Gerry (2002)

60% of critics liked it
(97 reviews)
61% of users liked it
(9,012 ratings)

Gus Van Sant returned to his roots in experimental filmmaking with this offbeat feature, whose dialogue was entirely improvised by its two person cast. Two men named Gerry (played by Matt Damon and Casey Affleck) are driving through the desert regions of Death Valley, traveling towards an unknown… More Gus Van Sant returned to his roots in experimental filmmaking with this offbeat feature, whose dialogue was entirely improvised by its two person cast. Two men named Gerry (played by Matt Damon and Casey Affleck) are driving through the desert regions of Death Valley, traveling towards an unknown destination. They pull over and set out on foot, presuming they're getting close to what they've come to find. Before long, Gerry and Gerry are both lost in an unforgiving desert without food, water, or other provisions, and the harder they try to find their way back to their car, they only dig themselves deeper and deeper into the desert. Gus Van Sant originally began shooting Gerry in Argentina, but was soon dissatisfied with the weather and the terrain, opting to start over in California and Utah; the film premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 43 min.
Directed By: Gus Van Sant
Written By: Casey Affleck, Gus Van Sant
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Art House & International, Special Interest

In Theaters: Feb 14, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Nov 11, 2003
Studio: FilmFour

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
The two stars...[Casey Affleck and Matt Damon]...both playing characters named Gerry, wander across the desert for some reason, and if you enjoy watching them on any pretext, you'll probably enjoy this; if you don't, you won't.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
You have to stay with Gerry, which starts out as a willful stunt, turns into a sadistic endurance test and ends up as something surprisingly affable and engaging.
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star
If you can get lost along with it, Van Sant's Gerry is actually anything but empty: At times it's tonically liberating.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
Fascinating, even if perversely so, and quite beautiful.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If nothing else, Gerry is restful, though I'm not sure that counts as a recommendation.
Bill Muller, Arizona Republic
Now we know what happens when director Gus Van Sant gets bored. He makes us bored.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
A difficult, demanding sit, but it wouldn't have been nearly as fascinating and rewarding a film if it weren't.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Likely to sharply divide critics, Gerry goes back to his indie roots with a minimalist work that carries itself almost entirely through the awesome yet austere visuals and sounds.
Nick Schager, Lessons of Darkness
Absolutely transfixing at one moment and unbearably boring the next.
Matt Kelemen, Las Vegas CityLife
Although the images from the film are poetic and are more fondly recalled in hindsight, in this case art film for art film's sake doesn't fly very high.
Dan Jardine, Cinemania
Hiking for Godot: Van Sant's existential Blair Witch Project's daemon lurks within.
Rumsey Taylor, Not Coming to a Theater Near You
Gerry proposes simplicity; even the most capsulated descriptions of it are dubious.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Were you frustrated by Gerry? If so, "Salt Lake Van Sant" should equally annoy you.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Conner R

An incredibly unique viewing experience, Gerry really puts you into the mindset of the characters. It feels like you're slowly but surely losing your mind and desperately trying to find your way out of a maze. The shooting style is incredible, simplistic yet beautiful. I love Gus… More
An incredibly unique viewing experience, Gerry really puts you into the mindset of the characters. It feels like you're slowly but surely losing your mind and desperately trying to find your way out of a maze. The shooting style is incredible, simplistic yet beautiful. I love Gus Van Sant's vision mixed with video, it just seems to work perfectly. Matt Damon and Casey Affleck give about as good of performances as you could ask for, which is essential in a film where they are the main focus.
Arash X

Add me to the "you don't get it" group because I realy fail to uderstand the brilliance of seeing two people just walking throughout the whole movie, Intellectual? Realistic? Not really, Gus Van Sant has proved that he can make great memorable movies like My Own Private… More
Add me to the "you don't get it" group because I realy fail to uderstand the brilliance of seeing two people just walking throughout the whole movie, Intellectual? Realistic? Not really, Gus Van Sant has proved that he can make great memorable movies like My Own Private Idaho but it seems that he's chosen not to
Mike T

This movie really shook me up. A minimalist, borderline abstract depiction of two young men fading slowly away in a remote, seemingly endless desert. The photography is unbelievably gorgeous, and Gus Van Sant's visual style captures the story's poetic tone perfectly. Casey… More
This movie really shook me up. A minimalist, borderline abstract depiction of two young men fading slowly away in a remote, seemingly endless desert. The photography is unbelievably gorgeous, and Gus Van Sant's visual style captures the story's poetic tone perfectly. Casey Affleck and Matt Damon deliver performances as subtle and powerful as the film itself. Amazing stuff.
Christopher B

Great film about 2 friends who get lost in the desert. I've said a certain thing about many films , but I think it pertains to this one more than any I've seen. If you watch the film as an outsider, that is, if you don't get into the film, a lot of films won't… More
Great film about 2 friends who get lost in the desert. I've said a certain thing about many films , but I think it pertains to this one more than any I've seen. If you watch the film as an outsider, that is, if you don't get into the film, a lot of films won't work. That's why most folks like spectacle films, something they can ooh and aah at (don't get me wrong, I can enjoy a good spectacle film as well) while watching as a voyeur from afar. But certain filmmakers try and absorb you with their films, and I found Gerry hypnotic. Going from light hearted frustration to worry to hopelessness, I thought Van Sant pretty much nailed the feeling of being there with the characters. A fantastic work, which wasn't made to be watched again and again, but to work as a piece of provocative art, and though it doesn't beg repeated viewings like more spectacular films, I'll definitely be visiting this one again.
MJS M

Gus Van Sant has dedicated this decade to a unique style of non-narrative cinema. I was intrigued by his film Elephant, but bored to tears by his follow-up Last Days. Now that I?ve seen the movie that started this style, I?ve come to the conclusion that this style?s power is… More
Gus Van Sant has dedicated this decade to a unique style of non-narrative cinema. I was intrigued by his film Elephant, but bored to tears by his follow-up Last Days. Now that I?ve seen the movie that started this style, I?ve come to the conclusion that this style?s power is directly proportional to how interesting the material it looks at is. I?d say the level of interest here is somewhere between Elephant and Last Days. I was very interested in the film?s experimental nature and the non-sensational look at this dire situation. However, I began to lose patience with the film after about an hour. The film devolved into endless shot after endless shot and I quickly found myself bored. Experiments aren?t always going to succeed fully, I?m glad Van Sant is trying something different. Hopefully this style will finally be used with complete success in Paranoid Park.
Eduardo C

Quite simply one of the most beautifully photographed films ever made. It probably has the least dialogue I've ever heard in a feature, and most of what is said is irrelevant anyway, but it is so scarce you cannot help but pay the utmost attention to it. The images and sound… More
Quite simply one of the most beautifully photographed films ever made. It probably has the least dialogue I've ever heard in a feature, and most of what is said is irrelevant anyway, but it is so scarce you cannot help but pay the utmost attention to it. The images and sound weave a hypnotic effect on the viewer (if you let it) and the ending elevates the film to the realm of parable. Definitely not a film for everyone, as it requires the longest of attention spans.