Henry Fool (1998)

88% of critics liked it
(26 reviews)
79% of users liked it
(5,196 ratings)

Simon Grim (James Urbaniak) is a garbageman, and his life is about as unpleasant and uneventful as you'd expect given his profession; he doesn't much care for his work, he's treated with violence or contempt by most of the people in his neighborhood, and he shares a house with Mary (Maria Porter),… More Simon Grim (James Urbaniak) is a garbageman, and his life is about as unpleasant and uneventful as you'd expect given his profession; he doesn't much care for his work, he's treated with violence or contempt by most of the people in his neighborhood, and he shares a house with Mary (Maria Porter), his cranky, pill-head mother, and Fay (Parker Posey), his morally suggestible sister. One day, Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan) appears; he claims to be a writer in the midst of a major project, entitled "Confessions," and needs a place to stay. Henry ends up moving in with Simon and his family, where he wastes no time in bedding both Mary and Fay, and encourages Simon to write in a journal. Simon begins to write in long torrents of words that surprisingly fall together into iambic pentameter; Henry tells Simon that what he's writing is poetry, and he's truly gifted. Simon seems dubious at first, but when several of Simon's pieces are posted on the Internet, he developes a huge and rabid following and is acclaimed as one of the great authors of our time. Henry, however, isn't able to get anywhere with his own book or his own life; as Simon's star slowly rises, Henry's orbit slowly sinks past the horizon. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr. 17 min.
Directed By: Hal Hartley
Written By: Hal Hartley
Genres: Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 19, 1998 Wide
On DVD: Dec 16, 2003

Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Embracing Hartley's motifs, such as the vicissitudes of fame and fate, the film is sharply uneven, meditative and touching in moments but also pretentious and overlong; it's the last decent movie Hartley has made.
Luke Y. Thompson, New Times
Has some good acting and ideas, but Hartley doesn't seem to know how to end the thing.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Bruce B

This is a pretty strange movie. From the 1997 Toronto International Film Festival Collection. Henry is a Garbage Man who life is invaded by some pretty wild souls. A Mother who is depressed, a sister who gives it up to everyone. I am still trying to figure out the plot. Others have… More
This is a pretty strange movie. From the 1997 Toronto International Film Festival Collection. Henry is a Garbage Man who life is invaded by some pretty wild souls. A Mother who is depressed, a sister who gives it up to everyone. I am still trying to figure out the plot. Others have rated this movie 4 or 5 stars and beats me why. 2 1/2 stars is best I'll give this one.
William G

Revels in peculiarity. Moderately amusing, rarely engaging. Third act flags.
Marion R

I enjoy this film as much as Fay Grim, I will check out more of Hartley's films.
Donna D

I watched Faye Grim before seeing this movie. Now, as I watched this first movie, it was very hilarious and well written. Hal Hartley directed a fine piece here with great actors and worked with a great screenplay. It had me laughing out loud at some parts, and the story was great.… More
I watched Faye Grim before seeing this movie. Now, as I watched this first movie, it was very hilarious and well written. Hal Hartley directed a fine piece here with great actors and worked with a great screenplay. It had me laughing out loud at some parts, and the story was great. Great comedy.