In Gus Van Sant's GERRY, a film more concerned with atmosphere and visual breadth than with story or plot, a frivolous hike through the desert evolves into an existential journey... more
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Gerry [2003]
In Gerry, two young men (Matt Damon and Casey Affleck) wander beautiful, barren, and
... more
surreal landscapes, gradually growing more and more lost. This film from Gus Van Sant (director of Drugstore Cowboy and Good Will Hunting) has no story, hardly any dia...
Production Year: 2001 - Drama - Director: Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Mikael Salomon, David Nutter, Tom Hanks, David Leland, David Frankel, Tony To - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over
Plot: Two friends named Gerry driving through Death Valley decide to finish their journey on foot. Soon the pair are both lost in the desert without provisions...
Release details
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Studio(s): 2 ENTERTAIN VIDEO; SONY DADC
Release date: 01/03/2004
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: VCD 0375
Barcode: 5014138039790
Director of Photography: Harris Savides
Languages
Main Language: English
Hearing Impaired Language: English
Technical information
Special Features: Trailer, Salt Lake Van Sant
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
Dubbing Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English
DVD Description
In Gus Van Sant's GERRY, a film more concerned with atmosphere and visual breadth than with story or plot, a frivolous hike through the desert evolves into an existential journey for two young men. The film features only two characters, both named Gerry and played by the film's co-creators Casey Affleck and Matt Damon. Driving through a desert populated with imposing rock formations and bordered by miles of sky, the two Gerrys stop to see an unspecified "thing" which they are unable to find. The two young men then attempt to return to their car, but cannot find the way back. As they wander through the increasingly difficult desert terrain, their journey strains their friendship and becomes an exploration that is clearly about more than just finding the car. After several commercial projects, GERRY is in some ways a return to roots for director Gus Van Sant. The motifs of moving clouds and the desert imagery may recall his early works--MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO and EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES--but GERRY is even more ambitious than those revered projects. Highly influenced by Hungarian filmmaker Bela Tarr (WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES), the film uses minimal dialogue and long, languishing shots to achieve a meditative mood.
Professional reviews
Review: "...One of the most intriguing American films of the year... Mesmerising and extraordinarily tense... A glorious off-beat original..." (Dazed and Confused, )
Advantages: Belly laughs throughout, some truely heart-felt moments Disadvantages: It's a 15 certificate because of the swearing
...Purely Belter starts in darkness, as the two lead characters, Gerry and Sewell are in the process of stealing the penalty spot from St. James' Park, home of Newcastle United. This begins the quest of the lads to make enough money to buy season tickets to see the Toon.
The lads try every trick in the book, from salvaging junk to bank robberies and stealing Alan Shearer's car watched over by the Guardian Angel of Toe Rags, the Angel of the North. In their way, are hazards like the police, a strict teacher played by Kevin Wheatley, and Social Services trying to keep Gerry in school.
There are some heart felt moments in the film, Gerry's family are having to move regularly to hide from his Alcoholic father who has beaten and stolen from them for years. The friendship becomes a little strained when Sewell gets involved with a girl...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Funny Disadvantages: It's not for everyone
...I am a regular cinema goer and also a big football fan. When I first saw the advertisement for Purely Belter I couldn’t wait to go and see it. So when it first came out in 2000, off to the cinema I went to see it. I was not disappointed. It was a funny film.
A year later when I saw the DVD for sale at just £4.99 I decided to buy it.
If you are a football fan you will enjoy this film. I would say that it is aimed at teenage boys, but if you like this sort of film then anyone can enjoy it. It is a British made film and did not cost millions to make. But it is good.
It tells the story of 2 teenage boys from Newcastle. They are big Newcastle United fans who want to save for season tickets and need to raise £1000 between them. The film has some very funny parts. It starts the film by showing the boys Gerry and Sewell stealing...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: bittersweet comedy with a refreshing tone Disadvantages: recommend for 15 +
...pitch at St James park - and from there it's all enthusiastic teenagers wanting to get some cash together for their season tickets........
That big thing - the Angel of the North, is featured as the 'Guardian Angel of Toe Rags' and these two likely lads look up at it as a sort of God, something that is going to give them what they want and wish for.....
in fact , the two lads are eventually given tickets to the MATCH - but not the Newcastle match, it's at the Stadium of Light and they go to see Sunderland play....
We have Gerry and Sewell, acting out the antics of a couple of good for nothing lads who get into the usual bother for their own benefit - they go from collecting junk and trying to sell it off, from shop lifting and pretending to be blind with a mongrel as a guide dog.. they also reflect on a moment of the 'everything's a pound...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
helpful 22.05.2005
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