Garçon Stupide (2004)

52% of critics liked it
(33 reviews)
46% of users liked it
(652 ratings)

An aimless gay teenager begins to realize the effect he has on others in this Swiss drama. Loïc (Pierre Chatagny) spends his days laying around watching television, and hooking up with anonymous johns he meets on the Internet. Leaning heavily on the support of his roommate and best friend, Marie… More An aimless gay teenager begins to realize the effect he has on others in this Swiss drama. Loïc (Pierre Chatagny) spends his days laying around watching television, and hooking up with anonymous johns he meets on the Internet. Leaning heavily on the support of his roommate and best friend, Marie (Natacha Koutchoumov), he shows little interest in any sort of vocation or job; that is, until he meets a thirtysomething man named Lionel (writer/director Lionel Baier). Unlike his other tricks, Lionel does not want sex from Loïc, but companionship, and the two share a series of intimate, challenging conversations -- recorded on Lionel's video camera -- that compel the young man to start finding direction in his life. As he begins to explore a burgeoning interest in photography, Loïc has some emotional growing pains, specifically in terms of his jealousy over the fact that Marie has found a boyfriend. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Lionel Baier
Written By: Lionel Baier, Laurent Guido
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Sep 30, 2005 Limited
On DVD: May 16, 2006
Studio: Picture This! Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
It's voyeuristic and kinky and maybe a little judgmental.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Garçon Stupide is the rare piece of European sexual realism centered completely on a boy's awakening. Young women have dominated the genre in the last 10 years, especially in France. So the film is a welcome, though inferior changeup.
John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press
Unfortunately, just when you think Garcon Stupide is going somewhere, Baier screws it up with a melodramatic climax and a political message.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Garcon Stupide never quite convinces us that it has a greater moral agenda beyond its graphic material.
Mario Tarradell, Dallas Morning News
Understanding the ins and outs of a young, detached psyche requires careful cinematic dialogue and introspection, qualities Mr. Baier can't muster in his feature debut.
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
A credible portrait of alienation.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
Are you getting anywhere? Are you stupid? Loïc will look you in the eye, and you'll have to face these questions.
Randy Shulman, Metro Weekly (Washington, DC)
Your interest is held by newcomer Pierre Chatagny, who captures all the infuriating, frustrating, incontestably sweet qualities of a young gay man in search of himself.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
The movie could also be called Uninteresting Boy or Stares Blankly Into the Distance in a Way That's Supposed to Look Pensive but Just Makes Him Look Like an Underwear Model Boy.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
[It's] unclear is why anyone would want to see this slog through the gutter or, even more, why young director Lionel Baier would want to make it...
Marrit Ingman, Austin Chronicle
Garçon Stupide is interesting enough to merit an audience broader than its intended niche, though it isn't perfect.
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
It's more than just a sexploitation film, but not much more.
John Hartl, Seattle Times
It's the kind of discomforting movie that seems designed to remind you of wrong-headed or foolish moments in your own past. On that level, it may succeed only too well.
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
... shot-on-video feature has an improvisational quality meant to look natural. Mostly it's tedious...
David Elliott, San Diego Union-Tribune
Tall, boyish Loic (Pierre Chatagny) is too much a statue even to be called stupid.
Jean Lowerison, San Diego Metropolitan
How do I hate this film? Let me count the ways.