Choke (2008)

A sex-addicted con-man pays for his mother's hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death.

Director:

Clark Gregg

Writers:

Clark Gregg (screenplay), Chuck Palahniuk (novel)

Stars:

Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald

2 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kathryn Alexander	...	Mousy Girl / Agnes
Teodorina Bello	...	Jamaican Lady
Kate Blumberg	...	Edwin's Wife
Jonah Bobo	...	Young Victor
Willi Burke	...	Deranged Socialite (as Wilma 'Willi' Burke)
Heather Burns	...	Internet Date / Gwen
David Fonteno	...	Edwin
Matt Gerald	...	Detective Ryan
Clark Gregg	...	Lord High Charlie
Joel Grey	...	Phil
Viola Harris	...	Eva Muller
Brad William Henke	...	Denny
Paz de la Huerta	...	Nico (as Paz De La Huerta)
Michelle Hurst	...	Shapely Nurse
Anjelica Huston	...	Ida J. Mancini

Storyline

Sex addict and colonial theme park worker, Victor Mancini, has devised a complicated scam to pay for his mom's hospital bills while she suffers from an Alzheimer's disease that hides the truth about his childhood. He pretends to choke on food in a restaurant and the person who "saves" him will feel responsible for Victor for the rest of their lives.

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Plot Keywords:

sex addict | sex in airplane | falling asleep during sex | sex scene | sex in a hospital | 

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Taglines:

From the author of Fight Club

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, nudity and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the DVD commentary, director Clark Gregg said he offered the role of the naked woman at the bathroom plane who caused Victor's addiction to his wife Jennifer Grey. She replied with: "Are you out of your mind?"

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Goofs

In the scene where Victor played the rapist to a woman's fantasy of rape. In the first angle, the frustrated woman grabbed Victor's hand, which was holding the knife, so that it would be placed at her neck, then proceeded to use the vibrator on herself. Then when Victor says, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, what about me?" the angle changed and focused on the woman, in which Victor's hand and the knife weren't anywhere to be seen. In the next shot, Victor had his hand and knife at her neck again.

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Quotes

Victor Mancini: even the worst blowjob is better than say, sniffing the greatest rose, or watching the greatest sunset.

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Connections

Referenced in Midnight Screenings: The Green Lantern/Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)

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Soundtracks

Padre, Germani, Addio! - Ilia, Idamente
Performed by Heather Harper and Jessye Norman
Courtesy of Opera d'Ora Records and Allegro Corporation

User Reviews

Good for a 90 minute film -- Better and fuller if it was 2 hours

I had the opportunity to view the film Choke at Columbia College Chicago for a screening which held a Q&A with the main actor of the film, Sam Rockwell; so being that I read the novel before as well, I would like to share my take on the film.

No synopsis here; read the one that IMDb's.

If you have read the Palahniuk novel Choke, then you should expect that this 90 minute film cannot hold all of the sexual intensity (and comical vulgarity) that the novel had the space to provide for. Do not get me wrong--this film is very funny and Sam Rockwell is, as usual, superb in the anti-hero role that he's played so well in other films.

My one (and major) problem with the film is the fact that it was 90 minutes and wasn't pushed to be a 2 hour piece. I felt that there was so much more to delve into psychologically that Choke the novel did with sex addiction and the story and idea (will not spoil here) of who the character Victor Mancini was or thinks he is. Rockwell's great acting did a lot to pick up this slag, I do have to mention.

One thing I did like, which was also done with the ending of Fight Club (another Palahniuk novel) is that (again, will not spoil here) the finish to the Choke film was more satisfying then the deus ex machina endings that Palahniuk sometimes (well, many times) does with his stories.

Kelly Macdonald, who is wonderful in anything that she is in, as well as the other supporting actors and actresses kept the story alive and in a wonderful way.

The pacing of the film as well as the narrative was very much "Palahniuk" and this is a pace and narrative that is one of a kind and most interesting to view; which is aside from the usually predictable flow of the other films of today.

I did give this movie a 7/10 but I still believe that it is a movie that should be seen by anyone who likes to laugh, especially at things they don't think they would laugh at. Also, because the overall story is hilarious and is satisfyingly unique and the acting makes the film whole, too.

And did I mention Sam Rockwell was great?

Details

Official Sites:

Fox Searchlight Pictures [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 October 2008 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Choke

Filming Locations:

Essex County Hospital Center - 204 Grove Avenue, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,319,286, 28 September 2008

Gross USA:

$2,926,565

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,982,459

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, ATO Pictures, Contrafilm

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1