Wristcutters: A Love Story

This is one of the best movies I've seen in a while! It's also one of the funniest movies I've seen recently.

The beginning definitely sets you up for the action to come and adds shock value. The first half hour or so was hilarious, filled with nice little humorous tidbits. Then it launches into the whole road trip scheme and focuses a lot more on the characters' emotional journey.

What's also neat for anyone who's spent a lot of time in Los Angeles and the valley is that you can recognize most of the scenery. This brings the plot into our world a little and makes it sort of familiar. The characters bring you along with them on their journey.

Patrick Fugit was fantastic in his role, as were all of the other actors. There were even a few surprise castings that had the audience roaring with laughter and cheering towards the end of the film.

This is truly a character-driven film of the type that you don't find much anymore. You won't regret any minute of it!

Bleak film of death and a depressing afterlife. Lots of nice little touches, like with the music - you only pick up on it after talking with people about it. From what I understand not completely faithful to the book, although I didn't read it. Good humor, oddly uplifting due to the romance.

Saw this at Sundance this year, was one of the 3 best we saw. Patrick Fugit was brilliant. Shannon was also strong. If you like dark films, you won't be disappointed. Can't comment on technical aspects of film, since i'm not in the industry.

Summary: Great cast, good writing. Fun times by all.

This is a creative treat that, while boasting of no discernible insight or idealist film-making ambitions, manages thoroughly entertaining – perhaps it is due to the aforementioned low-key approach that Wristcutters fares so well. Balkan director Goran Dukic combines the best of offbeat indie cinema with 'traditional' dark humour, making the film appropriately edgy but never tipping over into 'desperately quirky' like so many "festival type films" fall prey to.

In fact, when I sneaked in as a volunteer to a screening during the Stcokholm International Film Festival, the manager presented the film as one of his personal favourites of 2006. This should serve as a mark of its success and indeed I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had. This is highly ironic since both the style and substance of Wristcutters are unspeakably gloomy and sad. Much credit it due to Dukic for making something as tragic as suicide victims into laugh-out-loud catalysts.

But the film perhaps belongs to Patrick Fugit who inhabits the protagonist Zia – a young man who slits his wrists in the first scene of the film and ends up in a 'suicide limbo' of sorts, where all people who have taken their own lives are banished. I say 'banished' because this afterlife is an unreasonably gloomy, grey and grainy nowhere-place that is captured remarkably through a seemingly colourless lens that aptly emphasizes the mundane and depressing state. There are barren industries and vast stretches of desert – nothing else. Oh and no one smiles. Ever.

Zia leads a dull life in this post-apocalyptic hole until one day he finds out that his ex-girlfriend on earth has also committed suicide and ought to be in the same place as him. He sets out on a road-trip with his friend Eugene (a superbly funny Shea Whigham) – a Russian immigrant who lives with his whole family of suicide victims and soon the two are joined by a beautiful newcomer and hitchhiker (Shannyn Sossamon) who claims she got here "by mistake" and is now trying to rectify it by finding the people in charge.

Although much fun is to be found in the creatively barren setting, the central triumvirate is possibly one of the most dynamic mix of characters on film in recent years, no hyperbole. Shea Whigham is gloriously hard-boiled and hilarious as Eugene the Russian and enables the director Dukic to reconnect with his Slavic roots. It is both admirable and puzzling that the film manages so funny without resorting to laughter or smiles (there are two smiles throughout the movie, seriously).

But 'Wristcutters' has problems: it remains a shallow look at an infinitely more layered issue, suicide. It explores no characters to depth nor does it ever bring up what drove them to taking their own life in the first place. In this way, no interesting philosophical notions are navigated and no insights or messages come through other than an overriding 'Pro-Life' attitude – Pro-Life being for living and against suicide which is punished by an eternity in a perpetually gloomy state, a subtle hell of creative proportions.

Thankfully it avoids most of its shortcomings by simply being short and sweet. Of course, this renders Wristcutters: A Love Story an ultimately forgettable little indie romp.

7 out of 10

This movie was the highlight of the Sundance Film Festival for me this year. It contains a true love story, hidden under dark satire, and amazing music. If there is one Sundance movie in 2006 you will regret not seeing, don't let it be this one. Wristcutters, is the reason we have this festival.Patrick Fugit(known for Almost Famous)gives an amazing performance. I was doubtful at first when I heard the name, but after seeing it I cannot stop saying enough good things. This one I will definitely pick up on DVD when it is released, and anyone who enjoys dark humor should as well. Again another Sundance job well done. I hope to see more films made like this.

Wristcutters" is about guy named Zia (Patrick Fugit) who commits suicide after his girlfriend breaks up with him. Once he does, he doesn't die but goes to a place where others who have committed suicide live as well. It's a bizarre tale of love, friendship, and the afterlife told through the eyes of director Goran Dukic and is based on the short story "Kneller's Happy Campers" by Etgar Keret. A funny, strange but very original film ensues…

I had the pleasure of being able see this film at the Philadelphia Film Festival earlier tonight and I was glad that I got the opportunity to see such an original and creative film which so few will ever see. While this movie may actually be too dark or weird for some audiences, I personally loved it. It's been a long time since I have seen a romantic comedy that is this unique and this original. The plot for the movie is so bizarre that your eyes and brain are glued to the screen the entire time.

This movie puts a whole new spin on the idea of a romantic comedy and does it flawlessly. All the characters seem to connect as they interact with each other. The movie seems to be a mix of the movie "Interstate 60" and the work of writer Hunter S Thompson. The movie at times is very dark and odd but it only adds to the originality and creative minds behind the film.

When watching this film, just sit back and enjoy the ride. This film takes you to a world that you have never seen before. Who would ever think you would see a movie about a world that exists only to those who have committed suicide? And the funniest thing is it's the same thing as our world but a few minor differences. This is a movie that relies on imagination, something we as adults seem to forget to use anymore. This movie challenges Hollywood to take risks and go beyond the typical storyline and into something more creative and out of the ordinary.

The acting in this film is very solid. Patrick Fugit who I feel is always underrated as an actor really does a great job in this film. I mean you think after movies like "Almost Famous" and "Saved!" his career would have taken off but oddly enough it hasn't yet. Regardless of his career, I think he did a great job with the material given to him. Also Shannyn Sossamon who played Mikal did a great job as well. Again I think she is another actress who has potential. She hasn't had a great breakout performance as of yet but I feel she has the potential to be big and when she does land that breakout role, she will be. Shea Whigham who played Eugene was very amusing. I enjoyed him as the crazy sidekick to Zia. And finally just because I think the guy is a riot and since half the audience started to laugh when they saw him appear on screen I must give credit to Will Arnett (GOB from Arrested Development) who appeared on screen for way to short of a role in my opinion. What made his role stand out was the fact that so many people recognized him as GOB on "Arrested Development" which as he came on screen near the end of the film, half the theater laughed and clapped. There are several others I haven't mentioned here but they all did a fine job as well.

Director and writer Goran Dukic did a great job on this film especially since it was his first feature film. As the audience talked with Mr. Dukic during the Q&A I found out that a lot of this film was taken directly from the short story but the way he brought the film alive was amazing. I honestly think this is probably one of the most original and creative films I have seen in the theater in the last year or so. And Mr. Dukic does a fine job directing this film and capturing this bizarre world.

In conclusion, if you're a fan of dark comedies I highly recommend this film. If you like movies that dare to be different I recommend you see this film. Honestly, I don't know the target audience for this film but it's definitely a must for those who want to see something original and different from the norm. It's a fine first film from director and writer Goran Dukic and it puts a new spin on the romantic comedy genre and all the things we will do for love. I would have to say it's probably the second best film I seen all year maybe not for being powerful or moving but for being really original and creative.

MovieManMenzel's final rating for "Wristcutters: A Love Story" is a 9/10. A must see for those who love creative and dark stories or like movies that go beyond the norm.