Jesus' Son (1999) User Reviews (92)

Solid little gem! Well worth a watch!

[moviegoer · 8/10 · 23 May 2001]

I was totally disarmed by this wonderful movie! Most movies about drug addiction hit you over the head with the misery and destruction of the users. Yet this movie was about so much more--a whole host of characters marching to a different beat. This movie told it's tale in short snippets...I almost felt like I was eavesdropping or spying on the characters at various moments in their lives. Nice balance of lightheartedness and seriousness. Some truly great lines. When a nurse tells FH his girlfriend is comfortable now. He asks with total naivete: "Is she dead?"

I see that others here have problems with the title and the reference to Jesus. Not me. Aren't all of us (and esecially the world's "losers") just Christ figures waiting for redemption. It made me think of the line, the meek shall inherit the earth. The mystical touches, whether drug induced or not, were wonderful.

It's really a light-hearted rhythmic piece. In the end, it's practically poetic.

[ruby_fff · 8/10 · 9 July 2000]

It's not "Panic in Needle Park" 1975 or "Rush" 1991. It's not heavy at all. True, the subject is about the drug scene in the '70's, but how can anything be heavy with Jack Black in it? (Yes, the one who delivered a surprisingly impressive singing at the finale of John Cusack's passion "High Fidelity" 2000). JESUS' SON is neither your usual Hollywood glamorized drug movie.

I was skeptical when I first heard about this film in Dec. '99 -- another one on drugs. Then when the trailer started, it grew on me. The image of framing an arc of a wreath above Crudup's head was the crowning influence that I must see this movie. In any case, Billy Crudup and Samantha Morton are quite an intense pairing.

The whole film seems like it's on it's own trip (pun intended). Crudup is FH, a rather lovable character. He is actually a shy person. Now and then he emits a sense of humor and it comes across so innocently -- you just can't blame him. He's trying to do right. Billy Crudup carried the picture from beginning to end. We see him and hear him narrating. The words uttered are eloquent. Crudup's clear enunciation adds to the fluidity of the text that we're hearing throughout the film.

Watching this film is rather like playing an album, you can go back and forth just by lifting the turntable needle. The vignettes are different tracks: on the road trip with Jack Black and the rabbits, and dealing with the knife in the head emergency case during a hospital shift (with Jack Black contributing his comic rhythm and delivering his lines equally fun to hear); shaving Dennis Hopper and interviewing him at the same time; interactions with Holly Hunter before and after AA meetings; staff routines at the senior home in Phoenix; repeatedly watching the Amish couple through the window glass; going to Denis Leary's house and the aftermath; of course, the interludes and episodes with Samantha Morton as Michelle. Humor is ever present.

Bravo to the script by three screenplay writers, based on Denis Johnson's short stories, and kudos to director Alison Mclean. She directed a film with such clarity and simple strokes. Billy Crudup would be the reason to see this film if not anything else, he exudes a halo of light about him -- his angelic face, even with his coy whiskers, still has a certain innocence about him, and according to FH, he does have ominous feelings in him of what to come. Jesus' son, he very well is. Enjoy this film, it's an excellent effort and production all round, including the soundtrack music and songs of the 70's.

Don't miss "Without Limits" 1998, another Billy Crudup must-see, if you haven't yet.

Well-Acted, Beautiful Little Road Movie Through Addiction

[noralee · 8/10 · 12 December 2005]

I chose to see "Jesus' Son" for Billy Crudup and director Allison Maclean, who did the terrifically creepy romantic short I saw on the Sci Fi Channel a few weeks ago, "Kitchen Sink."

"Jesus' Son" is a picaresque road movie traveling through addictions, and manages to miss wallowing in the depression that made "Leaving Las Vegas" so unrelenting . Samantha Morton has incredible chemistry with Crudup who is fascinating to keep watching even as his character is a passive naif whom we really don't learn anything about.

My biggest complaint is that the cameos by recognizable and/or famous actors (Denis Leary, Jack Black of "High Fidelity," Holly Hunter, Dennis Hopper) make the source material of short stories--which I assume are where the chapter headings come from-- too obvious; I would have preferred intriguing character actors or complete unknowns.

This is one of those "little movies" where you see a filmmaker in love with her tools of the medium, because it is both literate and explores the story visually, with judicious use of fantasies and hallucinations.

The Joe Henry musical score is wonderful, and the soundtrack selection of alt.country, including several Wilco songs, and offbeat rock and r & b classics are also commentaries on the action (amusingly the only Henry song used comes in over the radio that an annoyed Crudup turns off in order to hear the dialog).

(originally written 6/24/2000)

Strong Acting By Crudup and Friends

[gbheron · 7/10 · 8 August 2002]

Billy Crudup shows us again that he's not afraid to work in a wide-variety of roles, and in 'small' movies. In "Jesus' Son", he plays a low-life, clueless, heroin addict named Fuckhead. I don't think you'll see Leonardo, Tom, or any of the other young, A-list actors coming close to roles like this. The film is placed in the early 1970s and follows Crudup through a few years of his heroin-addled life. Narrated by Fuckhead, he chronicles his own life from his introduction to heroin, through his attempts to quit. The narrative moves backwards and forwards in time, almost as if Fuckhead is remembering something out of sequence which might interest the viewer. Definitely not for everyone, but in my opinion is a very interesting movie.

Ramble on

[labng · 6/10 · 10 October 2018]

Just kind of wandering tale about wandering around trying to find your place in the world. If you don't have any place to be, you might end up here. Some great performances. Duh, the cast. A little less devastating than most films about addiction. Some really humorous scenes and some heart-warming scenes to take the edge off.

Not just for smack fiends anymore.

[exterminating-angel · 9/10 · 22 October 2001]

Beautiful, humane film filled with menagerie of "off-the-wall" (sorry) supporting characters. This film succeeds where all other "drug films" fail. It doesn't cram a message down your throat. It's not concerned with retreading the territory of "Trainspotting" or its clones. It has similar scenes, but the tone is completely different. Billy Crudup also delivers his real star-making performance (this came out before "Almost Famous") as a young man whose name begins with an 'F' and ends with an 'uckhead'. His rambling narrative makes this film seem more like a friendly anecdote than a wittier-than-thou voice-over which always seems to do more to flatten out a film than to expand it. This film uses drugs as a vehicle to show how all of us need some sort of redemption, but we have to get it on our own terms.

disjointed with some laughs

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 26 December 2016]

Drifter FH (Billy Crudup) is hitchhiking. His ride gets into a crush and the family suffers a devastating loss. He recounts his meeting with Michelle (Samantha Morton) three years earlier in 1971 Iowa City when he goes to Michelle's boyfriend McInnes' party. One year later, he runs into Michelle on the street after Dundun killed McInnes. She introduces him to heroin as his life drifts along.

There is a rambling sensibility to this movie very much like FH's life. It does fit but it leaves the narrative disjointed. The story is very random. It has some hilarious moments like the emergency room although Jack Black does go overboard. It's his nature and he can't help it. Crudup is solid and fits the role snugly. Morton is amazing with her limited time. There are cool little supporting performances and unusual side trips. It has a similar theme and sense as 'Requiem for a Dream'. I could do with more Morton but this unusual little film is a winner.

Strange film, but a good one

[ill_behavior · 9/10 · 8 December 2004]

I enjoyed this, it's different. The plot is non-linear, but that doesn't really matter. It contains scenes that may disturb, but for one reason or another, I forgot to be disturbed. The acting is very good, I don't think I'd ever seen a Billy Crudup film before, and came away with a new name to search for. The soundtrack is excellent, the humour is odd, but it's the supporting cast which make the film; the cameo's are all spot on. I dislike Denis Leary, but he's good here, I wasn't a particularly big fan of JB Jack Black either, but he shines here and I saw him in a new light.

Low budget, sure, more films could do with the charm of this one, it tries to do something different, and I think it's a winner.

trippin out

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 17 August 2023]

The narrator (billy crudup) always seems to be tripping out, and having crazy adventures. That he only half remembers later. But he sure gets laid a lot. This little look at the life of one guy seems to be a lesson in "this is what happens when you do drugs." he meanders from drug trip to drug trip, and talks about getting cleaned up. And for most of the film, he looks pretty healthy for a drug addict. He probably should have skipped the weight lifting while making the film. Can he break out of his addiction? What will it take? It gets pretty graphic. Female nudity. It's good. Like watching the "this is your brain on drugs" television commercial. The acting is fine, and a couple big names pop up...denis leary, jack black. Story by denis johnson. Directed by alison maclean.

A smart-ass soundtrack for a life of squalor...

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 10 May 2011]

Billy Crudup, as an aimless young screw-up and pill-popper in 1970s Chicago, has the mannerisms of a user down right, yet he doesn't convince as an addict. While riding on the dirty subway cars in the darkened city, interacting with the street life and the strays he seems to attract, Crudup certainly has the appropriate glassy-eyed expression and sheepish grin, but he's too lean and muscular and healthy-looking to be taken for a troubled junkie. The film, an adaptation of Denis Johnson's book of short stories, has been fairly well realized by director Alison Maclean (who has a vivid eye for detail); unfortunately, the protagonist isn't really a character at all, and this isn't entirely Crudup's fault. He hasn't been conceived as anything but a walking foul up, one with fabricated answers and--in his narration--'deep thoughts' soaked in the smugness of an elevated consciousness. Many stars help out in support, yet the film is less a dramatic achievement than an arty, somewhat indifferent passel of scenes. ** from ****

A neglected classic.

[parkesja · 10/10 · 26 June 2002]

This film was buried here- apart from the acclaim in 'Uncut' magazine; I didn't manage to see this 'til this year. My initial viewing was a little underwhelmed- being a fan of Johnson's book I had worked this up to impossible heights in my mind. However, on a second viewing I enjoyed the film more- the nouvelle-vague via Scorsese editing & structure seemed much better 2nd time around.

The film is closest to 'Drugstore Cowboy'- though parts such as the split-screen or the digital editing as F***head takes pills in the Emergency Room could have come from 'Requiem for a Dream'. The source stories have been extended and made more cohesive- as with the adaptation of Hubert Selby Jr's 'Last Exit to Brooklyn' by Uli Edel.

The film is wonderfully shot- a great scene is the drive-in/cemetery that plays 'Carnival of Souls' (though I thought I saw Samantha Morton caught in an almost Anton 'Depeche Mode' Corbijin style!); imagine 'Zabriskie Point' without the metaphysical masturbation...

The acting is uniformly great- Crudup & Morton are fantastic leads, while Denis Leary, Greg Germann, Holly Hunter are among the excellent supports. The short Dennis Hopper shaving scene is one of the greatest pieces of cinema I have seen in recent years; while Jack Black almost steals the film with his amusing "listen to my shoes". And Denis Johnson is great as hunting knife in eye guy. Oh and Will Patton pops up as 'John Smith'- still he was in 'The Postman', so not quite yet forgiven.

The soundtrack (chosen by Johnson) is great- Neil Young's 'Cowgirl in the Sand', Wilco's 'Airline to Heaven' & 'She's a Jar', 'Hang on Sloopy' and the great score. The highlight is Morton's gyrating dance to 'Oh Sweet Pea'- almost as great as that dance scene ripped off for 'Pulp Fiction' from Godard's 'Bande a Part'.Only quibble is- where was 'Heroin' by The Velvet Underground?

'Jesus' Son' is a touching, funny, and tender film that deserves to find an audience. There are too many great moments here- Hunter's arm waving in the air, Beverly Home, the Amish, the laundry scene, the ER scene, the rabbits roadtrip etc. Terribly depressing that mediocrity like 'Human Traffic' & 'Trainspotting' finds an audience here- but a film like this isn't allowed to (except at a few arthouse cinemas). Pity- and Alison MacLean's debut 'Crush' is also excellent; here's to possible adaptations of Denis Johnson's 'Already Dead' & 'The Name of the World'- by David Lynch and Paul Schrader respectively (hopefully)...Check out Johnson's books- as this film's use of voiceover stems right from them.

See it for Billy Crudup's performance.

[bismarck_1892 · 6/10 · 28 December 2003]

Billy Crudup's performance is the only thing that keeps this movie afloat. The man has great range. Otherwise it is a poor attempt at film making. At times there are bright spots, like the interaction between Black and Crudup. With that said, however, you're constantly trying to figure out if this is an attempt at comedy or drama. Its not even a dramady (whatever that may be).

Last Train to Sucks-ville

[tygerhardt · 1/10 · 28 April 2003]

This movie was one of the most sorry assed films I have had the displeasure of watching. How anyone can mention this film in the same breath as such films as Requiem For A Dream or Drugstore Cowboy is completely beyond me.

The lead actors were really annoying. I have known a lot of junkies. Very few of them look or act too much like the actors in this film. I found them to be completely unbelievable and absurd. This film tries WAY too hard to be hip. The dialog in many of the scenes between the male and female leads often dives deeply into cliché, psudo-hip dreck that may appeal to high school kids or 20 somethings who think heroin addicts in love are super cool. The delivery of said scenes makes Sid and Nancy come off looking like f***ing Hamlet. I was left with the impression that the book was better than the film.

This theme has been done to death in other more brilliant films. That's not to say that this film didn't have a few great visual moments and a few decent scenes courtesy of Jack Black and Dennis Hopper, but they were hardly enough to save this film from becoming a long, dreary Requiem For A Dream Light.

If you find shows like The Real World to be "really deep" or if you are the kind of person who thinks attractive actors/actresses = talent then this film should really do it for you.

If you have known any junkies personally then you know that their lives seldom if ever resemble the lives of the folks portrayed in this film and you will find it to be a complete fluff piece. You might even find it laughably unrealistic if the film wasn't so damn droll in general.

Save your bucks and the precious moments that will be robbed from your life by watching this crap-tastrophe and just rent Drugstore Cowboy, Permanent Midnight or Requiem For A Dream.

Best Independent Film Of The Year!

[jlabine · 23 May 2001]

Brilliantly pieced together from assorted short stories by Denis Johnson, director Alison Maclean brings depth, humour, compassion, and darkness to the screen adaption. Heroin addict FH (ryhmes with: Duck Bed) goes through a strange odyssey of loss and understanding his compassion. Brilliantly (and this is not an overstatement) acted by Billy Crudup (who should have been given an Oscar nod for his performance), he brings a complexity to his character that is missing from most actors around. Minor details are amazingly evident in his portrayel of FH, as the lovelorn, selfish, and sensitive junkie. Samantha Morton is outstanding as Michelle (FH's girlfriend), giving an intense and moody performance (which the viewer mourns the loss of half way through). The movie mixes moments of surreal madness, as the viewer is taken along existential scenes that could be described as hallucinogenic and funny. The scene where a gentleman (played by book author Denis Johnson) comes into a hospital with a hunting knife stuck in his eye is uncomfortably hillarious. Drugged up hospital attendant Georgie (Jack Black in a standout performance) proceeds to pop pills as he attempts to pull the knife out. But this is just one of the many great cameos that fills the screen. Denis Leary (looking a lot like Dennis Hopper in "Easy Rider", Holly Hunter (playing a neurotic widow with a limp), and Dennis Hopper (looking amazingly like Dennis Hopper too) give great performances as well. Alison Maclean directs the film with great use of color and cinematography, but never crowding the actor's performance. Included as well, is a great music theme by Joe Henry, that incorporates the blending of psychedlic guitar and wurlitzer electric piano work. The rest of the soundtrack is great as well, with music by Wilco, Joe Tex, Neil Young, and Booker T & The MG's. This film was one of my favourite films of the year, and unfortunately didn't get as much notice as it deserved. Highly recommended!

Odd in the best way. . .

[RobDiablo44 · 7/10 · 27 January 2003]

Billy Crudup has that special quality. . something just makes you WANT to watch him. Almost Famous is a good example. So is this. Not an easy film to follow, but entertaining nonetheless. Crudup's character "FH" nudges the boundaries of an antagonist that you feel sympathy for. Should you? Who the hell knows?! I did at points. And when he smiles, you smile. . and when he cries, you cry. And what more could you ask for from a performance. The guy's talented. And Jack Black makes a great extended cameo. He's typically odd and funny, and he fits in the storyline perfectly. Definitely see this one.

7 out of 10.

No bunnies were harmed in the making of this film.

[Julian_Lie · 6/10 · 5 December 2005]

Its interesting how this low-budget movies are much better than a regular Hollywood film.

This is the story of FH (Billy Crudup) a lost guy that takes a journey to find happiness, he has a grate relationship with Michelle (Samantha Morton) and an abnormal job in a hospital, his relationship soon turns sour and she leave, he goes from town to town to find her and also to find his place in the world.

Its an odd movie but it carries a message and its greate for all the people that haven't found theirs place in the world, it joins humor with a bit of tragedy.

Well its hard to review this movie because is a little hard to explain, bun I surely recommend it for everyone, a grate film.

Love this soundtrack too

[theknownames · 10/10 · 20 November 2019]

Excellent Soundtrack, beautiful acting. I give this a 9 there were even a couple of laugh out loud moments in this otherwise immersive drama

1 of my all time Favorite Movies

[judwllccks · 10/10 · 10 March 2021]

Its an Odd Movie but so well acted. Just love 💘 this Movie

No beginning, no end!

[SamRag · 7/10 · 12 August 2002]

This is in many ways special film, which without a doubt will leave many unsure, both in regards to the subject and the film itself (including me!). The film is about a young man, which has the wonderful nickname F**khead (FH). We follow FH as he explores the two loves of his life, his girlfriend and drugs. For three year period we go back and forth, while he tells his story, realizing by each minute that he really deserves the title FH, or as one of his friends says to him 'Does everything you touch turn to s***'. Even though it is not a question that this is good film, with interesting camera style, dialog and acting, I couldn't help but feel that it was trying too hard. Too many small sideline stories were started but never completed. There was also some scenes that were mixture of reality and the drug enhanced state of FH, but not clear enough distinction between what was reality and what wasn't. The greatest criticism I could raise though is how the usage of drugs didn't seem to affect FH or his Girlfriend Michelle in any other way then producing some friendly dullness. Never seemed there to be any desperation in buying the next dosage, or much of mood changes due to the consumption. Finally, the ending was very lax, even though I hadn't expected any clear cut final. From my point FH was just as confused at the beginning of the film as at the end of it! Having said that, this is very interesting film, worth looking at. 7/10

A Point Would Be Nice.

[screamingfoot · 2/10 · 5 May 2004]

I waited and waited for something to happen. I waited and waited for some

theme or persuasive theory to emerge. Neither happened. I saw some nice

scenes here and there, but saw no cohesive plot that could be called unified. There was a lot of potential here, but no point at all. It's a shame really.

Performances were great, and the production value was there. But there's

actually no point to the story. I can't imagine what those actors were thinking when they agreed to do this because this film could never have had any

commercial potential whatsoever.

I tell you things aren't quite the same

[matt-1548 · 10/10 · 26 July 2006]

Being a huge fan of Denis Johnson and Lou Reed, I was curious how they could make a movie from such unusually random events. The movie does such a great job stitching together Johnson's stories. They are extraordinary, humorous, and often touching. Together they make, in my opinion, one of the best 'drug' related movies ever. It is Borroughsesque in its candid, accurate portrayal of heroin addiction. The flashbacks and fuzzy pieced together vignettes resemble the actual effect heroin has on time. Time seems to slow down with days starting to blur into nights. The movie really touched me as I saw some of FH in myself. I too am a recovering addict. I have been clean for over a year now. Thank god for suboxone!!! For anyone grappling with heroin addiction please consider suboxone therapy. It has truly saved my life, marriage, and sanity.

Trying to be more than just another drug flick

[shobill · 6/10 · 8 January 2005]

We are treated to the world as seen from the perspective of a young druggie (Billy Crudup) who repeatedly screws up through his mixture of bungling, passivity, and choice of companions. I frequently found my interest in the narrative and the characters waning, with particular memorable scenes that made it worthwhile to keep a watch. The uniqueness of the main character's perspective is presented in scenes with a mixture of surrealism at times (along with his own narrative that he can't quite remember). This could have made for an interesting production, but at times I just found it irritating. Maybe I've just seen too many loser druggie films and the mostly pointless lives they portray to empathize with these people and their situations, in contrast to the real-life addicts I have known. The film does have its own redemptive conclusion, however, and deserves credit for being more realistic in the way it is presented than we might have anticipated. In fact, the film's clever title may just have a double meaning, with reference to the Velvet Underground song "Heroin" and a semi-spiritual theme all in one; we're all God's children. Just having seen Crudup in Almost Famous, a film made around the same time from a similar period, may have typed him for me in this kind of role, although he was a far more "succesful" character in that far better film.

The year's weirdest film

[mercury-26 · 3/10 · 11 March 2001]

I like an offbeat film as much as the next guy. Heck, the weirder the better, I say. But this film crosses the line even for me. At least I could actually sit through this entire thing, unlike its older (even weirder) cousin, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". I compare the two films because they're both drug-trippin', hallucinatory affairs. Both of them, for some reason, drew big names out of the woodwork to get involved. The star of "Jesus' Son" is Billy Crudup, along with the relatively unknown Samantha Morton. But also on board is Holly Hunter, Will Patton, Dennis Hopper, and Denis Leary in small roles.

These films' defining stamp is that they are told in an intentionally haphazard manner. Put simply, this makes a film that's difficult to watch. Both films are based on novels (I've read neither) and I can safely say this storytelling style befits the page more than it does the screen. It's supposed to make the experience more challenging for the audience, leaving them to try and piece this collection of strange occurrences into something that means anything. Let's just say I don't prefer this type of movie-going experience.

I didn't find anything particularly great about this film, nor did I find anything to be at all endearing. The result is an unsatisfying hour and a half of movie watching. Don't use drugs. Don't bother with "Jesus' Son".

Grade: D+