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IMDbPro

Choke

  • 20082008
  • RR
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
33K
YOUR RATING
Choke (2008)
This is the theatrical trailer for Choke, directed by Clark Gregg.
Play trailer2:10
13 Videos
99+ Photos
ComedyDrama
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.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.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.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
33K
YOUR RATING
    • Clark Gregg
    • Clark Gregg(screenplay)
    • Chuck Palahniuk(novel)
  • Stars
    • Sam Rockwell
    • Anjelica Huston
    • Kelly Macdonald
    • Clark Gregg
    • Clark Gregg(screenplay)
    • Chuck Palahniuk(novel)
  • Stars
    • Sam Rockwell
    • Anjelica Huston
    • Kelly Macdonald
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 85User reviews
    • 148Critic reviews
    • 47Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos13

    Choke: Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:10
    Watch Choke: Theatrical Trailer
    Choke
    Clip 0:51
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 1:07
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 0:39
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 1:04
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 0:32
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 0:39
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 0:43
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 1:05
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Clip 1:11
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Featurette 2:42
    Watch Choke
    Choke
    Interview 0:27
    Watch Choke

    Photos121

    Sam Rockwell and Brad William Henke in Choke (2008)
    Choke (2008)
    Gillian Jacobs in Choke (2008)
    Kelly Macdonald in Choke (2008)
    Clark Gregg in Choke (2008)
    Sam Rockwell, Brad William Henke, and Gillian Jacobs in Choke (2008)
    Sam Rockwell and Brad William Henke in Choke (2008)
    Sam Rockwell in Choke (2008)
    Sam Rockwell, Brad William Henke, and Gillian Jacobs in Choke (2008)
    Anjelica Huston in Choke (2008)
    Sam Rockwell and Kelly Macdonald in Choke (2008)
    Clark Gregg and Brad William Henke in Choke (2008)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sam Rockwell
    Sam Rockwell
    • Victor Mancini
    Anjelica Huston
    Anjelica Huston
    • Ida J. Mancini
    Kelly Macdonald
    Kelly Macdonald
    • Paige Marshall
    Kathryn Alexander
    • Mousy Girl…
    Teodorina Bello
    • Jamaican Lady
    Kate Blumberg
    Kate Blumberg
    • Edwin's Wife
    Jonah Bobo
    Jonah Bobo
    • Young Victor
    Willi Burke
    • Deranged Socialite
    • (as Wilma 'Willi' Burke)
    Heather Burns
    Heather Burns
    • Internet Date…
    David Fonteno
    David Fonteno
    • Edwin
    Matt Gerald
    Matt Gerald
    • Detective Ryan
    Clark Gregg
    Clark Gregg
    • Lord High Charlie
    Joel Grey
    Joel Grey
    • Phil
    Viola Harris
    Viola Harris
    • Eva Muller
    Brad William Henke
    Brad William Henke
    • Denny
    Paz de la Huerta
    Paz de la Huerta
    • Nico
    • (as Paz De La Huerta)
    Michelle Hurst
    Michelle Hurst
    • Shapely Nurse
    Gillian Jacobs
    Gillian Jacobs
    • Cherry Daiquiri…
      • Clark Gregg
      • Clark Gregg(screenplay)
      • Chuck Palahniuk(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Chuck Palahniuk: the author of the book, is the man sitting next to Victor on the plane at the end of the movie.
    • Goofs
      When Victor is attempting to feed his mother cannelloni in their first meeting scene, the camera changes angle and she is not wearing the napkins he previously placed under her chin. When the camera moves back to another angle the napkins have miraculously returned.
    • Quotes

      Victor Mancini: We are not born equal sinners, or perfect knock-offs of God. The world tells us whether we're heroes or victims. But, we can decide for ourselves.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Midnight Screenings: The Green Lantern/Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Reckoner
      Written by Thom Yorke (as Thomas Yorke), Jonny Greenwood (as Jonathan Greenwood),

      Colin Greenwood, Ed O'Brien (as Edward O'Brien) and Phil Selway (as Philip Selway)

      Performed by Radiohead

      Under license from Warner/Chappell Music LTD

    User reviews85

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Think Gilligan meets Groundhog's Day—in hell…Choke
    It took almost a decade for a second movie to come out from the literary source that is Chuck Palahniuk. David Fincher owned Fight Club, making it a cinematic wonder, enhancing the novel and becoming a wonderful companion to it. Rumors swirled afterwards about all his other stories being optioned for film translation, but after 9-11 halted Survivor's chances and Invisible Monsters' progress ended, it didn't seem good. But here comes 2008, with an unlikely savior in Clark Gregg, and all of a sudden we have Choke in cinematic glory to bring the author back into the spotlight. I love his books and all of them have a pop culture, post-modern feel showing sensibilities that can succeed on the big screen. Is Gregg the optimum choice to help the cause? Possibly not, but this is a very narrative driven story without the flash and flair of other novels, so his inexperience helming a film isn't overtly noticeable. While it is not as good as the book—how many actually are—this film keeps the tone and essence intact, bringing to life the words on the page. It's subtle and subversive and kept me entertained throughout.

    Gregg has been in Hollywood for a while now, a familiar face to David Mamet fans, and for all you kiddies, an actor in Ironman. The role he gives himself here is a good one, the stickler boss of the colonial theme park that our leads are employed at. It's a thankless role and definitely the straightman of the ensemble; however, it is his directing that is really put on display. He doesn't try to go beyond his limits and I commend him for it. Single-handedly saving the world from possibly going Palahniuk adaptation-less forever, I have nothing but praise for the man. There are some camera tricks utilized, most obviously the quick cuts between our lead Victor Mancini's sex-addicted visions of every woman being naked to their fully clothed reality, but it's more or less a strict, linear narrative. I do have to mention the final shot, which carries on as the credits play, a long take of two leads making out. In extreme close-up, the highly personal nature of what is displayed leaves you somewhat uncomfortable due to the length, but also happy at the idea of these two partaking in the action. It's the boldest stroke Gregg makes and, being the last thing we see, the strongest most memorable moment for me.

    It's all a comedy from start to finish, but one laced in good writing and subtlety. There are no real laugh-out-loud moments, except perhaps the revelation of a man being blind, just a consistent journey of sarcasm, heartfelt humor, and genuine witty banter. Victor, played perfectly by Sam Rockwell, really breathing life into the character as I envisioned him when reading the book, is a man that goes to restaurants and deliberately chokes so that some unsuspecting Good Samaritan can save him. These people now have a bond with him, feeling responsible for his life and in effect send him gifts and money whenever asked or on the anniversary of their fateful encounter. As one eyewitness's account says, her son was about to be divorced until his sense of bravery at saving Victor made his wife fall in love all over again. This kind of thing is a common trend with our lead; his uncanny ability to be devious and evil yet always have the outcome end up being generous and profound to those he is wronging. No wonder the guy becomes glued to the possibility he may be the second coming of Christ—believe me, it's actually a plot thread, and one that holds the film together.

    Rockwell's manic overabundance of life becomes a whirlwind, sleeping with random women at every turn, hanging out with his masturbation-obsessed best friend (Brad William Henke who hopefully will start getting more work after this), angering his boss by using 20th century objects in a colonial environment, and visiting his mother, who is suffering from dementia, that believes he is her old deceased lawyers. Only Palahniuk's warped mind could come up with this stuff, let alone tie it all together into a coherent plot that is interesting to follow through to its conclusion. A burgeoning relationship with a young nurse at the home, (Kelly Macdonald trying to hide her Scottish accent for who knows what reason), adds some conflict and space for Victor to finally seek help for himself and begin step four of the sex-addict program. Having a lifetime of pain brought on by the one person he loved, Anjelica Huston as his mother, keeps him closed off to the world, making it strange for him when he finally finds someone he can open himself to.

    There is so much going on, it'd be tough to talk about without either ruining the story or ruining the joke's setup. Choke is definitely not for everyone, the humor is probably too risqué for some and the subject matter too eccentric and modern for others. Palahniuk, who has a nice background cameo at the end, uses thinly veiled satire to bring us into his surreal interpretations of reality and be able to find ourselves living there. It is definitely one of his smallest scale novels, as far as craziness goes, but also one of his most accessible. For that reason, and because Gregg deftly adapted it with a respect to the source material, we have a resounding success. Hopefully allowing us to be brought back into his world of miscreants and fiends with a piece such as this will mean the more out-there stories will finally find their way to Hollywood. Scratch that. How about to a nice indie company that will do it right?
    helpful•49
    27
    • jaredmobarak
    • Sep 19, 2008

    FAQ2

    • Is "Choke" based on a book?
    • What songs play in the trailer?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 30, 2008 (Australia)
      • United States
      • Fox Searchlight Pictures (United States)
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Essex County Hospital Center - 204 Grove Avenue, Cedar Grove, New Jersey, USA
    • Production companies
      • Searchlight Pictures
      • ATO Pictures
      • Contrafilm
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 32 minutes
      • Dolby Digital

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