Free Jimmy (2006)

Simply A Masterpiece

Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Some of you who have commented on this movie obviously don't know the background for this movie. Christopher Nielsen who made this movie is brother of one of the most known dead punk rock stars in Norway, Joakim Nielsen. Who played in Jokke & Valentinerne, which is one of the most influential band in Norwegian punk.! And this movie is in a way Christophers' feelings, about how he feel how Joakims' life went. The way showbiz "drugged" Joakim(jimmy), so he would shut up and earn them some money. And most of the animated characters in the movie are ego's of people in the real life who were around Jokke. But i have to admit that a lot of the humor in this movie is directed to Norwegian viewers.

This movie is great. The style of the realistic urban visual of the movie is really enjoyable. It works perfectly with the amusing yet touching plot. Introducing the different plots, of those 3 groups of interessants that are trying to save Jimmy, interlaced, really gives you a cynical hyper-realistic view on hypocrisy, greed and apathy. I think in this movie they really succeeds in getting through the Different types of people. The green gang with their never-ending arguments, The Drugs gang that will take advantage of each other very freely, and even in some ways those weird Lapish Maphia people seem credible.In short, if you like the beauty of ugly things, Go and watch this Movie!

Actually I was expecting quite something of this movie. The story of a junkie-elephant, militant animal rights people and several edgy characters making fun of several groups sounded promising. The animation sure is great but it lacks in one thing which drags the whole movie down along with its slow pacing, lack of real jokes and totally unclear direction. The characters just down get to you... they are nicely down but there is no aura except for the voicing maybe. You just watch puppets walk around being stereotypes, trying to be politically incorrect here and there and basically thats it. After a real long time the movie ends and Jimmy who could have been a nice cartoon-character is nothing but a nice modeled polygon-mesh. The mix of making fun of drugs and then switching to a halfhearted thing right the other direction makes the movie even worse. I was really annoyed sitting through this seemingly endless movie and I'd rather watch a politically correct Pixar-Movie since at least they got consistent storytelling and catchy characters.

Really guys. have watched a lot of movies in my life but, hell, this is probably the worse ever, I don't know how anybody can rate this because it is off the scale, apart of the crummy story line and the problems with continuity( the seen where the mobsters crash the truck an lose the the elephant, the bags are swapped with the drugs, see the following scene(to name a few)) I understand now why the movie took so long, its the worse ever...i can't even compare the movie to anything els it is so bad... I think the problem lies with the low focus of movie creators and directors that is running out of ideas, trying to entertain people, giving animators a bad name globally, detail are good but how can you put your name to anything like this, what is the purpose of this movie, if there is any...If you what to waist your money and have a low self-a-steam this is the movie for you...good luck