Bellflower

Name: Bellflower
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance
Released: August 5, 2011
Duration: 106 min
Rating: 72

2011

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Ratings

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5.7

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5.7	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 36 Ratings

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Bellflower

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Movie Details & Credits

Oscilloscope Laboratories | Release Date: August 5, 2011 | R

Summary: Best friends Woodrow and Aiden spend all of their free time building MAD MAX-inspired flamethrowers and muscle cars in preparation for a global apocalypse. But when Woodrow meets a charismatic young woman and falls hard in love, he and Aiden quickly integrate into a new group of friends, setting off on a journey of love and hate, betrayal,Best friends Woodrow and Aiden spend all of their free time building MAD MAX-inspired flamethrowers and muscle cars in preparation for a global apocalypse. But when Woodrow meets a charismatic young woman and falls hard in love, he and Aiden quickly integrate into a new group of friends, setting off on a journey of love and hate, betrayal, infidelity, and extreme violence more devastating and fiery than any of their apocalyptic fantasies.(Oscilloscope Films)… Expand

Director: Evan Glodell

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 106 min

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Critic Reviews

Bill Goodykoontz

Aug 25, 2011

Bursts at the seams with wild creativity. Read full review

Nick Schager

Jul 31, 2011

Evan Glodell's debut has the sweetness of a lullaby reverie and the blazing ferocity of a monster-car nightmare, a first-comes-elation, then-comes-madness structure that resembles that of "Blue Valentine," another tale focused on the commencement, and then collapse, of an affair. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

Aug 4, 2011

There's more here than initially meets and sometimes assaults the eye, including the hyperbolic dudeness of it all. Read full review

Ty Burr

Sep 8, 2011

Hardly a consistent piece of work, but even when it falls apart toward the end in a mess of bad acting and amazingly youthful pretentiousness, you may find it hard to look away. Handmade and helpless, it's nevertheless the real deal, an artful blurt of sensitivity and rage. Read full review

Tirdad Derakhshani

Sep 15, 2011

Bellflower has plenty of rough edges and it suffers from a bad case of hipper-than-thou-ness. But it's a triumph. Read full review

John DeFore

Jul 31, 2011

It's messy and leaves an unusual taste on the palate, but Bellflower has a strange, ugly-sweet appeal that couldn't have been produced without the schlocky entertainments that have channeled the imaginations of gifted but impressionable kids for decades. Read full review

Michael O'Sullivan

Sep 8, 2011

Worse yet is the insincerity of the film's central performances. Too cool by half, Glodell, Wiseman and Dawson speak every line as if it had air quotes around it. In fact, the entire movie feels as though it has air quotes around it. Read full review

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User Reviews

NKOAS

Nov 17, 2012

In a year that brought big-budget entries from big names like Scorsese, Allen, Clooney, Payne and Fincher, it

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MarcDoyle

Aug 6, 2011

One of the rare films that lives up to the promise of the trailer, and Bellflower's trailer is incredibly cool. Evan Glodell does a terrific acting job as the lead character, but his script and direction are also spot on. The way the film is unfocused, blurry, and jumps frames at certainOne of the rare films that lives up to the promise of the trailer, and Bellflower's trailer is incredibly cool. Evan Glodell does a terrific acting job as the lead character, but his script and direction are also spot on. The way the film is unfocused, blurry, and jumps frames at certain high tension moments is highly effective. The relationship between the two old friend leads is somewhat reminiscent of the guys in Clerks, though their building of flamethrowers, fire-breathing cars, and in-dash whiskey fountains set them apart. I've heard this movie compared to Fight Club, but that's way off. This movie has a huge heart. So much action, betrayal, and pulp.... I'm fired up to see it again. It was great seeing and HEARing Medusa (the car) at the film's opening night at the Nuart in LA. Evan also spoke to the crowd - his humility and awe at the size of the crowd was refreshing.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

CitizenCharlie

Sep 13, 2011

Bellflower is the result of some filthy filmmaking. I do not mean that as they did a poor job, far from it. I mean the shots are so real and intense that you can almost smell B.O., sweat, and whiskey while sitting in an air conditioned theater. There is a road trip scene where it looksBellflower is the result of some filthy filmmaking. I do not mean that as they did a poor job, far from it. I mean the shots are so real and intense that you can almost smell B.O., sweat, and whiskey while sitting in an air conditioned theater. There is a road trip scene where it looks like the camera lens was cleaned with spit and a dirty paper towel. This is not the California you are used to seeing on screen.

Woodrow (Evan Glodell) and Aiden (Tyler Dawson) are lifelong best friends and share the same goal, to be ready for the apocalypse. In their spare time, which seems to be all of their time, they build their own flamethrower and Mad Max looking Road Warrior car with dual flamethrowers mounted on the back. This is the result of kids watching Mad Max 100 times. When the apocalypse happens, they will drive around in this ready for war vehicle with their hand-held flamethrower; wouldnâ… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

XavierBlaq

Dec 30, 2013

This film of very harsh realism and large amounts of symbolism definitely comes from the postmodern tradition, and was interesting and thought-provoking enough for the majority of it to be entertaining. But then came the final scene to ruin the whole movie. Apart from the annoying repetitionThis film of very harsh realism and large amounts of symbolism definitely comes from the postmodern tradition, and was interesting and thought-provoking enough for the majority of it to be entertaining. But then came the final scene to ruin the whole movie. Apart from the annoying repetition of the Mad-Max-influenced nickname "Lord Humungous," the scene destroys the deep insights gotten from the rest of the movie by seeming to make the whole film's theme a glorified version of "bros before hos." Still, the characters and filming was good enough to make the film not completely ruined, but very disappointing nonetheless.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DJUtah

Sep 18, 2011

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I thought this movie had extreme potential, and the acting was fantastic except for a few pregnant pauses and awkward plot situations, however it overall left a bad taste in my mouth and it was for me a poor job at a dating and cheating film that made an excuse to film gratuitous boobies. I loved the flame-throwing, the cars, and the bond and comedy between the two friends, but other than that I wanted to leave but couldn't because my friend bought the tickets so I was forced to sit through two hours in a film about basically nothing. There were also a few holes and a filming mistake where (spoiler alert) a character trades his car for a motorcycle, but you see a scene when he's driving home in the car. I really wanted to see this film be more about the muscle car and flame-throwing fantasy and less about the gratuitous boy meets girl then things go sour story. I found it boring and emotionally painful, and I kept saying to myself, "Why are films like these allowed to be played in major theaters?". The movie could not decide if it was a comedy or drama, and I would not call this film a black comedy.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

aj_nicoletti

Aug 10, 2011

I wish all parties involved in this film well, but it really didn't do anything for me except make me yawn and eventually wonder when it would all be over. I am really surprised by the acclaim being thrown on this film. Reading the positive reviews makes me think of the children's story,I wish all parties involved in this film well, but it really didn't do anything for me except make me yawn and eventually wonder when it would all be over. I am really surprised by the acclaim being thrown on this film. Reading the positive reviews makes me think of the children's story, "The Emperor's New Clothes." Decent music was well used, but the slacker story was messy and too over the top.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JohnnyOla96

Sep 24, 2012

Bellflower one of the worst independent films out there and these are my reason, it was painful to watch, the acting complete sucked, the dialogue was bland, the ending was the worst part. i can only praise its shoestring budget which was the remarkable thing about it. Evan Glodell watchesBellflower one of the worst independent films out there and these are my reason, it was painful to watch, the acting complete sucked, the dialogue was bland, the ending was the worst part. i can only praise its shoestring budget which was the remarkable thing about it. Evan Glodell watches to much Tarantino. If you plan on watching it be prepared to be disappointed.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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