Humpday

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Humpday

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Humpday

Alycia Delmore, Joshua Leonard, Lynn Shelton, Mark Duplass, Trina Willard

Two guys take their bromance to another level when they participate in an art film project.

Id: 11020244

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Humpday Recent Reviews
  • her69eyes
    December 3, 2009
    her69eyes
    "Humpday", to put it simply, is the mumblecore answer to bromantic comedies like "I Love You, Man". Such an easy description doesn't quite do the concept justice, however, as director Lynn Shelton uses her rather obscure premise to create what is, at times, a surprisingly touchin...( read more)g comedy. The film not only explores the limits of male bonding, but, in a beautiful sequence in a hotel room, it illustrates heart-to-heart as foreplay.

    A brief introduction to mumblecore: a group of young directors - the Duplass Brothers ("Baghead") and Joe Swanberg ("Nights and Weekends") among them - aim for ultra-naturalism with the armchair philosophies of twenty-something city-dwellers. The movement's defining characteristics have shown to be their limitation, however, as very few of these films find something unique to say. "Humpday" is one of those that does.

    The set up reminds me of Kelly Reichardt's terrific "Old Joy" (that was neo-neorealism, not to be confused with mumblecore, got it?). Two old friends are reunited - the free-spirited friend, Andrew (Joshua Leonard) in this case, returns home from some time in Mexico to visit a college friend, Ben (Mark Duplass). Ben's married, has his own house, and is looking to start a family with his supportive wife, Anna (Alycia Delmore).

    While at a party with Andrew's friends, Ben learns of an art festival known as Humpfest. Amateur filmmakers make thematically rich pornographic films, which are then burned at the end of the contest - they're taking back pornography, as they say. Suddenly, Andrew and Ben are confronted with an idea: two straight guys having sex. It's beyond gay.

    I like that Shelton never went for the simple gross out gags. For two straight men about to make a porn tape, they remain rather mature - only in mild, awkward conversations do the logistics of the whole situation surface (how will they, for instance, get erect?). The film's lengthy final sequence, taking place in the hotel room that serves as a film set, is quite touching. In preparing for fornication, the men are driven together by this intimacy that's largely unmatched between straight male characters in film. It's an absurd set up for what is actually a quiet, tender finale.

    "Humpday" mostly works because of it's premise. Other "mumblecore" efforts, like "Nights and Weekends", suffer from a miniscule narrative and not enough to say. There's something to these characters beyond "embittered hipsters in love".
  • mrpopcorn
    December 3, 2009
    mrpopcorn
    "Sometimes male bonding can be taken a little too far."

    Two guys take their bromance to another level when they participate in an art film project.

    REVIEW

    Movie about two college friends Andre...( read more)w (Joshua Leonard) and Ben (Mark Duplass) getting together years after college. Ben has settled down and is happily married to Anna (Alycia Delmore). Andrew is single and somewhat wild. During one drunken night Andrew and Ben said they'll make a film of themselves for a sex film festival--they'll film themselves making love. The next day they regret it but neither one will back down. And who's going to tell Anna?

    This sounds like it has the makings of a dirty adult comedy...but it isn't. There are some very funny parts in it but mostly they deal with the situation in a realistic manner. It works because the script is very well-written and refuses to back down or take the easy way out. It's also an adult movie--it doesn't talk down to its audience or dumb it down for teenagers. Add to that three great performances by all the leads--especially Delmore. This is the type of movie that you see with friends and discuss afterwards. A well-done thought-provoking film. It is a little too long but worth catching. Recommended.
  • adfill7
    December 19, 2009
    adfill7
    The semi-improvisational style of this "mumblecore" movie truly made it seem more believable. Great performances and very funny moments.
  • Fragglefreak
    November 28, 2009
    Fragglefreak
    Wow. This movie was on my radar but I wasn't really interested until I sat down and gave it a shot. It's surprisingly sweet as well as bizarre in the indie charm way that some movies are. And I thought the acting was pretty good all a round.
  • mvieaddict
    November 24, 2009
    mvieaddict
    Humpday was not my style of movie at all. Got it recommended and I wanted to give it a try.The movie did not even start out strong, the beginning was the hardest part,all that talking and I could not identify with the characters. Ben and Anna's relationship seemed so weird, but a...( read more)s the movie progressed they loosen up a little.Then came Andrew, Ben's best college buddy, and there things get out of hands.They had a drunken promise, to make an amateur porn movie about themselves. For me to movie was a complete letdown, too much talking and repeating of the same things.Trying to be funny about 2 men sleeping with each other,was something I could not endure.I guess I am not the audience for these types of movies.
  • missopod
    December 26, 2009
    missopod
    I'm not a big fan of mumblecore by any means (I didn't even make it 20 minutes into "LOL"). But once in a while I find a mumblecore gem that keeps me watching. Humpday is no such gem. The comedy falls flat throughout the movie despite it having a lot of potential. Spoiler: The en...( read more)ding is a let down, for nearly 20 minutes you get to watch two men talk in a hotel room, not exactly what I was expecting.
  • mannly
    December 8, 2009
    mannly
    Sounds hilariously random!
  • divinetrash
    December 3, 2009
    divinetrash
    At first I thought it was gonna be Zack and Miri meets I Love You, Man but it is so much more than just that. The three main performances are phenomenal and really do give credibility and sustain the story magnificently, and the movie itself explores the boundaries of "bromance",...( read more) what we perceive ourselves to be as opposed to what we really are and our constant fear of having to fulfill a roll.
  • navinpai
    December 2, 2009
    navinpai
    What a complete waste of time this movie is......simply utter rubbish!! Believe me when I say that the title is about the best thing about the film!! I'd recommend you gouge your eyes out rather than watch this movie!!
  • danieljparsons
    November 28, 2009
    danieljparsons
    Realistic, improvised feeling 'bromance' taken to the next 'logical' step - this is a hilarious, surprisingly touching and wonderfully acted mumblecore film. Joshua Leonard (who I haven't heard much of since Blair Witch) and Mark Duplass are brilliant as the buddies who ha...( read more)ven't seen each other for the best part of a decade, and as the film progresses it becomes less about the film they have bluffed each other into agreeing to make than what they want to achieve by making it. The buried sadness of Andrew's regrets of potential wasted, and Ben's admission of loneliness from when he first moved to Seattle are two especially standout moments in what is simply a very well made film, that just so happens to be extremely funny. The pitch perfect ending is also striking.
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