Review of Naked Lunch (1991) by Dillinger P — 25 Jan 2016

It's around the 5 minute mark of David Cronenberg's adaptation of William S. Burroughs colourful novel, that you pray you remembered to strap in. Naked Lunch is the utterly bat shit biographical, comedy, psychological horror that surrounds an exterminator, who soon finds both him and his wife addicted to the chemical powder he uses for his work.

After a horrible accident, he soon finds himself on the run from authorities, sifting through foreign lands or a drug binge for the ages. Naked Lunch is best enjoyed completely in the dark, although dont expect to understand it immediately, this is a film that will take many viewings and indeed research to unlock its true potential.

Cronenberg has crafted something hypnotic and disturbing in equal measures, bridging the type of comedy only Terry Gilliam could get away attempting, with his trade mark psychosis and the end result is something so intimidating and wonderful, a vast amount of viewers may be turned off.

The plot is difficult to follow, the comedy is pitch black, the dialogue is laden in code and metaphor, this is not for everyone. The cast all do a wonderful job, with Peter Weller stealing the show, in fairness it is indeed his show.

Naked Lunch will divide opinion, its bold, fun, dark and enchanting but equally demonic, alienating and insane all at the same time, some viewers will be in heaven for its 2 hour run time, others will be lost before the ride even begins.