Armless (2010)

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

I don't know how this thing got classified as a comedy. It has several eccentric characters, but the pace (slow and deliberate) and energy level (low most of the way) don't suit comedy. Rather, "Armless" invites us to slow down and try to understand John, the protagonist, and his strange desire, and after a while, it starts looking credible. John's mother would mess any kid up, big-time, and his desire to be able to lose his fear by taking pain and loss is noble, even if his plan for getting there is bizarre. Other people's ways of handling fear and stress aren't to be recommended, either: two characters cope by popping pills, and a third has retreated into self-absorption, largely out of greed. Some parallels drawn between John and the doctor who tries to dissuade him show that other people have John's issues do. So the madman starts looking sane in an insane world. It's an absorbing movie, but I still don't think it qualifies as a good one. I wouldn't recommend it to any friend I wanted to keep. PGH

I can understand how this movie may not be for everyone. It's dark and quiet with comedy more in the silence than the dialogue. It has a very personal and secretive tone, and I would recommend watching it alone rather than in a group. Odd, soft-spoken, and questionably allegorical, the best way to enjoy this movie is to connect personally with the characters and try to understand their positions. You don't have to want to cut off your arms to understand John, you just have to know what it's like to want something desperately, feel outcast and misunderstood, or to be so comfortable in your own security that it makes you want to break free. It shows, from both sides, lies we tell ourselves and others in order to fit in. This movie is tragic in its humanity, hilarious in its tragedy, and ultimately true. Good actors, interesting plot, and it gives viewers something to think about. It's definitely worth watching on the off chance it will be for you.

When I bought tickets for this film at Sundance, I was extremely skeptical. "Off-kilter" comedy could go both ways. Luckily for me, I was about to be pleasantly surprised.Outrageously hilarious, breathtakingly sad, and utterly inspiring this film does wonders at everything it tries to accomplish. The acting is superb and the lines deliver the exact punch they had intended. I can't remember the last time I had been so engaged by a film.The film is, as it's production crew describes, an off-beat comedy. And it is hilarious. Each character, with their own unique quirkiness, adds a bit to the entire feel of the movie. When placed all together each has a roll to play and they all come together for a fantastic, extremely INTENSE, ending.This film is a major keeper. One in which I am greatly looking forward to seeing it again and again."Armless" is going down for my "BUY" list for sure!

Sometimes at Sundance you hit the occasional film that is truly horrid. Armless is one of those rare awful films that sneak into Sundance from time to time.From a dull and lackluster plot to boring characters, "Armless" did not deliver on any front at all. The screenplay is poorly written, disjoint and lacking a story that keeps the audience interested. As a comedy it fails at making the audience laugh or even smile.John and his desire to cut off his arms earned a few laughs early on in the show, but as the film went on, the audience tired of the character and his repetitive lines as well as those of his wife. By the end all in the theater were just glad it was over. I had the misfortune of viewing this film at Sundance 2010 and as we exited the theater the comments from the movie goers were almost a universal, "what a waste of time". My advice if you see "Armless" being shown is to run the other way.