Review of Human Nature (2001) by Stuart K — 30 Dec 2009

After hitting it big with Being John Malkovich (1999), writer Charlie Kaufman teamed up with French music video director Michel Gondry for this baffling but one-of-a-kind oddity, a satire on the mannerisms and habits of society.

It let alot of people down at the time as many were expecting another masterpiece after Malkovich. But, despite being similiarly odd and peculiar, it's in a whole different league altogether. The film depicts a 4 way love affair.

Beginning with Lila Jute (Patricia Arquette), a female naturalist with an alarming amount of hormonal body hair all over her body, who gets involved with obsessive and repressed scientist Dr. Nathan Bronfman (Tim Robbins), who is having an affair with his French science assistant Gabrielle (Miranda Otto).

Bronfman and Jute take in a man raised as an ape, Puff (Rhys Ifans), and try to rehabilitate him to humanity, but nothing goes to plan, especially when Jute has a change of heart about what they're doing.

Human Nature is a real one of a kind, and highly underrated oddity. Described as a "philosophical burlesque" by Kaufman, it is a genuinely funny and quite touching comedy, and a great debut for Gondry.

It's cast are very good as well, especially Ifans, as he tries to become 'human' again. As for it not doing very well, Gondry and Kaufman need not have worried, they had Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind all ready to go soon after.

;-).