Films have to be viewed in their own light as it's own single art piece, as the filmmakers intended to deliver their narrative through sound, picture and editing to us. Forget all knowledge that this film was 'based on a novel' that was 'based on a true story'.
Saying that, this film is hypocritical from start to finish with a touch of left wing anti- establishment thrown in for good measure and some very lazy film-making indeed.
Society is awful. Join a charity and help out. My dad was a meanie. Stand up to him when he is beating up your mum, not when he is offering to buy you a new car.
I do not understand how this film is regarded so highly that it appeared on many top 10 critic list for 2007. This is why I am writing my 2 cents worth.
Technically this film is sloppy. It uses every filmic cliché device possible to spoon feed it's audience and not allow them to make their own decisions of what is happening on screen.
Main protagonist starts acting dizzy as if he has ate something bad. Not sure if you were right? Sean Penn the Director cuts to the word 'Poison' then to the bag of weeds, then to a full screen text of 'Death' back to the bag of weeds and then if you weren't sure what was happening we get a blurred, stretched out effect laden close up of the protagonist getting sick.
Too many problems with this film; the length (2hr 20min), the anti-establishment themes (we get it), Not sleeping with sexy trailer park girl (?).
Society is awful and evil, so what he denounces it. Then why hitch-hike with people who own cars, steal rides on trains and eat food from people who live in houses. Nice ideals.
Finally, standing in the soup kitchen line he realizes that society is so disgusting that he does not want to be in a room full of homeless people as it hits him that he actually has parents to fall back on when his self-righteousness does not work out.
Up there with 'Life is beautiful' as a truly overrated film.
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