Breakfast of Champions
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Movie Reviews of Breakfast of Champions
Movie Review: Kilgore Trout!...Kilgore Trout?.... Kilgore Trout!... Kilgore Trout....
Summary: 5 Stars
This surreal adaptation of the Kurt Vonnegut novel hasn't a single sane person in it!
Willis is the suicidal high-profile owner of a Midland City car dealership who seeks the meaning of life when he doesn't have a pistol barrel in his mouth. Hershey is his zoned-out-on-TV wife, Haas their fey and glittery lounge lizard organist son.
Willis is having an affair with Headly, an oversexed secretary who's only in it for money: she wants to borrow from him the capital needed to open a fried chicken franchise. Nolte is Bruce's conservatively dressed sales manager who feels guilty about wearing women's lingerie at home. Epps is the recently paroled prisoner with a name similar to Willis'; he takes up residence in a purple car on Willis' lot, a place he calls "Fairyland."
Finney is a spacey, philsophizing sci-fi author whose stories only appeared in cheap-o 1950s skin mags. Campbell is the eccentric millionaire who thinks Finney's the greatest writer of all time; he invites the reclusive author to Midland City for an honorarium.
One of the the most underappreciated movies of all time. I love everything about it, especially Martin Denny's Exotica cocktail music (remember "Quiet Village"?).
(An ANNIE V. TOP 20 FILM.)
Parenthetical number preceding title is a 1 to 10 imdb viewer poll rating.
(4.3) Breakfast of Champions (1999) - Bruce Willis/Albert Finney/Nick Nolte/Barbara Hershey/Glenne Headly/Lucas Haas/Omar Epps/Vicki Lewis/Buck Henry/Ken Hudson Campbell/Owen Wilson/Shawnee Smith/Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Movie Review: A brilliant, dark comedy about the insanity all around us
Summary: 5 Stars
Most of the professional and amateur reviews I've seen of this film do it no justice. It does defy typical conventions, but how many times do you need to see the same four basic storylines remade? I found "Breakfast of Champions" surprisingly entertaining and hilarious with a lot of philosophical depth (not appropriate for kids though, as it makes fun of a lot of serious topics.) Like all of Vonnegut's work this film is much more than the summary of its plot, which centers on Bruce Willis' character's mental breakdown. The acting and directing and all the oddball nuances make physical the absurdity of the situation. The way each individual character interacts with and influences the others is brilliant. Nick Nolte is incredible and so much "into" his unique role that it is a little unnerving to watch. Each viewing of Breakfast of Champions reveals new angles and facets. Kurt Vonnegut has brief cameo role and the actor playing Kilgore Trout has some great mumbled lines that you won't want to miss.
Yes, the film differs from the book version in several places; a more faithful rendition would produce a less coherent film. The "Hollywood ending" is a real shock for fans of the book but I found it to be creative and satisfying. This movie will give you plenty to think about and a laughs where you least expect them.
Movie Review: you don't have to be crazy to work here, but it sure helps
Summary: 5 Stars
to those who said it has no meaning... what is the purpose of life? to be the eyes, ears, and conscience of the creator of the universe, you fool!to those who said it has no plot: since when does a visit from the creator of the universe not qualify as plot? coming to meet his creation and let them in on the secret.
to those who said bruce willis was not right for the role: he was perfect for the successful midwestern car dealership mogul. carrey and williams are excentric and would be out of place and no better than an intelligent gas from pluto!
to those who did not understand dwayne or celia: they are summed up in their first scene together. the stage is set and all the world is a stage, all the men and women are merely players.
to those of you willis fans who thought they were in for another die hard, and didn't understand what you got instead: look closely and you yourself are in the movie cast as the uncaring, misunderstanding public that leaves the greatest writer of all time (who is also quite possibly the creator of the universe) without a reputable publisher and his work relegated to the bargain bins of exotic bookshops wrapped in false covers promising promiscuity and action. gilgongo!
Movie Review: Don't Even Trip
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great adaptation. Just finished reading this book, and I watched the movie before hand. To all those out there: STOP SEEING MOVIES AND EXPECTING EXACT TRANSLATIONS. If you want to read a book and see a movie, remember this tagline: The screenwriter of this movie was a screenwriting machine not a book writing machine. The book writing machine did a great job that some other reading machines hate, while the screenwriting machine did its job great, and so on. Listen: The essence was there the whole time, and yes it touched me deeply, however of course it did because I'm the only one with free will from the Creator. Okay, get it? Calm down, stop gritting your teeth while watching this movie and go watch Garbage Pail Kids and see what could happen with a movie in the worst case scenario. Ghastly!!!Movie Review: Until you're dead, it's all life!
Summary: 5 Stars
I think this movie was an EXCELLENT adaptation of the book. The only fault I find with the plot change is that in the movie version, Dwayne's wife is still alive, and in the book, she'd already committed suicide. I think it's better for her to already be dead; it eliminates the which-woman-do-I-choose problem that takes away from the real story.
The movie is less depressing than the book, especially at the end. I think that's fine. In fact, I highly recommend reading the book and watching the movie at the same time--or as close to the same time as you can. If you are familiar with the illustrations in the book, the movie credits are HYSTERICAL!