Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

SnoReptilePlenty Memorable, crazy movie

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

queernudist This is Michael Burke's second filmed version of a story that was originally released in 1998 in short form as "Fishbelly White." The short film can be viewed on the compilation DVD BOYS LIFE 5. Both versions have merit, however "The Mudge Boy," being feature length, allows for better character development, particularly of characters that are merely hinted at in "Fishbelly White," which Burke wrote, produced and directed as a film student at New York University, financed by grants. Although I found "The Mudge Boy" to be a more in-depth character study with more room for details, its predecessor is to be admired for its brevity in telling the same tale effectively. In short, I cannot effectively say I enjoy one version over the other!

Vanyel There are two good aspects of this movie:1. Emile Hirsch's acting really stands out (he's not bad shirtless either)2. It does a good job of showing how forcing yourself into the closet twists you in unpleasant ways.Beyond that, the movie is pointless and goes nowhere, nothing more than a brief window into disturbed lives. They don't get much out of the experience, and neither do we.Since IMDb seems to think that reviews have to be wordy to be worth posting, I'll add that in some places, the movie plods (and I *don't* think movie has to be an action movie to be good: Maurice is one of my favorites). I have to give additional points to Emile for being willing to do some of the things it looks like he did for real with the chicken too (though I doubt the last bit was for real, hopefully).

moldbody Look around us, you will find many persons from this movie, you will find yourself. When we lose something somebody, we really need a hug a talk,whatever anything. When we are lonely, we also need to pursue something, to release ourselves.It's not about living in the village or big city, it's just different way to show a kind of period in our life. In this movie, the director built a small society for us, and we always follow the kid Dunkan, we become him, from his eyes feel his feeling, look for what we need.No happy thing happened during this movie, there are several happy moments, we can feel them from Dunkan's eyes, but they're killed by the following affairs. It's like in our life there is a period, bad period, we know finally we will walk out, but we have to face it, no other choice, the director showed this period for us, nothing bored, nothing retarded,except swallowing the chicken head, oh, man, it really cannot make me calm down, I know there is something will happen with this chicken, 'cause Dunkan has to give up his relying, but at the last moment, when he do it, I'm still shocked,the actors played so good, so natural. There are so many shitty, commercial movies today, but the Mudge boy, it's impressive, didn't waste my time.

greekwise I just watched "Fishbelly White" about two weeks after I first saw "The Mudge Boy." I was surprised to see that "Fishbelly" is a shorter, earlier version of "Mudge Boy" (kinda like "Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade" and "Sling Blade"); some scenes are almost identical, but the shorter version is, of course, less fleshed-out and less detailed. For example, neither boy's father plays any significant role.Unlike the shorter "Sling Blade," though, "Fishbelly" does tell the whole story.I think Emile Hirsch in "Mudge" made a better "Chicken Boy" than Jason Hayes in "Fishbelly", but just because he's less "geeky" and therefore, to me, more heartbreaking in the end. "Mudge Boy" is all the more tragic because Duncan at first thinks he's been accepted by the other, older kids._________________________________________As for "Mudge Boy" being about Duncan's gay issues, I think that's wishful thinking and way off the mark. As far as we can tell, Duncan's most meaningful relationship---emotional as well as physical--- has been with a chicken. It would not be unusual for ANY adolescent who is so alienated to want to touch or kiss any person, regardless of sex. I don't think this is a "gay" film, as so many people have categorized it.Interestingly, I used to work with an emotionally starved 15-year-old boy from Vermont (location of this film) who loved his chicken Robert; we'll call the boy Tom. The other boys in the program mocked Tom, because Robert seemed to be his best friend. However, Robert's head never ended up in Tom's mouth (as far as I know).