Hesher (2010)

8/10

motionpicturemedics15 May 2011

I admit, it is a taboo for crewmen on a film to make a comment about it... sometimes you can be sued and can often breed bad mojo. However, I extend my neck on the chopping block for this film because not only because a few months of my life were spent on 14+ hours days with this cast/ crew/ and director but it was a... unique... project.

This was an unusual film to work on. Start with a Writer/Director who's fervently passionate about his work (...okay, I've seen that before) but with a twist. Add an almost impossible idealism in a man of school boy enthusiasm whose facial expression varied between, "I won the girl of my dreams," "Yeah, that's it... but do it again(and again)" to watching that hopeful idealism melt away as though you just told the persevering child that ha-ha you won't be an astronaut but rather a feeble emasculated yes man to a control freak wife. To say the Director was passionate about making his story real, real meaning matching that fully developed story that had vividly existed in the inner invaginations of his brain for years, doesn't begin to convey the sheer depth of it.

Firstly, the cast was phenomenal. Mr. Wilson especially was an amazing actor to watch perform. It is a subtle character of nominal lines but without a word he was able to convey an impressive character. The production could not have hoped for a better casting in this part.

Mr. Levitt was, as I believe most already know, a pro. His professionalism and seemingly innate ability to portray his character, to bring his character to life, was amazing to watch and a pleasure to work with.

Now we come to Devin as T.J. The lengths this gentleman was put to was intense. Yet never a complaint. Brushed himself off, caught his breath, and did it again. My compliments to Devin for his amazing dedication to his character and this film. I've never seen a new actor his age work so hard, diligently, and without complaint.

Now to the film. The script is not easy to read, painful in fact as the dialog slaps you in the face at least every other line. I confess I had my apprehensions at first... it seemed just too much.

However, these apprehensions faded as the type of the script was performed to the mind's eye of the Director and Cast. This film is very much about the not said, but the movements/ actions/ expressions. The subtle, and the beneath the surface story that is so much closer to truth and reality and than the superficial first glance.

Look at the typeface only, and the superficial facade of the characters will be all you see and doing so will fall nicely in line with the design of the characters' protective layers. Scratch deeper, or simply pay attention to what the characters are really portraying... The moorings and underpinnings in these characterizations, and how they combine into the plot, gives a profound yet simplistic look at human behavior and how people cope with identity, loss, and the need to be loved.

My hat off to this amazing cast, it's crew, and Mr. Susser.

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8/10

Metal, Loss, Arson, and Moving On

edgarman104017 May 2011

Simply put, Hesher is an exploration of loss: a universal experience shared by the film's characters: a nihilistic head-banging arsonist named Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a supermarket clerk with thick-rimmed eyeglasses and financial troubles named Nicole (Natalie Portman) who doesn't like being called "lady", a depressed widower named Paul (Rainn Wilson) who takes pills and sleeps all day, and a boy named T.J (Devin Brochu) who recently lost his mother, has a crush on an older woman, and is constantly bullied at school.

There are equal moments of humor and sorrow that bring a unique balance to the film. The best way I can talk about a film is by talking about the particular moments that stood out and made it such a beautiful picture. There is a particular scene where TJ and Paul go to a self help group to help cope with their loss that is one of the most brutally realistic and painful, yet beautiful scenes I have seen on film. Seeing these people talk about their grief was like watching real people as opposed to actors. That is how good the performances are.

Aside from well-executed emotion-drenching scenes such as that one, there are also real subtle touches in the dialogue between the characters that I rarely see in other films. There is a tender scene where Nicole saves T.J. from a bully. After offering him a ride home, she confesses that the reason she helped was because she didn't want to turn on the news that night and see that a young boy was beaten to death in a parking lot. She really did it for herself so she wouldn't feel guilty later and she apologizes for being selfish like that. The irony here being that that the fact she would feel guilty about something like that makes her a good person and someone who really wants to help.

There is great acting from all involved, particularly Levitt, Wilson, and Brochu. Levitt's actor shows hardly any emotion but there is a particular scene involving a close up where you can gradually see his eyes water as his heart breaks. Wilson continues to impress. He was great in Super and was amazingly real here as well. His heartache and apathy is devastating to watch and shows you how much pain he is in. But the best performance comes from Devin Brochu. He is amazingly good for someone that young. To be able to incorporate a character so completely and fearlessly is amazing to watch. The audience feels for this young boy and you wish someone would just come in and help him. The world is very dangerous for a child and you root for T.J. and hope he overcomes all the troubles he faces.

All in all, Hesher is a great film that is at the same time both hilarious and moving.

P.S. Best soundtrack ever. 80's Metallica throughout. Battery, Jump in The Fire, Motorbreath, etc.

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6/10

Strong performances in a surprisingly well-done character study.

Rockwell_Cronenberg5 August 2011

It's hard to really describe a movie like Hesher. At first it comes off as this bizarre comedy, but as the film goes along it becomes more and more this character study of a chaotic force coming into the life of a family that needs it more than they think. Joseph Gordon-Levitt's titular character is a psychopath, a heavy metal loving maniac who uses foul language at the most inappropriate times, flies off the handle with violence and pyromania and generally frightens anyone who sees him. He invites himself into the home of the Forneys without a word and no one tells him to leave or, more realistically, calls the police.

This concept is a little off-putting at first and gave me some slight trouble getting into the story, but once the film started to develop it became more and more...honest, in a strange way. They didn't tell him to leave because subconsciously they knew that they needed him. At first it seems like he's there for a home and a place to do laundry (the character is introduced living in a construction site) but later on we realize that he doesn't need them at all. He's a drifter in the wind, somehow helping these people that he comes into contact with despite initially seeming like the worst person you would ever want around. The concept is still a little too bizarre and the final act gets way too melodramatic and schmaltzy, but the film hit me a lot more honestly and emotionally than I was expecting it too.

I've always admired Levitt as one of the finest actors of his generation, but even I didn't think he could pull off a role like this. Boy, I was wrong to doubt him, because he is on fire the whole way through. Hilarious, terrifying and somehow heartfelt, he makes this character incredibly real, which is probably the biggest surprise of all. Natalie Portman also manages to impress in a supporting role as a shopgirl that Hesher and our young protagonist T.J. (a mature child performance from Devin Brochu) come into contact with. She grounds the film in some ways, being the most honest and human character, and she has a breakdown in her car with T.J. that is pretty wrenching.

I'm always kind of off-put by films where people in their late twenties somehow befriend ten year-olds and no one calls the police or anything, but this is one of the rare ones that allowed me to get past that initial gripe and eventually respect it for the solid character study that it is.

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double sided coin

megatrev12 August 2011

For a film like this you've really got to ask what you want. A lot of people I know might not like it or really get it. I was looking for something a bit different to watch by myself, to engorge myself in. It's properly crude (in US terms) but that's kind of the point I think. I watch a lot of films and this one made me register to IMDb as I think it's probably under-rated. The acting is GOOD throughout. The cast is good (especially the kid...if the kids in Harry Potter were half that good we'd see them a lot in movies in the future...we won't) and the vibe is excellent. It's original without trying too hard and it didn't make me feel like I'd seen this film before. The other reviews seem to sum up the premise pretty much so I won't bother. I think this film could've gone bad many times over but the quality of it holds it together. It's a bit odd, a bit wrong, a bit sad, funny, witty, intelligent, brave and charming. I may be over egging this pudding but this film very nearly slipped under my radar and I'm very glad it didn't. When I'm hunting I reckon this is the kind of review I'd like to read to fire me up a bit. Eternal Sunshine meets No country for old men......or something :-)

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7/10

Roller coaster of moods and tones, but "Hesher" has a good core

Movie_Muse_Reviews28 December 2011

A raucous take on your typical indie coming-of-age film, "Hesher" paints a portrait of grief and coping with adversity using a diverse palette of humor, sadness, rage, depression and raunch. Certain types will find a good degree of truth to writer/director Spencer Susser's tonal chaos, while others will raise eyebrows, but a part of "Hesher" will resonate with everyone.

Devin Brochu stars as T.J., who from the opening scene makes it clear he's trying to get himself killed at some point during the film. He's a bit reckless, and as it turns out he and his father (Rainn Wilson) are grieving for his mother, who died just a couple months before.

T.J's troubles lead him to an unfortunate encounter with a probably homeless chain-smoking metal rocker later to be introduced as Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who needless to say plays delightfully against type here.) Turns out that Hesher is about 10 times as reckless as T.J. and in a more brutal and calculating way. He follows T.J. to school, which scares the crap out of him, yet we can only assume it is Hesher who draws indecent images in permanent marker on the car of an older student bullying T.J.

Eventually, Hesher comes over uninvited and unannounced to T.J's grandmother's house, where T.J and his father are staying. He inserts himself aggressively yet peacefully into their home and becomes their guest over time, developing a friendship with the grandmother and taking a sort of tough-love mentorship of T.J.

We are to presume that the senility of the grandmother and the lifeless apathy of the pill- popping father lead to a casual acceptance of Hesher's newfound presence in their home. It's a significant leap, but Susser and his co-writers are much more preoccupied with creating this unlikely relationship between T.J. and Hesher that logistics take a back seat. Fortunately, the blunt humor spouted off by Hesher, who communicates almost exclusively in sexual metaphors, helps mask the plot's illogical backbone.

Although never explicitly stated, it becomes obvious that Hesher wishes to teach T.J. how to stick up for himself, and more importantly how not to fear the consequences. This, of course, is not the world view of an kid in his early teens, and it leads to several emotional whirlwinds for T.J. as he starts to come of age.

The script treats T.J. like an adult despite not being one: he curses regularly (which gets worse with Hesher around), he makes friends with people twice his age such as the grocery clerk at the local store (Natalie Portman) and in general he deals with things kids his age would rather not deal with. It's a bit ridiculous, but it does make for an interesting dynamic between him and Hesher.

At its core, "Hesher" is about dealing with "the ____ that happens to you," which begins to explain why in some scenes it's just Hesher breaking stuff, or T.J. breaking stuff, or conversely a slow and quiet dramatic and emotional scene such as when T.J. and his dad go to a grief support group. Each character handles it differently, and Hesher's purpose in the story is to shake up the way T.J and his father have handled with it so far with regards to the death of the mother.

Susser definitely punches home this message, but it comes through the thick clouds of X- rated humor and with scenes strung together without any cohesive tone. The heavy metal indie image that the film wants to give off doesn't necessarily gel with everything it wants to say. Certain moments are laugh-out-loud hysterical, while others are moving. Then some just feel weird. It's definitely a film that will connect with its audience, but its wired in an awkward way that will likely turn off some viewers.

~Steven C

Thanks for reading! Please visit my site moviemusereviews.com

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7/10

A heavy metal force of nature

terrencepatrix31 July 2011

Hesher is an interesting movie with a surprisingly upbeat, positive, and warm message at it's core. Hesher himself, while aptly acted, is a vulgar, heavy metal, chaotic, force of seeming destruction. He is essentially a plot device created to facilitate emotional growth and change in the lives around him. Some people will clearly A) Be entirely too dense to grasp this concept, B) Judge it entirely on it's vulgarity, thus ignoring it's message, or C) Understand it and appreciate it for what it is.

Whereas some movies rely on overly positive, loving, compassionate, understanding, and patient characters to get it's point across, "Hesher" doesn't just deviate from that...it takes a huge steamy dump on it. It's a symbol that not everyone needs group therapy to get over a personal crisis. That your world won't end without some prophetic angelic figure gracing you with it's presence. Instead, it shows you the depths of anger and chaos. It shows you that you really CAN just...do it. Whether "it" is getting out of bed and choosing to start life anew, or to trash a backyard and set a swimming pool on fire. The emphasis is that if you just ignore the consequences, perceived or literal, at least you DID SOMETHING. To me that is a fantastic message, regardless of how abstract or vulgar it's portrayed.

As to the movie itself, Hesher was played amazingly well. Joseph Gordon-Levitt played the character straight without it feeling cliché. You never quite know what his character will do, be it a seemingly offensive yet benign act that sets off a series of reactions that result in a positive conclusion, or setting a car on fire. It could be throwing explosives out a window, or helpfully picking up broken dish ware off the carpet. T.J. (Devin Brochu) nails the feeling of "angst", and has some pretty awesome rage moments you normally don't see from child actors. The father (Rainn Wilson) does a fair job as a broken down, depressed father, who's completely at a loss as to what to do and is so consumed by his own depression he ignores his child. It's similar to his character in "Super", not his best performance, but well performed. The grandmother "Piper Laurie" is very pleasant as a loving, kind, gentle figure. As for Natalie Portman's character, she seemed more of an inclusion just to further the concept of "Hesher" than a fully flushed out character. While her acting was spot on, it wasn't entirely necessary nor was her plot. She's hot though, so it's easy to let go.

Ultimately this is a feel good movie in a Heavy Metal package. It has some, albeit vulgar, prolific metaphors for life that when thought over are actually spot on. You have to be able to set aside your offense, and see it for the touching movie it is to be able to enjoy it. I honestly felt that it's message was very heartfelt and sincere. If any of this sounds interesting, then watch "Hesher". If it sounds terrible, well, it's probably not for you.

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7/10

Good movie, very original.

jmfozzatti26 March 2012

"Hesher" is a good movie. It's a sad history, with some parts of humor, some parts of romance, some parts of hate, some parts of darkness and a tragic end. The characters are really good: the sad and unlucky kid (TJ), the rare guy who disturb the kid till the point he explodes, the loser father who's lost by his wife's death, the grandmother who tries to get ahead the family, and the beautiful girl who break the kid's heart. It's a rare movie, but it's original too. Maybe it's hard to understand as the history unfolds, but leaves an important message, and that's the most important thing of this movie. Becomes heavy in some parts, but it's worth seeing.

Bonus: The soundtrack consists primarily of Metallica's classic songs of the more pure thrash metal era (1983-1988). It's really good because don't use the mainstream songs of Metallica.

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9/10

Angel of Death, and Life

quelleproductions12 February 2010

Dark. Very, very dark, and profane, and vulgar, and raw, and rough, and funny and sacrilegious and did I mention vulgar. But I loved it! It's real life. This film yields one the most interesting discussions about how God is speaking through films. A fracked-up family. A pryomaniacal, head-banging, angel of death. A sweet and sexy grocery clerk. And Metallica music what more do you need? This film is Psalm 88. It's a boy screaming to the heavens, "Why God? Where are You? Why don't you help me?" It's a once happy and bright life ruined by a car wreck. A mother killed. A son trying to be a man. A father dealing with depression. And a strange, reluctant "savior" that brings the family to the precipice of death; and life.

I think the greatest theme in this film comes when Hesher says he lost a (body part), but he has another one. Yes, the boy lost his mom, and his dad his wife, but they still have each other. Life is completely messed up, but we have each other.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Rainn Wilson, Devin Brochu: beautifully acted. This film is the epitome of Beauty from Ugliness, Life from Death, Sacred from Profane.

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6/10

Not Much Beauty Found in this Chaos

sundevil2722 January 2010

The movie Hesher arrives at Sundance with Joseph Gordon-Levitt's star on the rise and heightened anticipation post- 500 Days of Summer to see just how far he can go. One would think that with accomplished starlet Natalie Portman co-piloting this dramedy that Hesher would be a potent indie. Unfortunately, while JGL literally burns up the screen, the rest of the movies chaotic fire only dimly flickers.

The movie tells a tale of a grieving boy, TJ (Devin Brochu), whose mother recently passed away in a car accident and is struggling to deal with a rather nasty high school bully. During his travels TJ comes across a rather unlikable sort who goes by the name of Hesher (JGL). As the name would hint, Hesher is all balls out and heavy metal. Obnoxious, uninhibited and straight out dangerous Hesher brings a strange mix to TJ's family dynamic that includes his equally grief ridden father (Rainn Wilson) and his salt of earth Grandmother. Strangely enough Hesher offers the family an unlikely distraction that fascinates them all. As TJ stumbles along with the devil (Hesher) sitting on his shoulder he finds a kindred spirit in the form of Nicole the local grocery check out gal (Natalie Portman).Through a strange set of events TJ,Hesher and Nicole create a weird little triumvirate. With building intensity Hesher's brand of chaos begins to spark a flame in TJ that will transform his grief into a powerful force for good and also bad. Much like a wildfire everything must burn down to the ground in order to be rebuilt again.

The character Hesher is mesmerizing and at times extremely funny. Surely Joseph Gordon-Levitt saw a complex character that he could really have fun with, and indeed the end results show just that. Let it be clear that in terms of quality this is another great turn by JGL and another stepping stone on his way to becoming one of the best actors of his generation. That being said Hesher the movie feels disjointed, at times the movie's is too ugly and it leaves a bad taste that makes it hard to rebound for the laughs. To that end, while lurid the movie's strongest parts are its humorous ones which unfortunately are far too short lived. Speaking of short lived, Natalie Portman sees very little screen time and is dreadfully under used. Rainn Wilson as the depressed father turns out a great performance, after seeing this it seems that the Office dweeb has a lot more to offer then Dwightisms. Additionally, Devin Brochu as the young TJ is no slouch and really gives a powerful performance at his tender age, his rage is believable and at times tough to watch.

While there are good performances here the story simply does not allow for attachment or a truly rewarding pay off. The end results feel like JGL highlights with little else that really makes a lasting impression.

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10/10

HESHER---best film I saw at Sundance 2010

marciarealestate15 March 2010

I saw "Hesher" at Sundance and your review is so far off the mark it is unbelievable. "Hesher" IS very original and very funny. It will also leave a lump in your throat. Believe me, I saw 12 films at Sundance and "Hesher" was far and away the best. Perhaps your reviewer was confused because "Hesher" is really both funny and serious and a clever script nails it on both counts. From the first frame until the ending, there is not one dull moment and the cast is fabulous. At first, the character "Hesher" is sort of not likable but the way that Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays him, with a ' Cary Grant-ish' twinkle in his eye and his tongue placed firmly in his cheek, you can't help but cheer for this twisted rocker. The rest of the cast is a really great ensemble...you want ORIGINAL! They are all playing "against type." Besides Joseph Gordon-Levitt's captivating performance there is Natalie Portman, playing a homely looser without self esteem. She is so good you would never dream that this poor thing is a major movie star. Then there is Rainn Wilson playing a part so totally different than his 'Dwight Schroot' on the 'Office" that, with the beard he wears, most people will not even know it's him. He plays a man that is so devistated by his recent loss that he hasn't really decided if he wants to keep on living or not. A wonderfully touching performance by an actor known mainly as a doofus on a TV show. Devin Brochu, who plays the young boy T.J., doesn't seem like he's acting at all. A great job of directing by Spencer Susser is evident by the way he has molded this young actor, with very little experience, into a character who's pain you can feel. Lastly, kudos are in order for Piper Laurie, the attractive young leading lady of yore (she played Paul Newman's girlfriend in the "Hustler") and more recently was the witch of a mother in "Carrie", who makes the grandmother who is slowly loosing her marbles, a great friend and confidant of Hesher. The two of them, the near-Alzheimerland grandma and the wild and crazy (like a fox) Hesher are two very unlikely philosophers that have not been seen before in any film that I recall. If that is not an ORIGINAL concept I don't know what is! My suggestion: have your reviewer see it again, this time with his or her eyes OPEN. Otherwise, you will be missing one of the best films of this or any year.

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6/10

Entertainment Value But.........

samkan3 August 2013

Warning: Spoilers

Hesher is fun to watch with some comical and touching scenes. All the actors perform very well, especially Devon Brochu, the young man at the center of the film and especially Piper Laurie as his grandmother. Gordon-Levitt's character's actions are funny but confusing: They're inconsistent with reality, well beyond plausibility. Unless there are no police in the subject area of California one cannot understand how Hesher continues to exist. Yet the film is not comical, surrealistic or forgiving enough to overcome such exaggeration. But by applying an undeserved suspension of reality the acting fused with the comic -and sometimes poignant- scenes will pull you in. If you're like me, merely finishing a film on Netflix assigns it merit. Pretentious Spencer Susser got lucky. Hesher is not the insightful masterpiece he may think it is, though it succeeds for other reasons.

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9/10

Reckless & Touching

CubeRic900019 August 2011

I feel compelled to write a review on this film, but I'm just not sure what to focus on or how to outline what I loved about it. The story is so unique, and so left of centre, that it's very hard to describe, let alone break down and review. When attempting to describe it to a friend, I found it very difficult, as it just sounds so crazy. It makes one think, how could this be that enjoyable. All I could really say was, 'you have to watch this film!', as it made me smile, laugh and connect, from opening scene to closing credits.

After seeing the trailer for this, I was immediately interested. Mainly because of the crazy, ab-lib, don't-give-a-s**t nature of Hesher, actually reminded me of a friend, and this friend's antics and philosophy on life always amuse me, and more often than not, enlighten me to how this crazy world can be, and how you really shouldn't take things so seriously. Having such excitement for an upcoming film, you can quite often be let down. Luckily for me Hesher stood up, and was everything I hoped it would be, and more.

I found the story to be simply brilliant. So random and unpredictable you never really knew where it was going, or what was going to happen next. I loved the way in which Hesher makes he's first appearance in the film, and how he somehow, without trying (so it seems), finds he's place in Grandma's home. The dialogue was simply gold and oh so funny at times, that it made me want to re-watch the film as soon as it concluded, to pick up on the quick wit and laugh all over again. The scene at the pool was definitive for me. So funny and so strange. I couldn't help but enjoy and admire the way Hesher went about things in that scene, letting himself completely go, without a fear of consequence. Acting on he's most primal impulse. Not so much in anger, but in freedom, and having fun at the expense of a few 'versatile solutions for modern living'.

Hesher is an amazing character, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is brilliant. This might sound ridiculous to some, but I think it was worthy of an award, as this is a true embodiment of a character. There is no Joseph Gordon-Levitt in this film, there's only Hesher. I haven't seen that many of Joseph's movies, but I do remember '500 Days Of Summer', and this is polar opposites as far as role is concerned, and not many actors could make such a leap, convincingly. I also became a fan of Natalie Portman after this. I love the fact she took on a role that was so different. Her character's plainness, honesty, and self-confessed faults, made her simply beautiful to watch throughout. Devin Brochu as the main boy which the story revolves around is amazing. He's level of dramatic execution is spot on in every scene, and he's so believable as TJ. The film has such rich characters, which are all played to perfection. The Grandma is also worthy of a mention, providing so much love to an otherwise somewhat tragic story.

This film manages to mix humour, sadness and heart like very few films can. Its films like this that can pick people up and put them back on their feet. It actually made me feel better about life, and less worried about the ridiculous incidentals that can make us anxious and get us down. I'm not sure how this film managed to tap into such thoughts and emotions, but somehow it did. There is no comparative circumstance in the film for me, nor is there an obvious message that everyone can relate to, it is simply a story with colourful characters, with simple lives, told in such a unique and crazy way, that for some reason you commit to it and totally embrace it, only to feel on top of the world for having done so.

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6/10

Good Acting...

allenkymber28 July 2012

I will say that the acting was very good by all but the story in itself was weak. It was hard to see a young boy have his life get worse, confusing and more complicated by the day. The "Hesher" character was just not believable although Levitt is a fine actor. He was way over the top, too over the top with the language and disrespect and he had no back story to explain his ignorant behavior. I also understand going into a depression after the loss of a loved one but I also understand holding it together for your child and living a full life in honor of the deceased and grieving together creating an even stronger bond.

I'm a glass half full type of person but the filmmaker strikes me as a glass half empty type after watching this film. It pains me a little to say as I normally can appreciate most cinema but this movie just rubbed me the wrong way. Everyone was damaged and a kid was being mentally, physically and emotionally abused plus a funeral was completely disrespected. Too much!

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1/10

Don't waste your time

spunkione8 December 2012

I don't understand all the great reviews, I just watched this movie and it was horrible. It was so unbelievable, the kid looks like he's 10 but goes to high school? Some messed up stranger moves in and no one questions it? A stranger that curses and walks around almost naked smokes and drinks in your house with your child and mother, sorry but this would not happen. I get that they were trying to make a movie about a father and son and how do they live after the death of his wife/mother, but this movie was long and the most boring movie I've seen in a long time. I kept waiting for some big moment that would turn the movie around, but it just wasn't there. I'm an Indie film lover but don't waste your time.

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Very original, not really what I expected

rlaine21 September 2011

Warning: Spoilers

This movie screened at Helsinki International Film Festival '11 and I chose this for the obvious reasons of very strong cast, it features Metallica soundtrack and looked like a nice independent production by a director I had never heard of.

The movie is about a boy whose life is not very happy at the moment and a metalhead "Hesher" enters his life and makes it even more complicated.

The movie is very very grim and sad, don't be fooled by the trailer that this is a comedy, even tho there are occasional moments of laughter which are mostly triggered by Heshers (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) actions. The trailer really does not tell the whole truth and is a bit misleading.

I don't know if it is because of the trailer, but for the first 15-20 minutes or so I wasn't sure if this is gonna be the worst movie I've seen in a while, or a future cult classic. There was something in the movie that just did not work. For some reason I just felt uncomfortable watching it (the fact that the director was sitting in the audience didn't help the feeling..).

What I figure didn't work for me is that I really didn't know at times if this was supposed to be a comedy or not. It's very off balance here and there. There are scenes which are actually pretty dramatic, but are still spiced with comedic elements. One particular scene comes to mind where the boy is ran over and hurt by Hesher's van and he ends up kicking Hesher in the balls. The audience burst into laughter and I think most were just waiting to laugh at Heshers "Beavis and Butthead" style manners, but they were not given the chance because of all the drama. Even this scene really was not funny, but most laughed because a kick in the balls usually is a comedic element (As a side note, if Hesher was so concerned about his nuts, he would not have laughed after the kick..). This kind of balancing between drama and "comedy" goes thru the whole movie, which makes it a very strange viewing experience.

I'm still not sure if Gorden-Levitt pulled the role or not. I really like him as an actor, but in this role, I'm not sure. There are scenes where he truly shines (think of the pool scene and the conversation with granny), but for some reason I kept seeing someone else in his boots all the time and felt the character was somehow uneven. I understood they had a very strict script and this may show as unnatural acting. There are many scenes of "uncomfortable silences". This is a bit of a surprise, as with the directors background of editing some scenes could've been helped with tighter editing. There is a similar situation with the boy, who is on the screen in pretty much every scene. He is a very capable actor, but there are scenes in which I think he was a bit lost, but luckily they are not very many.

Portman pulls of a nice small role, but the best of the cast are Rainn Wilson as the dad and Piper Laurie as the granny. I feel they nail their performances. Rainn Wilson is a really a very capable actor for pulling a dramatic role after seeing him in US version of The Office.

After all the gripe, I have to stay I still enjoyed the movie very much for it's something I've never seen before, it's very original and keeps you interested. Some scenes with Hesher are very delicious to watch.

Also, as I said earlier we had the director present in the screening and afterwards having him tell about the movie and answer some questions. It was a real pleasure hearing the thoughts behind the movie, as they really made a lot of sense and made me think of the movie differently. The movie is pretty multi-layered and you could find a lot of double meanings and symbolism. He said that Hesher might even be seen as "death" visiting the family. A totally uncontrollable element you just have to learn to live with.

Visually the film is very good looking, it's very well thought of with a lot of care taken with the details. The director said he didn't want to place the movie in any certain timeframe, but that it could rather happen anytime between 70s to end of 90s, you won't see any mobile phones or computers on screen which is really refreshing. The visuals resemble 70s/80s with washed colors, wooden panels, clothing and hair.

I recommend this movie, it really is worth viewing, but don't expect a Beavis & Butthead style comedy, but rather a pretty deep drama about a family in grief. There won't be THAT much Metallica either, altho you could look for "references" to the bands early years..

I will be looking forward to Mr Sussers next movie.

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6/10

An Unconventional Coming of Age Story With A Metalllica Soundtrack!

rigovega5 May 2020

Hesher, is not your typical coming of age film. It doesn't have your usual morals or feel good nostalgia type of approach like in many films that revolve around prepubescent boys. Instead, Hesher chooses a much darker path that is quite amusing to witness. Overall, I can't recommend this to everyone. It is good if you like original movies that are trying something different.

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7/10

Don't Judge a Book by its cover

embracedasukk10 September 2011

This Movie reaches deep down inside and makes you feel.The sorrow and heart break is unmasked by the outright,straight forward, and mental additude of hesher! This is the first role of its type for Levitt, he really embodies the role and does it well. Portman also makes and appearance in the movie, she play's a down in the dumps cashier women. To make it short and sweet, This movie really will make feel there is no denying that. A boy, his dad, and a wondering soul, Search deep down inside to figure out who they are after a event that changes there life's. In a very interesting way hesher brings these two men out of there slump. This dark edgy comedy drama, will make the toughest of men run for the tissue box and also bring a smile to all who watch it. I was skeptic when i first watched this. fifteen minutes into the movie i was even able to blink, this movie is one of a kind and in my opinion is a one of a kind role for Levitt. Is a must watch for all who don't judge a book by its cover

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7/10

Everything was good except him (web)

leplatypus30 August 2013

Warning: Spoilers

There is a reunion of a great cast, the story is interesting and moving but the dynamic factor of Hesher is a bit a failure: his vulgarity, his wild attitude can be funny at start but after a while, the character is too much and he destroys the touch of reality of the movie.

To extend my introduction, the family has fabulous people: it was good to meet again the great actor i spot by watching "Dark Angel" (see my review of his appearance in episode 1.17). There's something about him that says he has talent and his portrayal of a broken father is amazing. His mother is the old bxxch of "Twin Peaks" who shows there that she can have a heart also. The unknown boy is good: he is like a young Luke Skywalker who just stumble in and endless nightmare. His only light comes from his connection with Nathalie and the moment they share together are intense. On the other hand, "Robin" can do all the trash he wants, he stays at the end the good guy he is, so his Hesher isn't really convincing.

The story is really interesting: Under the happy sun of California, life can be hard. It's good to see an American movie that speaks truth and that involves an average family. To make a kid the hero of a drama is original as at this age, it's just bang after bang as we can fight back. The only thing we need is parental love and here this love is just burning as his real parents are missing. If Hesher is too dangerous to stay, Natalie is a real angel. She has just a knack for these characters as she really embodies kindness, sweetness, empathy.

As everyone was at the bottom of the pit and finally seem to stand up, it would be interesting to follow their path again and discover what happen to them. So, Nat, if you read this review, think about it !

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10/10

Great movie

teryljo15 March 2011

I saw Hesher at a "sneak peek" that a friend asked me to (being a fan of Hesher style music, I was a natural invite). Of course I loved the soundtrack, but the movie is great without the music. Hesher is a person that we have all known at some point in our lives (or have been at some point in our lives). He has problems but is trying to help those around them with their lives. From the boy who is one step shy of being an orphan to the young woman who suffers from very low self esteem, people look to Hesher for help and he delivers. His assistance may not be exactly what was expected, but it is helpful and does make for an entertaining and thoughtful movie.

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7/10

Hesher (he's-her) was here.

punishmentpark8 February 2015

Warning: Spoilers

Metallica! A long-haired and socially unadapted Joseph G.L.. A nerdy N. Portman. An immovably depressed Rainn Wilson. And some kid. And another one. Etc..

This is a weird one. A drama about a grieving process mixed with foul(FOUL!)-mouthed black comedy, teenage rebellion, teenage romance + the usual awkward consequences, and the pros and cons of growing older, given into the caring hands of Hesher. He even cleans up afterward.

I've had so much (awkward) fun with that silly drawing on the yellow sports convertible and that wired up dude. And I enjoyed for instance, as always, the music of 'Motorbreath' and the classic intro to 'Battery' - why there isn't more of the great '80s metal in movies is really beyond me. It does make 'Hesher' all the more special, though.

For the rest of it, I have watched this partly breathlessly, partly in complete wonder. In the scene where Hesher appears at the school window and in the classroom they spoke of a made up character in a novel, I was getting ready for some kind of 'Fight club' twist. It wouldn't have bothered me at all, but Hesher's shameless oration and the final walk with grandma díd. But it's not too hard to forgive the film such actions, because they are in sync with what or who Hesher is. It does keep me from giving this the maximum rating for now, though.

Highly recommended? Yes! For everyone? No. 9 out of 10.

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9/10

F**king amazing!

Dainius88883 August 2011

Seriously, I was not expecting this movie to be great. Somehow, when I saw the trailer, I knew I would enjoy it, but I definitely wasn't ready for what was to come. And that huge surprise made it even more amazing for me.

The movie is a drama about life with amusing bits of humor. About pain. About letting go and moving on. And as many good movies as there are, based on the same or similar ideas,this one really stands out. The reason for that is the VERY original element in the movie - the character - Hesher. He is a totally typical metal head, who doesn't give a rat's ass about anything. It's all about beer, sex and rock & roll for him. So you can imagine how impossible it seems for such a character to be someone's guru. And here he is exactly that. And if that doesn't sound impressive, then I don't know what does. It really is enjoyable to see a little kid learn about life from the experience being together with a metal-head, who doesn't play by anyone's rules but his own. And throughout the whole movie this crazy character never says anything even remotely polite or appropriate, always swears, and makes a lot of comments based on sex or violence, etc. So, in a way, his character is absolutely unique for both his absolute imperfection, and his ability to enlighten people in the most absurd way possible. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a fantastic job portraying him. This is, by far, one of his greatest performance's. Natalie Portman, on the other hand, this time did not shine as she does in most of her roles. But this is only because her character is not so important and dynamic and gets little on screen time. Because her acting IS flawless, as always, just that this time there was no way to really express her performing abilities here. And it's absolutely wonderful to see how the main character 'T.J.' is superbly portrayed by Devin Brochu, in my opinion,- a star waiting to get spotted.

It's beautiful for the drama. It's cool and funny for the insane character - Hesher. It's important for it's message. I definitely recommend this, especially to people, who are in need of comforting and are searching for a break.

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7/10

One lime

strike-199525 May 2019

A very good coming of age film with some top jokes and physical comedy.

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10/10

Levitt is Brilliant

CinemaPat18 August 2011

"Life is like walking in the rain... you can hide and take cover or you can just get wet." Rarely in a film do I find a quote within it that perfectly describes the lessons it's trying to portray. In "Hesher", directed by Spencer Susser, this quote resonated with me. It was not until I heard that line that I fully understood what this movie was about. "Hesher" is a great film. One with a lot of heart and some brilliant writing. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the outrageous Hesher perfectly and is by far (aside from "Mysterious Skin") his best work to date.

"Hesher" plays out like a weird dream. T.J., impressively played by Devin Brochu, is a young boy struggling with the loss of his mother. He lives with his father Paul and his grandmother. Paul, played by Rain Wilson, has fallen into a deep depression letting go all of his responsibility to his son and his own mother. It's a very tragic situation they are in. In a fit of rage T.J. vandalizes what he thinks is an unoccupied building and as a result is confronted by Hesher, terrifying T.J. in the process. Hesher decides to follow T.J. to his home and lets himself in. T.J. can't do anything about this random person entering the house, doing laundry and generally just making himself at home for fear that Hesher will harm his family. What follows is a plethora of black comedy and heartfelt change within both Hesher and this distraught family.

At it's heart, "Hesher" is a film about not being able to see the things that are right in front of us until an outsider smacks us in the face with reality. This isn't apparent in the beginning of the film, but as Hesher gets to know the family and the situation they are in he goes from "house squatting" to being part of the family. In doing so the family is able to climb out of the rut they are in and fill the void left by the passing of the mother with the idea that life goes on. The film takes a lot of time to get to this realization, but the time spent getting there is great fun to watch.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt impresses me more every time I see him. His portrayal of the careless, fowl mouthed, violent, heavy metal loving outsider that we have all known at some point in our lives is spot on. Levitt seemed to really engulf himself into this role, almost to the point where he wasn't acting and just being himself. Rain Wilson also impressed me. His feature films have generally been him re-hashing his role from "The Office" in various outrageous situations. This time he was genuine and proved to this reviewer that his range goes beyond the weird goofball we are used to seeing. Natalie Portman plays the small role of T.J.'s older love interest. She was good, but her role seemed more like filler than anything else. There is nothing wrong with that, her character just wasn't an important role to the story it seemed.

One of the best aspects of this film was the relationship between Hesher and the grandmother, Madeleine, played by Piper Laurie. Hesher sees how Madeleine is just wandering aimlessly while Paul and T.J. deal with their problems completely ignoring her needs. Hesher, I think finds something that reminds him of his own mother in Madeleine and shares some sweet moments with her. Fortunately for Hesher, the grandmother's age has left her with the ability to completely ignore the fact that Hesher is just a stranger intruding into their lives and ends up treating him like one of her own. This, I think is the turning point for Hesher and we see the change within him.

This film goes much deeper than what is on the surface. Director and writer Spencer Susser did an amazing job with keeping the underlying meanings hidden until the right time for them to come to fruition. Not once was I bored with what was going on and I couldn't wait to see what the next scene had to offer. With this being Susser's first feature film, I am excited to see what he has next in the pipeline. Make no mistake, there is some vial language in this film so it's not for those that will not be able to get past the offensiveness of it all. But as I said, underneath the chain-smoking jerk that is Hesher you will find a kind soul that needed the Forney family just as much as they needed him.

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6/10

Has its Moments but not Great

Floated28 November 2013

Warning: Spoilers

I have read a lot of great things and seen constant praise within the last few years about the film Hesher, which made me very curious as to watching it. Hesher is a very interesting story which is about a young rebel named Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who forces his way into a kid's life (TJ played by Devin Brochu) after he spots him in grief by throwing a rock in an old abandoned home. TJ lives with his father (Rainn Wilson) and his grandma. TJ and his father are deeply affected by a tragic car accident involving the mother which lead to her death. Being very vulnerable, this makes an opportunity for Hesher to barrage himself into their house and do whatever he feels. Natalie Portman also plays a part in the film as a sad and depressed cashier which TJ has a crush on.

Hesher is a film which is clearly not for everyone as it was strictly a Film Festival film (and limited in theatres) causing it to get overlooked. However as for the film, it displays some spark, energy, constant profanity, and simply a basic no rules all for all shock value rebel drama. I personally expected more from Hesher but it works in parts. Felt too muddled, and a lot of the scenes without Hesher were not as interesting and dragged along. Some of the constant cut-aways I did not like too much. One thing about the film is that it kept you guessing but it never got to its full potential. It did not live up to the hype for myself, as I was lead to believe there was more comedy in the film itself and a higher climax, thus leaving disappointed. After watching Hesher, you are left in a very depressing feel as the films just ends. Though in the final scene Hesher does a good deed as he believes it made up for his long overdue visit but I felt that it was not enough. Maybe if we got to know more about Hesher's back story such as where he came from, this film would have succeeded a little more.

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1/10

Good acting ridiculous script

dror-lavy28 August 2011

total waste of time. I can't believe that a script this bad was made into a film. I guess director Spencer Susser is Passionate about making movies (he probably prefer the word film). Just like ad wood. Only he acutely convinced good actors to be in is film. For them it is a good movie to show what they have. Joseph Gordon-Levitt in doing some fine acting here but the film gave me the feeling of here is a movie about poor depressed people made by abundant Hollywood people that know nothing about the characters they make the film about. I'm sure they all felt they are doing an important movie. But For anyone who knows something about life this movie is ridiculously silly.

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