Search - Henry Fool on DVD

An absolutely brilliant, mesmerizing film

Daniel Jolley | Shelby, North Carolina USA | 10/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One tries not to throw the word brilliant around too often, as doing so robs the word of any meaning, so I am quite sincere when I bestow the word brilliant on this remarkable film - after all, what is artistic brilliance if not the ability to call forth beauty from the midst of ugliness? This story takes place against a depressing backdrop of poverty, desperation, and dysfunction. Simon Grim (James Urbaniak) works as a garbage man, endures physical attacks on the streets, and comes home each night to a thoroughly dysfunctional family. His mother is obviously depressed and, at times, nonresponsive, while his sister Faye (Parker Posey) is irresponsible and only interested in fulfilling her own sexual needs as often as possible. Simon himself seems anti-social if not mentally challenged. Then a stranger named Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan) shows up and changes everything. He has a magnetic personality, albeit one that pushes some people away while drawing others in, and he befriends Simon. Beaming literary pretentiousness, Henry goes on and on about his personal memoirs (or confessions), which he assures Simon will revolutionize the world and society when they are completed and published. When Simon begins following Henry's lead, he produces a new kind of poetry, one which Henry hails as cutting-edge and revolutionary. While his mother and sister ridicule him, Simon is encouraged by Henry to keep writing, rightly pointing to some amazing changes that occur in individuals who read a sampling of his work. Critics initially hail his great poem as poorly written and pornographic (the ultimate put-down), yet Simon perseveres through doubt, tragedy, and controversy, eventually meeting with great success - which changes the lives of these characters irrevocably.

In many ways, this film really is all about Henry Fool himself. He's a mystery for much of this film, a strange external force that shows up out of nowhere and changes the lives of those around him. He is an exceptional fellow - but not necessarily what he appears. As the film progresses, we learn more and more about his troubled past and witness his emotional decline in both the present and the future. His darkest secrets and weaknesses are revealed, he becomes more and more dependent on alcohol and cigarettes, and the mask covering the ugliness of his life begins to slip. Even at his worst, though, he is thoroughly human and morbidly fascinating (and something of a mirror to the souls of many of us, if we're honest enough to admit it), especially at the end when the story has basically come full circle.

There is no character like Henry Fool, and Jay Henry Thomas is absolutely amazing in the role. Great performances abound in this film, while Hal Hartley's direction is impeccable. I don't know what to call the world Hartley has created in this film: it's hyper-surreal yet completely realistic at the same time. It deals with an amazing range of issues head on; oftentimes shockingly direct yet always poignant and surprisingly deep. As others have said, this is not a film that could ever have been borne of a major studio; only an independent filmmaker can take the kind of chances that Hartley takes here, or take such a seemingly simple idea and imbue it with such depth, emotional resonance, and integrity. Henry Fool is nothing less than a stellar, bloody brilliant film."

The Thin Line Between Artists and Fakes

Henry Chinaski | Los Angeles, CA United States | 12/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Awesome.This is one of my top-five favorite films of all time. I own this on VHS and I will buy the DVD as well.It's understandable that some intelligent, creative people may dislike this film. The movie demonstrates how one can be brilliant, skilled and dedicated (Henry), but ultimately unable to deliver. Henry's grasp of language and apparent intellectual depth are so engaging, we are fooled into believing his own claims to greatness. In a world crawling with self-proclaimed writers, artists and poets, it's a painful truth that talent and desire often do not lead to success.But all of this is really just a plot vehicle for the overriding themes of the movie.In the end, this is a film about friendship, loyalty, pride and family. And it's beautifully done.I've watched it several times and I'll admit that it drags a bit in places, but I still love it."