifting yet slightly unsettling end would surely be shunned within the happy-end-hungry Hollywood formula where love the invincible beams brightly at the end of every tunnel.

Overall, despite its Hollywood and non-Hollywood elements, I deeply enjoyed this film and would love to see it again. Its dark humor tickled me just the right way from the very beginning and its zany happenings kept me involved throughout. I would definitely recommend this film to others who enjoy the struggle between hope and cynicism, laughter and disconcertment.

Although dark, oddly uplifting

[smcsween17 · 10/10 · 27 July 2006]

Bleak film of death and a depressing afterlife. Lots of nice little touches, like with the music - you only pick up on it after talking with people about it. From what I understand not completely faithful to the book, although I didn't read it. Good humor, oddly uplifting due to the romance.

Saw this at Sundance this year, was one of the 3 best we saw. Patrick Fugit was brilliant. Shannon was also strong. If you like dark films, you won't be disappointed. Can't comment on technical aspects of film, since i'm not in the industry.

Summary: Great cast, good writing. Fun times by all.

I watched this one for an unusual reason...

[MrGKB · 7/10 · 27 October 2008]

...said reason being that it was, to the best of my knowledge, the last film a buddy of mine saw before he dropped dead thanks to an abdominal aortic aneurysm at the age of fifty. Sure, that's a bit morbid, but so is "Wristcutters," surprise, surprise. Based on a short story by Israeli tale spinner Etgar Keret, Croatian auteur Goran Dukic's first feature film proves to be a low-key dark comedy that's much more watchable than I expected. You have to understand; my late friend was the prototypical example of what you would call a wet blanket, a party pooper, a "Pigpen". One would have thought, from his attitudes toward and behavior in life, that "Wristcutters" might have served as a "how-to" guide for him to off himself, but nothing could be further from the truth. Despite his cynicism and inarticulate rage against the world, his heart still beat with a need to love and be loved, and that is what I suspect drew him to a film like "Wristcutters." That, and low-fi indie fare was his favorite film entertainment.

After being highly amused by the opening sequence of Patrick "Almost Famous" Fugit's antihero cleaning up his room, my viewing companion bailed at the revelation of his messy suicide. Understandable, but unfortunately she ended up missing out on a fair amount of gentle-though-dark humor and an ultimately life-affirming conclusion. Though hardly a classic, and not likely to attain much in the way of cult-film notoriety, "Wristcutters" has its charm, and is well worth a rental or lucky find at the public library. Its technical aspects are quite good, the acting is decent, the score and songs are appropriate (the presence of Tom Waits in a film is most always a good sign), and I was left looking forward to Mr. Dukic's next venture. Your mileage may, of course, vary, but my bet is that if you give this one a chance, you'll be as pleasantly surprised as I was at how much you like it.

One of Sundances Best of 2006

[gemini78 · 10/10 · 29 January 2006]

This movie was the highlight of the Sundance Film Festival for me this year. It contains a true love story, hidden under dark satire, and amazing music. If there is one Sundance movie in 2006 you will regret not seeing, don't let it be this one. Wristcutters, is the reason we have this festival.Patrick Fugit(known for Almost Famous)gives an amazing performance. I was doubtful at first when I heard the name, but after seeing it I cannot stop saying enough good things. This one I will definitely pick up on DVD when it is released, and anyone who enjoys dark humor should as well. Again another Sundance job well done. I hope to see more films made like this.

Not the breakout indie I was hoping for, but one of the most original films I've seen lately.

[friedman154 · 7/10 · 4 November 2007]

I just got back from seeing Wristcutters: A Love Story at the Drexel Gateway with Brett. I was really looking forward to seeing this because ever since I saw Brick last year, I've been waiting for another quirky film to explode out of Sundance. And this year Wristcutters: A Love Story and Teeth seemed like the most likely candidates.

Wristcutters definitely had its share of quirk, but I have a feeling it's not going to find the cult following that fuels an indie hit. I just don't think it's accessible enough.

The story follows Zia (Patrick Fugit) in his quest through a bizarre afterlife occupied only by suicides to find his ex-girlfriend, Desiree (Leslie Bibb). This was obviously a difficult and controversial premise to approach, and that may have been why I had such high hopes for it. To deal with the dark subject matter, director Goran Dukic necessarily took a comic approach. However, the humor imitated the stale ambiance of the film's setting. Although it had its moments, the audience I saw it with seemed to reach only sharp chuckles rather than roll-on-the-ground laughter.

It was difficult to judge performance when, as part of the films premise, the characters don't smile. But I was impressed by newcomer Shannyn Sossamon who plays Mikal, a hitchhiker who joins Zia and his "sidekick" Eugene (Shea Whigham) on their odyssey.

Overall I did enjoy Wristcutters. I can't say it was all that I hoped for though: as the story progressed it just got more bizarre where I thought it should grow funnier. The ending, however, was stellar. I don't want to give it away, but I'll just say that somehow in the last scene two characters poured out their souls without ever saying a word. If you can do this, as a filmmaker you must be doing something right.

http://meisterboo.blogspot.com

An Unexpected Gem

[humm51 · 10/10 · 5 April 2006]

I loved every minute of this film, and there are few movies I can say that about in recent years. With an overall tone similar to Eternal Sunshine/Being John Malkovich/Adaptation, this is a Charlie Kaufman inspired movie with wholly unique content. The characters are interesting and virtually instantly likable, particularly Eugene. It is easy to see Partick Fugit's quiet intensity as a clear choice for Zia, innocent but fallen. Tom waits is fun, and Miss Sossamon, though her Winona Rider persona can be uninspiring in other films, is interesting enough to make up for it in this one. Also, the Messiah could not be more perfectly cast. With the slew of films that perpetuate and exacerbate a false idea of romance, this is a love story I can fully get behind.

Quirky purgatory, who knew?

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 2 June 2014]

Depressed over his girl Desiree (Leslie Bibb), Zia (Patrick Fugit) kills himself and is stuck in purgatory with other people who committed suicide. It's like the normal world except it is mostly abandoned, there is no smiling, and there are no stars in the night. The joy and light is out in this world. He's working a boring kitchen job in Kamikazi Pizza. He befriends others like Eugene (Shea Whigham) and his family who all committed suicide on their own. Then he hears that Desiree died from suicide a month after him, and he goes off on a road trip to look for her with Eugene. They pick up hitchhiker Mikal (Shannyn Sossamon) who's looking for the people in charge. She wants to go home believing she's there by mistake. Then they almost run over Kneller (Tom Waits) who is lying down in the middle of the road. He brings them back to his camp where all kinds of small miracles happen.

It's a very interesting unique premise. It's also a quirky road trip. It's deadpan dark slacker humor. It's not wildly funny but the downbeat tone fits the story. It has a light hearted side despite the subject matter. It does need to find bigger and better laughs instead of just being quirky. Patrick Fugit isn't a comedian, but he does the slacker character very well.

"Qirky" that Quickly Became Dumb

[Bob_the_Hobo · 3/10 · 4 February 2011]

"Wristcutters" had a fantastic cast that drew me in more than the plot. Patrick Fugit had a great role in "Deadbirds", Shea Wigham nailed the horror hero in "Splinter", John Hawkes is a great up-and-comer, and Mark Boone Junior, Will Arnett, and Tom Waits are among the fantastic cameos involved. It had everything going for it, and failed miserably.

The new film hype is the "quirky characters falling in love against all odds" arc, a big leap from the hero and heroine. So often you see the type of weird people you wouldn't befriend if your life depended on it becoming heroes of their own quirky movies and their quirky characters fall in love against all quirky odds. The odds in this case is granted an interesting concept, in that Fugit's character commits suicide (hence Wristcutters) and finds himself in a Grey-tinted land where no one smiles.

Fugit meets Wigham's character, who is the most interesting in the film. He is a Russian whose entire family killed themselves almost consecutively, and as a result they are still together in whatever world they are in. Quirky events happen and Wigham and Fugit go on a road trip, where "Wristcutters" starts to go downhill. Shannyn Sossaman's character, a hitchhiker who is looking for the Gods of her new home, gets picked up and guess what happens with Fugit and Sossaman.

A very interesting concept poorly executed by director Goran Dukic. The cinematography is bland and boring, which one may argue is supposed to match the feel of the film. Still. It's bland and it's boring and completely uncaptivating. The dialog is equally bland, and I offer the same argument I previously stated. The direction and feel of the film came off as lifeless, which again, is not something you want, even in a film about lifelessness.

The acting by Fugit is surprisingly mediocre. For the star, he does little to keep our interests. The same with Sossaman, who does nothing with the already bad dialog she's given. The romance between these two is supposed to be our anchor and the lack of chemistry is obvious. The only thing that kept me hooked was a great performance by Wigham (his name is not included on the list of schlocks this movie commits) and a Tom Waits cameo that never seemed to show up.

What can I say besides "this is a brilliant idea that ultimately failed". It may strike a certain audience but for a mild-mannered-movie-buff I thought this movie sucked.

Achieved a good result with little money

[attilabarcellos · 6/10 · 12 May 2013]

Like most of the movies I've been watching lately, I searched here at IMDb before watching this, and this one has a 7,3 average score and the plot caught me, so it was enough for me.

The story is about people who commit suicide and the place where they go, what seems to me a lot like the purgatory from catholic church.

Even though the special effects are very bad, the movie itself is not bad, because this is not some mindless action movie, so that's OK if special effects suck.

What concerned me was that, for a "different" movie, with a "out of the box" story, it just ended like all the other movies, with the protagonist staying with the beautiful girl.

I'm so tired of that kind of brainwashing about a romantic couple, doesn't matter if we are talking about a war on Mars or a suburban family trying to pay the bills, it's like a recipe people follow just to reach some final goal, that is the approval of the audiences.

About the acting, it's average, with some highs and downs. The Russian guy was very nice, but the protagonist was just around average.

Nevertheless, it's a funny movie with some good ideas that show creativity and makes us think.

Concluding, for a overall average movie, 6 seems a just score.