It's absolutely, not even close to being one of the best movies I've ever watched but my god do I love it. Not mind blowing but somewhat bizarre. The ending is beautiful but everything before that is so weird and uncanny. I spent the whole movie duration asking myself "wtf?". It's probably the most unique movie out there, you'll either like it or hate it and call it silly or for weirdos, I think most people will and understandably so. Looking at the title and cast is very deceiving, which is what I did, and you need an open mind to enjoy it. It's a misfit movie, I guess that's how punks are stigmatized by society; and this movie is a love story between a punk and an alien. It really doesn't fit in well into any genre, it's the 70's, there's aliens, there's funny bits, there's music, there's love, but if you're looking for a sci-fi, comedy, musical or romance movie this still really isn't it. It just a rogue piece of the puzzle that doesn't fit in anywhere. That's why it didn't surprise me when I learnt that this was the oeuvre of the same person who wrote "American Gods", which I do love. There's nothing like that series, and there's nothing like this movie, they're ambitious originals. And I must say, kudos to Nicole Kidman because this feels like the kind of movie actors of her caliber would turn down and she didn't. It's not great, a little tweaks everywhere and bigger production budget could have made it better, but it's uniqueness(is that a word, sounds made up in my head) makes it worth a watch, I however wouldn't recommend it to anyone I know because I don't really know who the intended audience for the movie was. Because I don't know anyone like me, not in a "I'm special" sorta way, more like I'm sorta weird and so is this movie.
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AfricanBro21 February 2022
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ferguson-61 June 2018Greetings again from the darkness. Filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell exploded onto the scene in 2001 with his instant cult favorite HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, and in 2010 he delivered the expertly crafted and somber marital drama RABBIT HOLE. In his first feature film since the latter, Mitchell revisits the punk world in what has been described as Romeo and Juliet with punks and aliens.
Mitchell and co-writer Philippa Goslett adapted the screenplay from a short story by Neil Gaiman ("American Gods"). It's set in 1977 Croydon (outside London) and though music plays a vital role, it's not really a musical. And even with some funny moments, it's not really a comedy. And while there are aliens, one wouldn't label this as science fiction. There is a budding romance at the core, and maybe the romance description fits best ... although, any unwitting group of film goers heading to the theatre expecting a typical romantic drama will likely walk out in the first 15 minutes.
Zan (Elle Fanning) and Enn (Alex Sharp) are star-crossed (or is it intergalactic-crossed?) lovers - she being an alien, he a young punk rocker. This is less about two worlds colliding than two worlds exploring each other: the freedom of punk vs the conformity of the alien colony. We cross paths with the local Queen of punk known as Boadicea (one of the most extreme Nicole Kidman roles of her career), the alien Stella (Ruth Wilson), and Enn's punk mates Vic (Abraham Lewis) and John (Ethan Lawrence).
Far and away the most interesting puzzle piece here is the connection between Enn and Zan. Mr. Sharp (a Bob Geldof lookalike) and Ms. Fanning are terrific together and the film suffers when they aren't on screen. Their live duet onstage is a true highlight and her wide-eyed curiosity combined with his zany punk persona provide most of the film's energy.
"Punk ... the best thing to happen to ugly people" is likely the best line in the film, although Zan requesting "Do some more punk to me" isn't far behind. There are messages here about parenting, diversity and globalization, but mostly it's a creative and wild ride that's not likely to please everyone ... especially those looking for a Nicholas Sparks romance or anyone who might take the title literally. The film is scheduled to show at the Texas Theatre in Dallas beginning June 1, 2018. -
mitsubishizero11 November 2019This's a really unique movie. It's kind've hard to explain the insanity this film has in store which both work for and against it as a whole. The story's about a young punk artist named Enn (Alex Sharpe) who goes bar hopping with his friends Vic (AJ Lewis) and John (Ethan Lawrence). One night however they crash a house where the residents are taking part in a bizarre ritual. This leads to them realizing they're aliens. As they leave Enn meets a rebellious alien girl named Zan (Elle Fanning) whom he takes along with her to experience the Punk Lifestyle. As they spend time with each other their relationship becomes closer (though pretty strange). They both fascinate each other with their background and lifestyle much to the confusion and shock from their friends. Needless to say that they're going to turn each other's worlds upside down.
What I like about the movie is the cinematography. There're a lot of weird shots and filters that work in the film's favor and get the surreal feeling across. The scene where they sing at a punk club where they describe a ritual to the audience gets really bizarre when they appear in space and fuse together. I like how they interpolate a line from The Beatles "The End". I found that very clever. The characters are off but for the most part interesting to watch. Enn's a typical teen trying to find his place in life and his friends are either rough or inquisitive. Zan's a curious alien who slowly and slowly understands life on earth and makes a path for herself. Their chemistry's interesting. When they kiss it's really nice. The supporting characters are interesting too. Nicole Kidman as the owner of the club is cool to watch though she looks like Jeremiah from Labyrinth (which's another bizarrely decent movie). Most of the music is good too.
The only issues I have are the pacing and concepts. The concepts are interesting but I feel like the pacing seems to go too fast for the audience to grasp them and when they're talked about it's usually in a riddle or short discussion that makes it hard to understand followed by the characters rarely elaborating or expanding on the concept(s). I feel like the book would've elaborated more than the movie did. The aliens are interesting: They wear brightly colored spandex, reproduce somewhat asexually and are divided into groups for this bizarre right of passage. What's really weird is when they dance they scream like harpies and they even do it to defend against intruders in a few scenes. They also hypnotize their victims using their songs like sirens.
One thing I thought was interesting was how the aliens are either American or have American accents. This makes me wonder if it was a commentary on how the Brits see us. It's just a theory... PT Wain (Matt Lucas) has a stiff american accent which strangely enough works in his favor. I won't give away the ending but it's very heartfelt. If you like strange art or indie films than you'll enjoy something out of this otherwise you may be turned off by it's constant surrealness and ideas that often go nowhere. Drop in and see for yourself. -
kosmasp21 April 2022I have to admit, with a title like that I was expecting something different. Something hollow to a degree, something that was just a party movie of sorts. But this hit me completely unaware and completely blindided me. I am still not entirely sure what this was. With so many groteque things happening - defying reality and conventions to a degree.
That being said, I never read the story this is based on, nor am I aware of the person who wrote it. So if you have link to that, you may feel a deeper connection. And there are a lot of deep connections in this one. And other things that seem otherworldly - no pun intended.
Acting is really good - and if you are open to weird ... you are in for a treat. -
SnoopyStyle16 June 2018Enn (Alex Sharp) is a disaffected youth in late 70's suburban London. He and his friends follow the local punk scene. He writes his zine and has trouble talking to girls. The boys crash a party after the club. They find the people there strange and Enn believes them to be a cult. Zan (Elle Fanning) decides to leave the group to find unique experiences with Enn. The group go to see advent-guard artist Queen Boadicea (Nicole Kidman).
This has some fun and some weirdness. The problem is that it doesn't have quite enough fun nor enough weirdness. Director John Cameron Mitchell is best known for Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I did check out the Neil Gaiman graphic short story which has two regular dudes from an all-boys school and the story takes place mostly at that party. I'm sure Mitchell added the punk element which actually added color to the story. Elle Fanning is definitely a beauty which explains why Enn would tolerate her weirdness. The story should really take place over one night. That has the tendency to intensify the narrative. It would also allow Kidman to join the movie earlier. I only laughed once when the aliens blocked the hallway in formation. Otherwise, this is an odd little movie which fails to elevate. -
weekendjail4 November 2019I liked the setting and aesthetic quite a bit.
Though, it was a strange film-- better than your typical Hollywood schlock that fills up most theaters, but it's in no way great. I feel like much more could have been done with this concept, but it just left me, kinda uninterested about halfway though.
The film is not bad, but it's also not good.
If you can watch it for free, eh go ahead.
5/10 -
rockman18226 May 2018SPOILER: This film came out today in a very limited release but its something I was always going to see because I love Elle Fanning. I kind of forgot that this was a sci-fi inspired comedy. The film has a typically committed performance from Elle Fanning and a very interesting concept and clash between a quirky cult and British punks. Its certainly creative but does not always hit its highs despite having a lot going for it.
The film follows three young kids who are used very into the London pop scene of the 60's. One night they stumble across a house party. Once they go in they see very odd individuals who are very odd, dressed in bright colors, and fairly sexual. It turns out this group are actually aliens exploring Earth and its people The main lead Enn, meets a young girl and hits it off with her as she tries to understand his world and falls in love with him.
Thought the premise for this film was strong and added color and humor to the film. However, the film does feel stretched thin at some points. Its not a shock as Neil Gaiman's short story of the same name is about twenty pages long. Liberties had to be taken and I found a good portion to be enjoyable. The alien plotline and their motives do get muddled though as its not very clear and seems to have too much complexity for the film to handle.
I think the best part of the film was Elle Fanning as the alien. She really is able to transform into that role of a young alien who is trying to learn how the world works and how love works. She also undergoes a shift when she discovers "punk". I'm happy I watched it as its quite unique. The film hits a wall at times but recovers well enough. Also, Nicole Kidman is ace in it.
6.5/10 -
TheMovieDiorama2 May 2019Bizarre. Immaculately bizarre. An ambitious empty shell that struggles to develop its themes and characters. The equivalent of banging your head to The Sex Pistols whilst being surrounded by gymnasts in tight Lycra. It seems Mitchell tried desperately hard to achieve cult status for his film. Mixing absurdist sci-fi with an emerging music movement that swept good ol' Croydon. Unfortunately he misses the mark. A punk enthusiast meets a mysterious girl at a party and only has a certain amount of time to introduce her to the world of punk rock. During that allotted time, a romance blossoms that would transcend space itself.
The underlying problem that polluted this well-intentioned project is the screenplay. Goslett failed to understand that the merging of two genres, especially one of them being a romance, relies on relatable and humanistic characters. Fanning, who I'm sure wasn't acting in this (that's just her normal self...), gets a pass for portraying a stellar extraterrestrial. Sharp on the other hand, well his character was a mess. No fault of his own. Mitchell tried divulging into his backstory, which was instantly forgettable, and failed to create a spark between the two leads. For the most part, there was no emotional resonance. It wasn't until the final twenty minutes, when punk matriarch Kidman's army of little punk rockers raid their contemporary "tourists" abode, that the tangible love started to stick. Too late I'm afraid. Was all too forced for my liking.
I do however admire Mitchell's unique vision, almost reminiscent of Gilliam's work, which suited the artistic aesthetic that was being exhumed. A wondrous experience that made me scratch my head whilst being hypnotised. Stupendous use of colour. Just a shame that its entirety doesn't really stick, although undoubtedly will be viewed as an ambitious cult film in the future I'm sure. Admirably ambitious is the best description. Though Nicole Kidman, man, she would make a crazy rocker that's for sure! -
Aktham_Tashtush15 August 2018The movie is just weird in every way possible ,, and i think that what made it appealing and interesting to watch .. The story grows from a punk kid loves to rock to meeting that alien girl from the cult "of California :D" and they start living the punk life together.. The ending was so unexpected and surprisingly emotional.
The story-line is well built and the events from start to finish are easily fathomable,, the casting was just amazing ,, loved Nicole Kidman and Ruth Wilson .. Nicole was so cool ... and Alex Sharp and the other two co-stars did an amazing job too.
Recommended if you love weird sci-fi 80's style rock hip movies :D ,, if you don't love this movie you might actually hate it a lot ,, it just doesn't go in between. -
I'll start with...
Set in a world where the UK punk scene was a middle class gay-friendly cross between The Rocky horror show & High School Musical this film is so bad at times It's actually funny.
I know this is a Sci-fi film but they should have at least tried to get some historical accuracy. Basically I have no idea what was going on. It watches like a pretentious 6th form drama school project. I'm guessing it was made on a budget & I was surprised at some of the names involved.
The only good performance is that of Elle Fanning - she's stunning to look at & has that natural ability to make people empathise. I'm a fan of that young lady. I do hope she makes good career choices in the future. NB. There were about 3 McDonald's in England in 1977 & it wouldn't have been referenced. Wimpy was the chain of burger restaurant that people would know. Do some research! -
root882 June 2018It's pretentious and cheesy, unique and amazing. The only promise I can make is that you have never seen anything like it. That in itself should be enough to make any movie or art lover feel like this movie was money and time well spent. Of course there are flaws, but it's punk, that's what gives it character. If you spend all your money on Hollywood reboots, stay far, far away...
You can enjoy the humor in this movie on the surface level or try to dig deeper into the many metaphors. I just went along for the ride and had a great time. -
I managed to watch this online through my Roku on the Kanopy streaming site through my public library's subscription.
To mention that this is a very unusual movie is a big understatement. It starts normally, for a British setting, with the usual goofiness, but then everything changes when a group of three friends crash a party full of people in what appears to be a very strange cult. This is not the kind of movie I'd like to watch often but as a one-off it is very entertaining for those of us who can appreciate the very unusual.
Most of it takes place in the 1970s but there is a scene at the very end in 1992, apparently some new ones start to show up. In the credits is a statement, "No aliens were harmed in making this film" which gives a hint to what we just watched.
It has some of my favorite actors, including Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, and Ruth Wilson, all dressed strangely and playing very strange roles. It was a bit disconcerting to see Kidman and Wilson in such nontraditional roles. -
neolestat30 December 2019Only a gripe really... Given the date of filming John Cameron Mitchell made in what was my point of view a massive faux pas. Sheffield representing Croydon and the omission of real punks was a massive oversight. Back in '77 Croydon was one of the homes of punk and remains so with many contemporary punk bands hailing from the area (see The Witchdoktors for example). There are no real punks even as extras. Also, omitting the famous punks that came from the Bromley/Croydon area is a massive failing. To make a homage to punk without punk luminaries in cameo roles is unforgivable. Where are Captain Sensible? Billy Idol? Siouxsie Sioux? A mere few of the household names now that would've been local to the area in '77. That the film doesn't honor them is just sucky.
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"How to Talk to Girls at Parties" (R, 1:42) is a (kind of) sci-fi (sort of) romantic comedy, with a heavy dose of music. The film is directed by John Cameron Mitchell ("Rabbit Hole", "Shortbus", "Hedwig and the Angry Inch") and co-written by Mitchell and Philippa Goslett ("Mary Magdalene", "Holy Money", "Little Ashes"), based on the short story by Neil Gaiman. While calling this movie a romantic comedy is technically correct, it's not the sweet, coming-of-age rom-com you might expect based on the title and the movie poster. This a very unusual (some might say weird) story about punk rockers and aliens.
It's 1977 in the London suburbs. Punk rock is a mostly underground movement, but thriving. It's a youth-focused lifestyle of hard-driving music, edgy fashion and strong belief in individuality, with a side goal of social chaos - and Enn (Alex Sharp) and his friends are all in. They love, live, breathe and eat punk culture. After the punk club which they're attending one Friday night hits closing time, they head for an after-hours party. They get lost trying to find the party, but stumble upon a condemned house that is full of life. Several groups of people in color-coded vinyl/rubber outfits are inside dancing strangely to other-worldly instrumental music. Somehow, these three outsiders get invited in. One of Enn's friends gets into the dancing, the other becomes involved in a highly unusual sex act (implied, but not directly shown) and Enn starts talking to a shy and clearly unhappy yellow-clad girl called Zan (Elle Fanning).
When Enn leaves the house party, Zan gets permission from her "parent teacher" (as she and her peers call their elders) to spend 48 hours with Enn before she and her people have to leave (and commence to something they refer to as "the eating"). Zan is fascinated by Enn and says she wants to "see the punk". She spends the day with Enn and his friends and that night, they all go to a punk club, where the club's "Queen" (played by Oscar winner Nicole Kidman) encourages/forces Zan to go on stage. Meanwhile, through all of this, Zan's people keep finding her and expressing the group's concern about the ways she is expressing her new (albeit temporary) freedom and tries to make her choose between them and Enn.
"How to Talk to Girls at Parties" is creative, but too odd for many to find entertaining. Some of the cinematography and editing resembles stop-motion animation, which some may find cool, but more will find annoying. The mannerisms of Zan's people might seem clever and/or funny in small doses, but eventually cross the line to simply over-the-top and... weird. The script is often illogical, while also original and includes interesting metaphors... but that only goes so far towards making the movie entertaining. Wolfe and Fanning give good performances and their love story is touching and fun, but the rest of the movie that surrounds them chokes much of the joy out of watching them. "C" -
Gordon-1127 May 2018This film tells the story of a few social misfits who discover a mysterious cult in Croydon.
I would not have watched it if it were not for the famous cast. Just twenty minutes into the film, I have already lost all interest. The film is really bizarre, and I don't understand it. Not to mention, the title bears no resemblance to the story at all. I watched the whole film, but things keep on being bizarre. I cannot say I enjoyed it. -
The movie title I don't know who suggested. But its totally different in story. Probably the director or writer were in hidden way giving a message girls are from outer space hehhehe or they were proving the point of girls are from Venus hehehe any ways movie is differnt than its movie name. I was surprised by it. At some point it was totally wierd but gud for change
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This is certainly a bizarre production. I went in less as a John Cameron Mitchell fan (Though I did enjoy Hedwig & even to an extent Shortbus) and more as a Neil Gaiman fan. I had no clue how such a short, strange, and vague story could really be adapted and Mitchell's answer was less to make a film out of the story and its implications - but his own film, in his own style, with his own themes based upon the skeleton of the story.
And it works, provided you can tune into this films wavelength. It's an intentionally weird film; extremely campy, often stupid, and very heavily targeted towards an LGBT friendly demographic (In spite of the heterosexual main couple.). If you enjoy some of the more out there films from that crowd including some of Mitchell's previous films, you might be able to find How to Talk to Girls at Parties as charming as I did.
It's not a great film by any stretch and it ends on an admittedly confusing note that I'm not sure I fully understood. It doesn't stick the landing when it comes to delivering on the sci-fi elements implied in the original short story. But one could argue that wasn't the point. It's clear this movie just wants to have fun.
And fun it is! The characters are charming, there's some fun dialogue & gags, and the playful sexuality of the film is something that appeals to me as a member of the LGBT community. But it's easy to understand why this film is going to appeal to a very small niche.
To quote Gaiman himself on the film: Watch the trailer. If that looks like a film you'll enjoy, go ahead and see it. If the style turns you off... you'll probably hate it. It is not for everyone and that is clear from any distance, but I just so happen to be in the demographic that found something to enjoy here. -
mauriciofernandogerhardt24 May 2018Spoilers: Multi reality travelling aliens take human body forms. Each reality/ colony that the aliens go to correspond to one of their factions and one of the chackras (yes, the movie is convoluted. I'm explaining it really well). Aliens are divided into parents and children. Once the aliens travel through all of the chackras/ realities (earth being the last), they get eaten by the parents. Only parents get to vote. The aliens have very strict rules about what they can and can't do on Earth. The aliens are having each time less and less offspring. The oldest one intended to let the fathers eat their offspring and then eat the fathers, and then eat itself into oblivion. One of the offspring (Dakota Fanning) is against the conformity, and has sex with a punk teenager. She gets pregnant and in order to be able to have a vote and to vote for the whole alien species to stop eating the young aliens, she needs to have the babies in the outter dimension (she will never be able to come back). She jumps from a building discarding her body. Many years in the future, the punk teen is a famous Graphic Novel writer who wrote about the aliens he met. A group of his children come to talk to him pretending they are his fans at first. Whe he realises he's talking to his kids, he gets emotional and the movie ends.
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kjproulx3 July 2018Every now and then there are films that come along and I just can't quite express my feelings towards them. In my opinion, How to Talk to Girls at Parties is a recent release that fits that description. While I definitely enjoyed myself when watching this film, it almost felt like the filmmakers had much more to say than what was literally presented on-screen. There are hidden messages throughout this movie and that's where I find the majority of people who like this movie will be forming their argument from. If you were to sit a thousand hardcore indie film fans in a theatre and have them watch this movie, I can guarantee that roughly 500 of them would either like or love it and the other half may even walk out halfway through its runtime. Without having discussed this film with anyone I know personally, here's why (in theory) I believe this will be viewed as one of the more polarizing indie films of 2018.
Following a group of three young men as they stumble upon a seemingly normal party in London, England, they enter to find the exact opposite. Realizing that inhabitants from another world have taken over human bodies, one of these boys, Zan, falls for one of the inhabitants, Enn. This particular portion of the story is what hooked me because their awkward interaction/romance with each other was pretty entertaining to watch grow. What I must warn, however, is the fact that this off-beat romance between Zan and Enn is just about as normal as this film ever becomes.
From bizarre costumes, to the extremely bizarre behaviours of some of these clans, to the sheer visual being incredibly out there, I felt like I was watching a solid romance, wrapped in a weird world that was trying to be far more than it had the right to be, concluding on a note that both satisfied me and left me wondering why it went in the direction that it did. This is a very hard film to recommend to anyone really, because you'll either embrace the weirdness that this film possesses from start to finish or you'll be turned off by the very first sequence. For fans of quirky indies, this movie may just be the film that you've been waiting for, but I can't say that about the movie as a whole.
The chemistry between Elle Fanning and Alex Sharp was easily the highlight of this movie because it would've fallen apart if that aspect of the movie didn't work. Honestly, anytime this film deviated from that aspects, I was either wishing they would come back on-screen immediately or I was simply hoping for a little more depth into this alien world. The romance aspect of this film drives the story forward, but the underlying notion that an alien race has been living among us isn't explored enough in my opinion. It has a solid payoff in the final few moments, but I was left wanting so much more from it.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties reaches for the stars in certain moments and, quite frankly, asks a few more questions than it answers, but I was able to forgive that in exchange for the core premise following Zan and Enn. The visual style was unique and the story itself held my interest throughout the majority of the movie, but I wouldn't expect to be blown away by a wonderful payoff. It's a bizarre movie that I had a decent time watching. As far as a final recommendation goes, I would simply recommend checking it out at your own risk, after checking out the trailer and assessing for yourself. -
irakusneiz19 July 2018It got my attention in the first 30 minutes, but after that everything went down the drain. I'll just give 3 stars because of the great cast, the music and the photography. It's true what it's said in other comments. You'll love it or you'll hate it.
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ramfat24 May 2018I imagine this film may be hard to digest for some, as a lot of British films can be. I typically do not enjoy British films or T.V. series. I don't find their comedy all that funny, and their Sci-Fi tends to be overly dramatic and sappy. This film is very "artsy", and theatrical. It reminded me of Dr. Who, The Fifth Element, Under the Skin, and The Worlds End. It was decent enough that I watched the whole movie, which is rare for a British film.
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carnagecarney4 June 2018I tried to enjoy this. I really did. But the dialogue, make-up, acting, "dancing", music; all of it - was utterly boring & generally stupid.
Just a waste of time. We even forced ourselves to finish it. Don't make the same mistake. -
When I read Neil Gaiman's short story of the same title, I wanted more. It is a beautiful story, I wanted more of it, and this movie delivered for me.
If you want to know what you are getting into before watching, it is a blend of romanticized teenage punk scene with fantasy world aliens. It is nostalgic, fun, and touching. You can read the short story before watching the movie, or read the comic book (it is beautiful).
Some negative reviews I've seen say the movie failed their expectations, which were based solely on the title (lol), or cast. Don't be that person. Or maybe they are just punks? -
artina_morton22 August 2022Ok. So, yes, it's weird. But that's also what makes it glorious. It's messy, crazy, weird and fun. And in the end a romance. So if you don't like how strange Neil can be, then you don't really appreciate all he is as an artist.just sit back and enjoy it's wonderful weirdness and embrace the underlying messages. There are those of us old enough to remember the punk movement and what it actually stood for and then the adults we all ended up becoming and the messy contradictions that lay along that path for us all. Neil gets it. If you don't. I'm sorry. Keep your negative reviews to yourself.
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ezgoinguy97196830 September 2018On one side a fantastic boy meets girl punk love story. FANTASTIC. On the other some weird alien bacterial virus alternate dimension B.S. I never turned it off or walked away. Such a weird film.