Review of The Brown Bunny (2003) by Anthony S — 17 Aug 2005

[b]DVD[/b] First Viewing, 2 Gallo films seen.

Vincent Gallo's previous film [i]Buffalo '66[/i] is one of my favorites. So obviously I was following all fo the Cannes controversy a while back between Gallo and critic Roger Ebert. Since Ebert called [i]The Brown Bunny[/i] the worst film in the history of the festival, he awarded the theatrical cut (which is 26 minutes shorter) "thumbs up." I am a huge fan of atmospheric pictures filled with an anti-Hollywood agenda, but [i]The Brown Bunny[/i] is nothing but an incredibly childish film posing as a deep story of loneliness. For that, please watch any one of Gus Van Sant's much better films - [i]Last Days[/i] or [i]My Own Private Idaho[/i] do what Gallo tried to do, just a million times better.

There are scenes in [i]The Brown Bunny[/i] that I could have watched for hours. Some of the photography is perfect. It strikes a puzzling emotional chord within the viewer. It sucks you in because you want to know what the main character is thinking. I spent countless minutes completely mesmerized. And when Chloe Sevigny showed up, I thought it was ghostly in its creepiness. I don't know if that's because it was executed so well or if I was just sickly awaiting the film's notorious scene.

You all know about the scene. I know Gallo had a reason for putting it in there. I believe that porn is pollution, and I wouldn't EXACTLY call [i]The Brown Bunny[/i] porn - it is not supposed to be considered "sexy" or anything like that. It is obviously one of the most disturbing scenes I have ever seen. And it gets even more disturbing when Gallo reveals the M. Night Shyamalan-like "twist." I laughed when it came, seriously. I won't ruin it for you, because I know a lot of people are really interested in this one. Well, I spent $22 bucks on the DVD, since no rental stores will carry it, and it wasn't worth my money, but I'm at least glad I got it out of the way.

Don't say I didn't warn you! It's not boring. Just bad! Watch [i]Last Days[/i] instead...