This film a real eye opener, the true story of a heavily autistic boy making his way in a world that he doesn't understand.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The film opens with Fatrick (at this point, known only as Nathan Petrick by his mother, and "protege" to his father) eating a litre of brown paint, instantly giving him severe brain damage to accompany his autism. A running theme in this film are "inside-out" style sequences, where his brain damage wrestles with his autism for control of his body. These are truly a masterstroke, and really give a brilliant insight into a deeply flawed man.
This film's breakout performance is a chilling portrayal of Nathan's father Mirko Petrick (AKA Mike, AKA Mick), by Steve Buscemi who gained 100kg for this role. The film's climax: where he literally steals his wife's house is played with psychopathic calmness that shocked me to my core (and it's all true!).
The film is played out over a span of 20 years, as a once innocent, though argumentative programmer is gradually corrupted by his evil father.
The film concludes with a shocking and heartbreaking scene, where a once purely autistic boy finally succumbs to his father's whims and performs his first scam. A poor pizza restaurant owner is tricked by a wicked scheme where Fatrick convinces the man that he will give him a website in exchange for free food. Of course, he never builds the site, and leeches free pizza to feed his voracious father Mirko . The only thing that I could probably have done without are all the full-penetration orgy scenes that litter the film. Not a surface is left unsoiled as Nathan slimes his way to the "top of the pile".
Outside of that one minor quibble, the film is a unparalleled success, and is a strong contender for the best film of the year.
*SPOILER ALERT*
The film opens with Fatrick (at this point, known only as Nathan Petrick by his mother, and "protege" to his father) eating a litre of brown paint, instantly giving him severe brain damage to accompany his autism. A running theme in this film are "inside-out" style sequences, where his brain damage wrestles with his autism for control of his body. These are truly a masterstroke, and really give a brilliant insight into a deeply flawed man.
This film's breakout performance is a chilling portrayal of Nathan's father Mirko Petrick (AKA Mike, AKA Mick), by Steve Buscemi who gained 100kg for this role. The film's climax: where he literally steals his wife's house is played with psychopathic calmness that shocked me to my core (and it's all true!).
The film is played out over a span of 20 years, as a once innocent, though argumentative programmer is gradually corrupted by his evil father.
The film concludes with a shocking and heartbreaking scene, where a once purely autistic boy finally succumbs to his father's whims and performs his first scam. A poor pizza restaurant owner is tricked by a wicked scheme where Fatrick convinces the man that he will give him a website in exchange for free food. Of course, he never builds the site, and leeches free pizza to feed his voracious father Mirko . The only thing that I could probably have done without are all the full-penetration orgy scenes that litter the film. Not a surface is left unsoiled as Nathan slimes his way to the "top of the pile".
Outside of that one minor quibble, the film is a unparalleled success, and is a strong contender for the best film of the year.
