Rating:
Director: Michel Gondry
Writer: Charlie Kaufman
Producers: Anthony Bregmen, Ted Hope, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman
Director of Photography: Tim Maurice Jones
Cast: Tim Robbins, Patricia Arquette, Rhys Ifans, Miranda Otto
| HUMAN NATURE Rating: Director: Michel Gondry Writer: Charlie Kaufman Producers: Anthony Bregmen, Ted Hope, Spike Jonze, Charlie Kaufman Director of Photography: Tim Maurice Jones Cast: Tim Robbins, Patricia Arquette, Rhys Ifans, Miranda Otto |
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Review by: Ryan
Kugler
4/2/02
Human Nature is quite possibly the strangest film I've seen since Being John Malkovich. Interestingly enough, Charlie Kaufman wrote both films. While this new project isn't as groundbreaking or brilliant as the earlier film, it's light, quirky and funny enough to recommend.
The story is told in flashback form by Nathan (Tim Robbins), Lila (Patricia Arquette) and Puff (Rhys Ifans). It all begins with some hilarious sequences showing what these three went through in adolescence and why they have turned out the way they did. Nathan was raised by strict parents to have a strong sense of manners (most notably table), so as an adult, he works in a lab where he trains mice the proper fork use for salad. Lila was afflicted with a condition that causes rapid hair growth all over her body, so as a teen she is ostracized and becomes suicidal. Puff was raised in a jungle after his father (who had always wanted to be an ape) dumped him there one day. He grows up thinking he's a monkey. These unique characters come together through some strange coincidences and the stage is set for some hilarious antics.
Michel Gondry is making his feature directorial debut here and he handles the bizarre material well. He previously helmed several music videos, most notably Bjork's Human Behavior, which parts of the film resemble. There may be a connection between Kaufman and Bjork, as Malkovich director Spike Jonze (who also produced this) directed one of her best-loved clips, It's Oh So Quiet. Or, it can be a big coincidence, which is what I'm thinking. Thankfully, as with Malkovich, this isn't a typical film by a typical video director, so we don't get a thousand cuts a minute. Granted, some of the shots in the woods have that lush music video quality, but it all works just fine.
The cast seems to be up for anything, with Arquette and Ifans going above and beyond the call of duty by spending large portions of the film completely naked. They also spend time making animal noises, running and jumping around in the jungle and just plain acting crazy. The two actors are really quite fearless. Robbins is his usual self. He's good and has some funny scenes with his family and assistant, but for the most part, his character is unlikable and bland compared to the others, so we don't really care about his plight. The standout for me is Miranda Otto as Robbins' assistant. I don't recall seeing her before, but it's a real gem of a comic performance and I'd like to see her again (editor's note -- you will in parts 2 and 3 of Lord Of The Rings).
Kaufman is the true star here, though. His screenplays are as original as they come and I look forward to where he takes me next. I haven't seen any commercials or print ads yet, but I imagine, "From the writer of Being John Malkovich" will be prominently displayed in all advertising. Score one for the writer. Yeah!!!
I laughed a lot during Human Nature,
cringed during some of the sillier scenes, but enjoyed myself
overall. The film is pretty slight and doesn't really hold up
upon reflection, but it's worth seeing for the few big laughs
and several giggles that it elicits throughout. Did I mention
that Patricia Arquette is naked a lot?
Agree? Disagree? Talk about it in the forums.
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