Gerry [DVD]

Definitely not one to watch when your patience is at a minimum, but Gerry definitely demonstrates Van Sant's (and Damon's) willingness to go out on a limb. I won't extend that compliment to Casey Affleck, cuz really, what does he have to risk? Anyway, the cinematography is beautiful. The central concept is brilliantly simple. The Beckett-ish lack of narrative and dialogue is... a little hard to take. I found myself wanting just a little more, if only to feel more about these people when I found out how it ended. But I guess I can forgive that, as it's apparent this was the filmmaker's deliberate decision. The Amazon reviewer definitely is right about the experience vs memory thing. Last night as I watched it I found myself wondering why more than once. But a day later I'm still thinking about it.

This is the first DVD I've ever seen that I actually CARED to see in a sharper format.Unfortunately, it does not appear to be available in Blu-Ray (and I'm not sure I'd spend the money if it was), and I'd rather see it bigger as well as sharper, so perhaps the Nuart will run it someday at midnight. I'll be there!As to a review of the film, I think everything that could be said has already been said, but I'll try this:Among Van Zant's films in which "nothing happens," probably the least happens in this one. Here is my rough preference for the films:I liked Paranoid Park best.I'll give Gerry a second.Elephant is NOT the best film on the subject, not even the best experimental film on the subject (see ZERO DAY for a brilliant alternative), and finally,I really couldn't stand Last Days, although it too would have been better in Blu-Ray, because at least I might have spent less time thinking that the wide shots weren't sharp enough.--Gary (not Gerry)

If you like the desert, the views are gorgeous, but this is not for those who like "typical" movies. It purposely moves slowly - VERY slowly. The ending is surprising, sad, poignant and disturbing.

On some of the extended scenes, I had to fast forward. I'm a fan of Matt Damon, but not this one.

OMG it's a good thing this movie wasn't these Actors launch they'd never be famous! Don't waste your time.

An ultra-simple story, told with the barest minimum of dialogue and sound. Two normal guys, guys who watch TV and play video games, go off on a jaunt in the desert to see "the thing," whatever that is. Before they reach it, they get bored and decide to turn back to the car. And then...they are lost. And more lost. From the brush and cactus of the early scenes, the background gradually becomes rock, then mountain, then sand. The guys gradually realize that they're going to die. Nobody says anything about it, but we all know. Give this film the attention, the patience that it requires, and you will be amply repaid.

Okay....so much griping goes on about this Van Sant Masterpiece. You either love it or hate it. I LOVE LOVE it.

the movie is a bit obscure upon my first watch, however, it left me w/some strong images afterwards & perhaps a dream. the movie is not usual. it's a march & a wandering. very little dialogue. so little is said, that the movie becomes more of a sensuality, a mood, or a group of feelings. somehow, one way to look at it is survival of the fittest in the most crudest sense. the relationship between the two characters (there are only 2 in the whole movie)was a bit lost on me, though, however, in reflection after the movie, one character was definitely more dominant. and perhaps the whole ordeal was really a plot ... the movie is a meandering mystery.

van Sant is definitely an unstoppable experimentalist. And he still is, since even his most classic film are to be regarded as pieces of a unceaseable research through potential of cinema and hiw an author like him can adopt all kinds of known and unknown devices, tools, variety of languages, styles, etc...and refresh them through his personal touch and contribute. This film belongs to that middle land between his underground style (a whole long walk and talk between two friends who get lost in the american desert, with no music and just ambiental sounds and the actors words) and mainstream (it is one of his first films with young hollywood actors). What comes out is unique film, that is so extreme, although very simple, that results in a hypnotic and magnetic "non-story", where you end uo drawned in like a weird dream. i must say I found it funny, appealing and stimulating. It is all atmosphere. A, strangely enough, lighthearted atmosphere

Gerry is a film about two guys who go for a hike in the desert without any food or water & inevitably get lost. For 99.9% of the time, the only people onscreen are the two Gerrys. There's little or no dialogue but this works. Instead, it focuses on the scenery, which is utterly breathtaking & the sounds around. One scene where the boys are walking & all you can hear is their breathing & the crunch of the ground under their feet completely captivated me. Yes, sometimes the scenes are a bit drawn out but as the film went on I found myself watching these with bated breath to see what would happen. In a way, it's a bit like tense thriller as you know it's building up to something but you don't know when or how.The only reason for four not five stars was the ending, which I felt let the film down a bit. Give it a chance. I was tempted to fast forward a few times but I stuck with it & I came away completely mesmerised with it. I only wish I'd had the chance to see it on the big screen.

A slow and seemingly simple storyline, beautifully shot, first class acting, brilliant direction by Gus van sant.. A really interesting movie...

Because nothing stays the same in perpetuity, and even friendships can be tested. Two friends who've got lost, even though they were lost already.

I was first attracted to this film simply because my name is Gerry. I'm now really glad I bought it because I really enjoyed it. The first thing that struck me about this film is that it was obviously inspired by the real life case of Raffi Kodikian and David Coughlan. That same scenario of two confident carefree young guys going for a jaunt in the desert, blissfully unaware of the potential dangers of the harsh unforgiving environment they're stepping into and only one will survive the experience. It is brilliantly done, the atmosphere is superb and very realistic. There is very little dialogue and few scene changes but despite this the film kept me riveted for the whole 90+ minutes and seemed to flow very quickly. Fantastic film.

Gus Van Sant shot a trilogy of death, and this is one of them. Not much dialogues in the movie, and most of them are not too meaningful. Slow camera movement plus good photography. Still, I enjoy watching Van Sant's Elephant more than this one. Recommended to art film lovers only.

This is simply a great film. It has the exact right pace to make you part of the drama that's developing.

Excellent quality, delivered as stated, and very well packaged

quality still enjoy this movie.

I didn't know anything about this film, until I put it on the rental list at random.The opening scene has (the only) two guys driving on a desert highway, in which the camera faithfully follows the car, speeding up to it, slowing down, watching the landscape go by, with some outstanding minimalist music by Arvo Part in the background, and this lasts for about 5-7 minutes. Suffice it to say that if you don't like this scene, don't bother watching it.I did carry on watching, and am so happy I did. Watching these guys situation go from mildly diverting, to "Okay, what now?", and then to hopeless despair, the film totally hypnotises you. The parts of the film that most people thought were tedious, were some of the most compelling to watch. The scene where they're walking at a snail's pace, with the sun slowly rising, and the brilliant, haunting piano music behind it, was so eerie, so beautiful, I actually shivered. (Some will no doubt be in conversation with the Sandman by now. Their loss.)After watching this film, I was totally drained, and I will not forget it for a long time.Note: If you enjoyed Gus van Sant's 'Elephant', you will probably like this too. Hope this helps.xx

Gus van Sant ist halt einer der ganz speziellen Filmemacher, die einen immer wieder gerne aus dem 0815 - "Hab ich irgendwo schon mal wo anders gesehen" - Blockbuster Kino raus holen. Das Drehbuch stammt übrigens von den beiden Schauspielern Matt Damon und Casey Affleck in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Regisseur van Sant.Das hier ist ein wahrer Film.Zwei Schauspieler, ein Setting, eine simple, geradlinige Story, lange Kamerafahrten mit wenigen Schnitten und keine Filmmusik. Was dem Film absolut eine gewisse Hypnotik und ganz spezielle Atmosphäre verleiht. Glaubt's ruhig, liebe Kritiker, aber genau das regt zum denken an. Der Geist wird nicht geblendet von perfekten Schönheiten in unrealistischen Scheinwelten und bis zum bersten verdrehten Storytells.Ich hab den Film schon mehrmals gesehen und freue mich am Ende jedesmal auf das nächste mal.Für den Film Fan der besondern Art ein absolutes Muss. Ich warte gespannt auf eine gute BluRay Fassung.

I'm not going to try and argue or sway anyone's opinion. All I can say is that as someone who has devoted his life to filmmaking, this is one of the greatest inspirations I have ever witnessed, and in my mind without a doubt, one of the greatest examples of what film can be as an art form. Completely brilliant, beautiful, human, and abstract in the most unique way. As such, it will be divisive. But if you like it, you will absolutely love it. A tragedy that one of the greatest films of all time is one of the most unheard. But perhaps that is part of its understated existential beauty, like a painter never realized in his time.

Plus qu'un film ou qu'un exercice de style le « Gerry » de Gus Van Sant est une énigme, à la fois si simple et si compliquée, qu'elle semble condamner le spectateur à la même errance dans l'absolu que les héros du film dans le désert californien.Comme il le fera encore plus tard avec « Elephant », Van Sant prend un fait divers réel comme base de son scénario, pour en faire ensuite un film subliminal et radicalement personnel. Les deux héros du film (Matt Damon et Casey Affleck), tous les deux prénommés Gerry, se perdent au cours d'une excursion en voiture puis à pied dans le désert. L'impossibilité à retrouver leur chemin les confronte l'un à l'autre, au plus profond de leur différences et de leurs points communs. Mais sont-ils réellement deux êtres distincts ou simplement les visages forts et faibles d'un même individu ?Gus Van Sant se refuse à en dire plus (les Gerry ne parlent d'ailleurs pratiquement pendant ce film aux dialogues minimalistes) et nous laisse errer avec délectation dans les infinies lectures possibles de son œuvre si atypique, réaliser avec le savoir-faire qu'on lui connait dans ses cadrages, ses plans, son utilisation d'une lumière souvent saturée de soleil. A voir et à méditer.

Zum Film wurde bereits alles gesagt. Ist halt mal wieder so ein Fall von mag man oder mag man nicht, etwas dazwischen gibt es nicht.Ich kann zum Film nur folgendes sagen: Wenn fünf Leute in einem Raum sitzen und 90 Minuten lang kein Wort gesagt, kein Schluck getrunken, kein Chip gegessen und nicht aufs Klo gegangen wird, dann muss das, was auf dem Bildschirm passiert einfach irgendwie fesselnd sein.

Gus Van Sant is not afraid to follow up a big Hollywood movie with a low budget indie production and "Gerry" is definitely unlike any movie I've ever seen before. Some directors, like Steven Soderbergh, will do something as commercially appealing and popular as "Ocean's Eleven" - then follow it up with something as commercially unappealing as "Solaris". Van Sant has done the same 180 degree turn here as well. Sure to incite anger from casual moviegoers expecting the "new Matt Damon movie", "Gerry" is a 103 minute long movie that has virtually no dialogue. And the only two characters on screen are Matt Damon and Casey Affleck - both named Gerry. The movie opens with a wordless scene featuring the two Gerrys driving in the desert until they stop at a rest area. Finally around ten minutes in we are witness to the first dialogue between the two Gerrys. They embark on foot down a wilderness trail where they anticipate finding "the thing". We never find out what that "thing" is because the pair end up getting lost before finding it. The next 90 or so minutes is a nearly dialogue free collection of scenes showing the two guys trying to find their way back to the car. The beauty of a film like "Gerry" is that its minimalism is the silent third character. Blended in with the environment and weather, the two Gerrys are faced with thirst and starvation. The ending is shocking, especially in context of the location where it occurs. This is not a film for everyone. In fact, over half of the people in the theatre abandoned the screening by the halfway point. Whole groups of people left the theatre at one time, unable to endure this movie. Don't go to "Gerry" expecting "The Bourne Identity" or "Good Will Hunting". This is not that kind of movie. The amazing acting from Damon and Affleck would be difficult for an actor to carry off but these guys did it. Damon really demonstrates his skills near the end in a wordless scene that relies solely on his face and body language. Van Sant deserves credit for even considering a project like this. Will you be able to appreciate it, however? That is the question...