Dear Wendy (2005)

21 out of 27 people found the following review helpful:

Action with flair...

pigtiger from Suffolk, 6th December, 2005

If you look at this film as a piece of art, and you just want to enjoy a damn good story without searching for metaphors or morality then you’ll be delighted. Its nicely paced, looks beautiful and the performances are very good indeed. The writer and director both claim that there’s no message about guns/America’s attitude to guns in the film, and that stands up. I can, however, also see that people will argue that there is a distinct message about violence, but I’m also certain that you could find equal amounts of people who see an anti-gun message and those who claim it glamorises firearms.

The actions of the gang may seem extreme, but anyone who has spent even one day feeling “left-out” can identify with the fervency that the group succumb to once they finally feel that they belong with a group of like-minded individuals.

The film doesn’t give me a chance to do one of those lazy “x meets y” reviews because I can’t think of a similar film. One can recognise aspects of Lars Von Trier’s other works in the script and certainly in the graphics, but the director has stamped his own style on the film.

For those of you who do want one of those lazy reviews try “The Breakfast Club meets The Quick and the Dead” – now that’s got you wondering…

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14 out of 17 people found the following review helpful:

Suprising!

Justin McFerran from Merseyside, 1st December, 2005

This was one of my favourite films of 2005, and i was really suprised after walking into the cinema not knowing anything about the film apart from that it featured Jamie Bell. The actual story line may be a little flimsy centering around a group of Teens who form an anti-violence coalition in order to boost their own self esteem. However the way it's shot and the actual feel of the film is very pleasing indeed, the film drips with style. If you're a fan of slightly off centre indie films then you must rent this...

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7 out of 7 people found the following review helpful:

Stand By Me (with 6 guns, a granny and a girl)

James Witt from London, SE16, 13th April, 2006

Wow! What a rollicking good film. Jamie Bell gives an outstanding central performance as Dick Dandelion. (This boy is TOO talented). After stumbling accross a vintage handgun, which he names Wendy, he forms a clandestine gang called 'The Dandies' compiled of other local kids, who also exist on the ouskirts of society. Cue some really well defined, quirky and compelling characterisation from such actors as Chris Owen (from the American Pie trilogy) as the calliper legged Huey another member of Dick's band of pacifist gun lovers. The film simmers away and concludes with an unexpected series of twists worthy of a M.Night Shyamalan movie. What I found most interesting was the exploration of empowerment through gun ownership. But this is more than an 'issue' movie, it is also a touching exploration of adolescent relationships which were reminiscent of those in Stand By Me (1986). All in all this is a highly original, pacy, visceral and offbeat coming of age movie that explores the psychology behind gun culture.

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7 out of 10 people found the following review helpful:

Simple but effective

Bombaymatt from Kent, 19th January, 2006

This film is probably not everyones cup of tea but personally I liked it, so did my girlfriend, which I thought she wouldn't.

A pretty simple but effective story about kids in a small mining town in America who don't really have a great deal to do and are different from the majority of the townsfolk who are miners.

The kids are considered losers by most of the town so they start their own club in an abandoned mine on the edge of town. With good performances from the actors, three at least of whom you may recgonise from other films if you watch a lot, the main character being a grown up Billy Elliot!

Again it's not for eveyone, but what film is? Give it a go!

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Terrible, don't bother.

Jcat from , 16th June, 2009

So, the first half hour is fine, good introduction and you expect it to move on with some in-depth charactor building, but thats where the film decides it can't be bothered anymore and decends into dull, tripe. Constant narrative makes for child like over hard hitting points where it would be best to let the viewer watch the intricacies of interaction (there are none). Glorification of guns and in the end voilence.Desperate to be a modern day western, doesn't manage. I have seen reviews that claim it is forcing us to re-evaluate gun culture, this film has no such depth. Another piece of bland overindulgant time wasting with Lars Von Triers name all over it. One of the worst films I have ever seen, and I have seen thousands.

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Dreary Windy

LarryKetang from , 12th May, 2009

Inflated, pointless, painful nonsense! The worst film i've ever had the misfortune of watching. I rented this film at the weekend to watch with my wife... she left me half way through for a man with a VHS copy of Battlefield Earth. The script appears to have been written on a broken calculator by a blind recess monkey. The characters are about as deep as 'prime time' Saturday night ITV, drawing no empathy what-so-ever from their bewildwered and some-what offended audience. The best bit is the relief you feel when the credits eventually roll, and you begin creating a massive mental list of all the inept, time wasters involved so you never have to endure this kind of 'modern art' again. I suggest rubbing a bag of angry wasps on your face instead!

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Curiously average

Sean Sansom from Wrexham, 14th January, 2009

From the director of Festen (+ writer Lars Von Trier), I was expecting a far more engaging work. The film certainly wasn't bad and, for that matter, was fairly enjoyable, but seemed to lack the substance I expected from it (either that or I simply didn't 'get it'). All in all, certainly worth a view but don't make the mistake of expecting too much.

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1 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Pants

sashysach from , 18th June, 2008

Really did not enjoy this film, was dull, couldn't keep my eyes open to watch it. Didn't even finish watching it. Just forget it, waste of time and energy.

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