Funny Games

Funny Games
R
Runtime: 111 min.
USA

I'm somewhat unclear as to why certain films appeal to me, especially when they deal with extreme violence and depravity. Funny games fits perfectly into that category. It centers around an affluent family of 3 that goes on vacation to their summer home and quickly find themselves at the mercy of a pair of psychotic youths who torture them mercilessly, simply to satisfy their own whims. Good times, yeah?

The film is actually a remake of Michael Haneke's own 1997 original, shot for shot. I'm not sure why any director would take a movie that they had made and feel like they needed to recreate it with different actors...but apparently Haneke did. Don't get me wrong...Tim Roth and Naomi Watts (EXCEPT for her performance in King Kong...why?!) are phenomenal (one of the principal reasons I wanted to see it in the first place) but it seems like either an attempt to make more money from an existing idea or an act of retribution because he felt his first attempt wasn't good enough. Who knows.

After my late night viewing, I went to bed feeling pretty unsettled. Not surprising, given the subject matter. I was hoping for some resolution or a partial understanding of the two crazies' intentions. Didn't happen though and I ended up with the same empty sensation that I had after watching Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange for the first time. (as a matter of fact, there were a lot of similarities to ACO, even down to their white attire, gloves and mannerisms) The strange thing is that I consider myself a realist and usually want to vomit after seeing a movie with a nice "hollywood" ending...but this conclusion left me wanting just a hint of humanity. Unfortunately, I think the film was a glimpse into the reality that the world provides on occasion: random acts of violence, without explanation, happening to seemingly normal people. Most people (myself included sometimes) want to have an explanation for all the "why's" but it's just not always possible. I won't give away any of the "games" that they play...suffice it to say they're pretty gruesome. That said, it kept me enthralled through the whole movie with pretty convincing performances from Naomi Watts and Tim Roth (although Michael Pitt bugs the HELL out of me...I wish I never saw Murder By Numbers). I'd recommend it for anyone with a penchant for the deranged...if that's not you, don't bother.