If you are a delicate flower don't bother !!!!
Added 7/16/2009
Delicate flowers beware...are you offended by children accessing the internet and talking dirty? (they do this you realize)
Are you offended by teenaged girls flirting and exploring and using their ever-budding sexuality in a mulititude of ways? (they do this also you realize)
If so don't bother!
This is a strange, hypnotic and eclectic film that is primally addicting, even if you're not sure how to feel about what these characters are doing and saying, you can't stop watching. (ofcourse unless your a delicate flower with your head in the sand)
In a very abstract way this film examines the way people communicate. What we say vs. what we mean.
There are no movies stars, no super effects in this film. The people are real, they aren't going to gloss a pin-up magazine anytime soon. If you find sadness in this film you are only seeing one side of it, quite clearly we live our lives all over the emotional map and this film explores that quite effectively.
Give it a try if you can toughen up enough to handle it or maybe instead you don't even need toughening up, you already like awkward, brilliant films just left of center.
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File a complaint with the makers of this movie. It's child exploitation.
Added 4/18/2009
I certainly don't understand why the critics gave such glowing reviews since I certainly did not even see a hint of a storyline forming. (Granted, I could only stomach, at most, 15 minutes of it, but it normally doesn't take that long to get a solid story off the ground.) Not only that, but the characters weren't even mildly engaging and all had sort of a creepy "dead look" in their eyes. The only thing I saw was a pathetic excuse for a bunch of sex-obsessed perverted whack jobs to make a movie and try to pass it off as "deep, intellectual, quirky social commentary." I really don't know who is worse: the people who made this piece of garbage, the parents who allowed their children to act in this piece of garbage, the critics who raved over this piece of garbage, or the people who gave this piece of garbage awards that should be reserved for truly artistic, meaningful, and positive endeavors.
Now, as far as I'm concerned, this movie exploits the children in it and I believe we still currently have laws banning that practice (whether or not those laws are upheld is another question.) It promotes pedophilia, irresponsible teenage sexual activity, and general disrespect for oneself and for others. If I thought that the filmmakers were trying to make a point to bring awareness to these current societal plights, that would be one thing, but it certainly doesn't seem that they are. The film uses this material for shock value in the name or art, and in some sense, it's an attempt to "normalize" this putrid behavior by claiming that these thoughts and actions are just a common bonding element that exists in everyone or, more specifically, "Me and You and Everyone We Know."
Now, I'm not going to blame this movie for all modern-day social ills, but I will say this: the fact that there was no public outrage at this movie and the fact that it is still available in the U.S. for rental and purchase speaks volumes about the current mentality of our society. I even tried to poke around for some reviews that could have prevented me from viewing this atrocity, and although negative ones existed, it took me nearly an hour to find as they were buried beneath a ton of contradictory responses that seemed to be nothing more than shots aimed at the reviewer's "puritanical attitude" rather than an honest assessment of the content of the movie.
If you can honestly say you liked this movie, saw nothing wrong with it, and would recommend it to others, than you need some serious therapy.
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a good reminder that life doesn't have to be painful
Added 2/26/2009
Me And You And Everyone We Know provides a touching look at how difficult it can be for people trying to form meaningful relationships with others--especially in these times. Although the movie just didn't quite come off as powerfully as I hoped it would, it still is well worth seeing. The acting is rather convincing and the cinematography shines. The plot moves along at a good pace without the story becoming boring. This is a type of human interest story that will strike emotional chords in many people.
When the action starts we witness Richard Swersey (John Hawkes) separating from his wife of several years. Although they decide to share custody of their two young boys Robby (Brandon Ratcliff) and Peter (Miles Thompson), we see the two children spending time mostly at their father's place and in school. Richard works as a shoe salesman in a retail department store; and although we slowly meet some of his neighbors the focus remains on Richard, his two young boys--and a young woman infatuated with him named Christine Jesperson (Miranda July). Christine means well; but she is so pathetically lonely that she cannot help but practically stalk Richard wherever he goes--one time even inviting herself into his car with him driving! Richard doesn't know her and wants to progress much more tentatively; and Christine feels great emotional pain over that. She works as a driver for a nursing home but understandably she wants a man she can love and respect in her life.
All sorts of miniature story lines pop up as the movie progresses, each one being something of a brief vignette about the many different ways people can "connect" with one another. Some of these ways are healthier than others; but they all happen in real life.
Will Richard eventually let Christine into his life or will he still want his space? After all, he burned his hand intentionally when he was upset over separating with his wife--can he handle a new woman so soon after his break-up? What about his coworker who likes to spend romantic time alone with women much younger than he is--what happens to him? And what happens when Christine submits a tape of her work to have it exhibited at an art museum--will they like her art and display it? Watch the movie and find out!
The DVD comes with a few deleted scenes; that's about it unless you count "previews" as a bonus feature. I was disappointed by this but the film is strong enough so that it's nothing too major.
Overall, Me And You And Everyone We Know isn't the very best film about humans reaching out to each other; but it did touch me and it made its point well nonetheless. I recommend this film for people interested in movies about human relationships and love stories that aren't exactly following a conventional "romantic comedy" formula.
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What a rip off!
Added 1/26/2009
I really wander sometimes how far off some have to be to see anything good in a movie like this one. Even more when they suggest that it will be about meaningfulness... This is the kind of movie that comes from someone that when to school for to long and got cut up in the Art theory without any connection to anything touching or moving. To top it off, what a shame, to involve many children in it and give them very low script to say. For example, pooh in my but and I'll pooh in yours and then I'll pooh it back in yours, always the same pooh forever. Wow, and all the other children involve will show this movie to there friends.
I really don't suggest it.
1 out of 10 people found this helpful.
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Quirky means... yicky, yucky, quacky
Added 10/26/2008
It's time to get quirky-- that means getting sentimental; that means getting melodramatic; that means being frustrating, and self-absorbed, and self-important. That means being quacky, and yicky and yucky. Watching these characters make them endearing, but if you actually knew them they would make you nauseous. This, my friends, is the face of independent cinema. Too afraid to make a real point, dancing around, and masking themselves in a stylized form of b.s. We've seen it with Juno, and Thumbsucker, and Michael Ceras and all of these tear-jerking jackasses. This is what an award-winning film means today, and the fact that it was picked up by MGM, and that Juno was a big hit, means that it's infiltrating commercial films as well.
This film isn't all b.s., though. Yes, we are so alone in this world and no one is on the right page and wouldn't it be great to walk down a block with a girl and talk to her about relationships in this metaphoric sense and feel your hearts dance around the subject of becoming a couple. It's nice, don't get me wrong. I actually like that part. And I also like the sensationalized sex scene between the preteen boy and the two young girls. Honestly, it's original and it's a new twist and it's good. The signs written by the older man at his window used to sexually stimulate them, well, those doesn't really work in real life. And when the girls finally come to his house for their first sexual experience and he ducks down because he is too afraid to act on his lust, well, in the real world-- remember that-- he would have had his way with them.
But reality isn't always that important in movies. Because it's hyper-realistic and it represents reality and makes us think about things like how alone this older guy is, and well, he's not that bad because he just needs love-- this sentiment would not be felt by people in the real world, mind you. But it works in the movies.
How does this one end? NOT A SPOILER, don't worry if you haven't seen it. It ends like those other independents. Like Juno and that heart-warming song at the end... yes, I liked that, too, but it really doesn't say too much. It ends like that American Beauty scene in the middle with that bag blowing in the wind-- that seems deep and meaningful when you first see it, but after repeated viewings (and I love
American Beauty) you can't help but feel duped for having been suckered into feeling goosebumps from it.
How do these films work on you? It's those musical interludes, of course. Or, should I call them filler? They work, yes, but they can save the most insipid scenes and make them seem deep, and sometimes films like these make the music their bread and butter. There was a time when the movies that stunk had great music to save it, but not these days. The music is simple, synthesized with a few notes being played with varying pitches and fades. They work for the movies, but musically speaking, they're not that good when they're self-contained.
I like these movies when they have a real point. American Beauty had a point even if it contained some of these pretentious attributes. It had a grand message of what life is about... even if the subject matter was trite, its presentation was original. That's what independent films crave... originality. And that's where quirkiness comes in; nobody knows how to be original without being quirky, and because every road has been so well-trodden, there seems to be no other way to express yourself. I have a bit of a quirky personality myself, but I'm not as sulky, and under-enthused and weird and spontaneous as these folk. There are people out there who try emulating these personalities, but let me warn you now if you do: you will, at some point, be punched in the face. Not everybody is keyed-in to your close-up in your imaginary self-absorbed, self-important fantasy film-world, mind you.
These films are about things. There is no real story or point. They have good scenes, though; and original moments, like the goldfish in a bag of water on top of a car and his last moments of life on earth. Or like the sulky girl who cries for thinking the shoe salesman, cute weird guy-- like "her kind of weird"-- is getting back together with his wife. These parts make you kinda squirm but they also make you open your heart for these vulnerable characters. So, I'm not saying I don't kind of like it. They leave you feeling: "... Aaaah. Yuck. Hmmm... That's interesting. Hmmm... I didn't get that part, actually... Hey, nice cinematography... she's pretty... he's so weird... that's so me... yeah, I saw that movie... I kinda liked it."
"Kinda", is the operative word, and if you seen enough of these, the "kinda", kinda fades away. Here today, gone tomorrow; in the end, movies like these will most likely make you say, "No, let's not. I saw that already and I liked it, but let's not see it again."
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