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IMDbPro

Hesher

  • 2010
  • R
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
53K
YOUR RATING
Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Hesher (2010)
An anti-social loner takes up residence in a grief-stricken family's garage uninvited, becoming somewhat of a mentor to young TJ.
Play trailer1:44
6 Videos
30 Photos
ComedyDrama

A young boy has lost his mother and is losing touch with his father and the world around him. Then he meets Hesher who manages to make his life even more chaotic.A young boy has lost his mother and is losing touch with his father and the world around him. Then he meets Hesher who manages to make his life even more chaotic.A young boy has lost his mother and is losing touch with his father and the world around him. Then he meets Hesher who manages to make his life even more chaotic.

  • Director
    • Spencer Susser
  • Writers
    • Spencer Susser
    • David Michôd
    • Brian Charles Frank
  • Stars
    • Joseph Gordon-Levitt
    • Devin Brochu
    • Natalie Portman
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    53K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Spencer Susser
    • Writers
      • Spencer Susser
      • David Michôd
      • Brian Charles Frank
    • Stars
      • Joseph Gordon-Levitt
      • Devin Brochu
      • Natalie Portman
    • 120User reviews
    • 133Critic reviews
    • 45Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Videos6

    Hesher
    Trailer 1:44
    Watch Hesher
    "Can I Help You?”
    Clip 1:23
    Watch "Can I Help You?”
    "Dirty and Wet"
    Clip 1:13
    Watch "Dirty and Wet"
    Hesher: Kitchen
    Clip 0:37
    Watch Hesher: Kitchen
    Hesher: Dirty And Wet
    Clip 1:14
    Watch Hesher: Dirty And Wet
    Hesher: Can I Help You?
    Clip 1:23
    Watch Hesher: Can I Help You?

    Photos30

    Spencer Susser in Hesher (2010)
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Hesher (2010)
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Hesher (2010)
    Natalie Portman and Devin Brochu in Hesher (2010)
    Natalie Portman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Hesher (2010)
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Hesher (2010)
    Devin Brochu in Hesher (2010)
    Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Rainn Wilson in Hesher (2010)
    Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Rainn Wilson in Hesher (2010)
    Natalie Portman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Devin Brochu in Hesher (2010)
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Hesher (2010)
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Hesher (2010)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt
    Joseph Gordon-Levitt
    • Hesher
    Devin Brochu
    Devin Brochu
    • TJ
    Natalie Portman
    Natalie Portman
    • Nicole
    Rainn Wilson
    Rainn Wilson
    • Paul
    Piper Laurie
    Piper Laurie
    • Grandma
    Brendan Hill
    Brendan Hill
    • Dustin
    John Carroll Lynch
    John Carroll Lynch
    • Larry
    Monica Staggs
    Monica Staggs
    • Mom
    Mary Elizabeth Barrett
    Mary Elizabeth Barrett
    • Meryl
    Audrey Wasilewski
    Audrey Wasilewski
    • Coleen
    Lyle Kanouse
    Lyle Kanouse
    • Jack
    Frank Collison
    Frank Collison
    • Funeral Director
    Van Epperson
    Van Epperson
    • Angry Driver
    Helen Slayton-Hughes
    Helen Slayton-Hughes
    • Mrs. Rosowski
    Paul Bates
    Paul Bates
    • Mr. Elsberry
    Ralph P. Martin
    • Tow Truck Driver
    Timothy Davis
    • Mechanic
    • (as Tim Davis)
    Allan Graf
    Allan Graf
    • Security Guard
    • Director
      • Spencer Susser
    • Writers
      • Spencer Susser
      • David Michôd
      • Brian Charles Frank
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All of Hesher's "persona", according to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, is inspired by late bass player from Metallica, Cliff Burton. Not only that, but the movie features a significant amount of music from the "Burton" era, including the solo that Hesher plays in the garage (Anesthesia, from the Kill 'Em All album) and, of course, the Hesher lettering.
    • Goofs
      TJ's cast in the opening scene switches between his left and right arm between shots.

      From the very first scene with the cast, up to getting it cut off (09:17), the cast was on his left arm. Rapid cuts and shifting POVs may have caused this mis-observation.
    • Quotes

      Mrs. Rosowski: Life is like walking in the rain... you can hide and take cover or you can just get wet.

    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Joseph Gordon-Levitt Performances (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      The Shortest Straw
      Written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich

      Performed by Metallica

    User reviews120

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10
    Strong performances in a surprisingly well-done character study.
    It's hard to really describe a movie like Hesher. At first it comes off as this bizarre comedy, but as the film goes along it becomes more and more this character study of a chaotic force coming into the life of a family that needs it more than they think. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's titular character is a psychopath, a heavy metal loving maniac who uses foul language at the most inappropriate times, flies off the handle with violence and pyromania and generally frightens anyone who sees him. He invites himself into the home of the Forneys without a word and no one tells him to leave or, more realistically, calls the police.

    This concept is a little off-putting at first and gave me some slight trouble getting into the story, but once the film started to develop it became more and more...honest, in a strange way. They didn't tell him to leave because subconsciously they knew that they needed him. At first it seems like he's there for a home and a place to do laundry (the character is introduced living in a construction site) but later on we realize that he doesn't need them at all. He's a drifter in the wind, somehow helping these people that he comes into contact with despite initially seeming like the worst person you would ever want around. The concept is still a little too bizarre and the final act gets way too melodramatic and schmaltzy, but the film hit me a lot more honestly and emotionally than I was expecting it too.

    I've always admired Levitt as one of the finest actors of his generation, but even I didn't think he could pull off a role like this. Boy, I was wrong to doubt him, because he is on fire the whole way through. Hilarious, terrifying and somehow heartfelt, he makes this character incredibly real, which is probably the biggest surprise of all. Natalie Portman also manages to impress in a supporting role as a shopgirl that Hesher and our young protagonist T.J. (a mature child performance from Devin Brochu) come into contact with. She grounds the film in some ways, being the most honest and human character, and she has a breakdown in her car with T.J. that is pretty wrenching.

    I'm always kind of off-put by films where people in their late twenties somehow befriend ten year-olds and no one calls the police or anything, but this is one of the rare ones that allowed me to get past that initial gripe and eventually respect it for the solid character study that it is.
    helpful•52
    18
    • Rockwell_Cronenberg
    • Aug 5, 2011

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 25, 2011 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site (Japan)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Rebel
    • Filming locations
      • Ontario, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • The Last Picture Company
      • American Work
      • CatchPlay
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $382,946
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $126,046
      • May 15, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $449,702
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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