The Chumscrubber
Newmarket Films | Release Date: August 5, 2005
6.6
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 36 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
23
Mixed:
5
Negative:
8
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
3
JoeB.Apr 3, 2006
The characters are very poorly developed, and intentionally so. They represent the stereotypical modern, ignorant, suburban parent who's greatest concern is themselves and who pays no attention to their children. Once you recognize The characters are very poorly developed, and intentionally so. They represent the stereotypical modern, ignorant, suburban parent who's greatest concern is themselves and who pays no attention to their children. Once you recognize that, the movie is 90% predictable. As others have said, this story has been done before, and been done better. This movie just has a strong cynical tone.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
MatthewT.May 13, 2006
A damning, wry indictment on the spiritual vacuity and self-obsession of American society...if you saw yourself it's probably too much to bear and you might be one of those who just don't get it....the subtle, direction cleverly A damning, wry indictment on the spiritual vacuity and self-obsession of American society...if you saw yourself it's probably too much to bear and you might be one of those who just don't get it....the subtle, direction cleverly gets under the skin of a culture of self, greed & desire pursued as genuine social values, the psychological walls that are generated thereby, isolate people from themselves & their own families, aided & abetted by the thematic video game metaphor that runs throughout, we too are turned into robots in our blind running after continual pleasure..a film with a real message that needs to be heard! I thoroughly enjoyed it!… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
DrewJ.Jan 9, 2006
Comparisons to "Donnie Darko", the masterpiece starring Jake Gyllenhaal, are unavoidable, however, this movie stands on its own as a wonderfully unique commentary on the sad state of suburban American youth (excellent choice BTW, in choosing Comparisons to "Donnie Darko", the masterpiece starring Jake Gyllenhaal, are unavoidable, however, this movie stands on its own as a wonderfully unique commentary on the sad state of suburban American youth (excellent choice BTW, in choosing Valencia, CA for the location - I live in LA, but have never been up there - other than Magic Mountain (in the general vicinity, I believe) - but look up "mildly attractive suburban wasteland" in the dictionary, and I can't imagine a place capturing it more perfectly than Valencia). Excellent performances from people ranging from Glenn Close, Allison Janney, Rita Wilson (all three are HYSTERICAL!), Ralph Fiennes, Rory Culkin, numerous other recognizable faces, and - in the most pivotal role - Jamie Bell ("Billy Elliott"!! I never would have guessed! He's also in the current / 2005 5-hour "King Kong" re-make (won't be seeing that, but kudos to those who recognized his talent)) is wonderful, and one of the most gifted young actors out there. I'm shocked by the bad reviews from publications such as the LA Times ("Every adult in the movie is a caricature") - um, *THAT'S THE POINT*!!? / I'm pretty sure those characters are not meant to be taken seriously - satire, perhaps??!, but what can I say - the same new(?) critic praised the wonderful "Junebug", a mostly overlooked film with many characters one might also call "caricatures" (although, certainly not to the same extent - these are two very different movies, and the characters in "Junebug" are certainly more fully developed, but that's not really the point of "Chumscrubber"). Given the 2005 release of "Chumscrubber", I would hope to see it get nominations for the 2005 Independent Spirit Awards - in spite of - the, um - rather unfortunate title! And of course, to make matters worse, one month later "Thumbsucker" was released!? (Starring an actor from *"Chumscrubber"*?!) It's certainly not "mainstream" material, and thus I don't expect the Academy to recognize it / most members probably never even heard of it - so it's certainly "independent", but in a most splendid way. Is it "clumsy", "smug" *at times*, and not your typical studio formula picture...?? - yes! Please give me that over 99% of what Hollywood releases, and I'd be thrilled! And thank God the people at Christian Science Monitor got it! As for one publication calling it "shrill" and "smug", I can't decide if that's more hypocritical or laughable! Everyone has a right to their opinion of course - but I highly recommend this movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
7
AnaS.Mar 2, 2006
Great cast, all gave good performances. The plot was weird and interesting but not very believable.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
SpongeeeJul 5, 2007
Very solid movie with great sarcasm and a surreal feel. The movie was not at all pretentious and original - the simple story allowed for the characters to shine through. If you liked Donnie Darko you'll probably like this.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
SethC.Aug 27, 2007
Not only does it rip off nearly every "suburban dystopia" movie ever, it has the guts to pass itself off as groundbreaking and original. Not to mention the overbearingly smug tone throughout. It gets a point for the decent acting, but other Not only does it rip off nearly every "suburban dystopia" movie ever, it has the guts to pass itself off as groundbreaking and original. Not to mention the overbearingly smug tone throughout. It gets a point for the decent acting, but other than that it's pretentious (I rarely use that term, but it fits PERFECTLY here), predictable, shoddily written and directed, and boring. I don't think I've disliked a movie as much as this in a while.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
kswissNov 10, 2005
Drivel ripped off Donnie Darko and Donnie Darko sucked.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
SamR.Nov 19, 2006
What was the cast thinking? So much talent wasted. This guy shouldn't direct another film for a long time.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
0
ConnorC.Nov 6, 2006
This literally made me want to kill myself. It's the most depressing and odd thing I ever saw. I saw SUPERNOVA, and this was so much worse.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
NikkiLDec 3, 2007
What an amazing movie! much, much better than Donnie Darko. Such an interesting cast, it had alot to say about parent's ignorance of their children's lives. If I had one gripe about this movie is that it loses direction every so often.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
RobAMar 2, 2009
Its not a great movie, but there is worse. Horrible title.It is of course very cliche. Ralph Fiennes is ridiculously awful. Its tone is very scattered. The wasted potential only makes it worse.The video game angle is over the top. Thats the Its not a great movie, but there is worse. Horrible title.It is of course very cliche. Ralph Fiennes is ridiculously awful. Its tone is very scattered. The wasted potential only makes it worse.The video game angle is over the top. Thats the real problem....it can go from over the top to understated in seconds, which makes it muddled and draining.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
CarlosG.Feb 13, 2006
This movie was utterly terrible. The major characters are completely one dimensional, hyperbolic stereotypes. I watched it all the way through out of morbid curiosity--the same reason gapers gape at bad accidents. And it was worth it--the This movie was utterly terrible. The major characters are completely one dimensional, hyperbolic stereotypes. I watched it all the way through out of morbid curiosity--the same reason gapers gape at bad accidents. And it was worth it--the end borders between, ludicrous, insulting and actually humiliating. In contrast to the wasted talents of the cast, the "young adults" as they're called in the credits, do a unanimously terrible job--a real-life waiting for Guffman on the silver screen. The genre of "everything is not alright in picturesque, suburban paradise has been visited successfully through the original "Stepford Wives", "Twin Peaks" and "American Beauty" and now is free-falling from grace and originality. The only reason I even give this movie one point is te performance of the protagonist, played by an excellent Jamie Bell. Donnie Darko is Michael Jackson, this movie is Tito.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MichaelS.Apr 26, 2006
Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful film. Yes, it is spotty, yes, the dialogue is corny, yes, the whole "chumscrubber" concept is painfully underdeveloped and embarrassingly misused, but you have to look a bit deeper. Yes, the whole suburban Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful film. Yes, it is spotty, yes, the dialogue is corny, yes, the whole "chumscrubber" concept is painfully underdeveloped and embarrassingly misused, but you have to look a bit deeper. Yes, the whole suburban satire has been done time and time again, but this film approaches it from a totally unique angle - in that these kids are practically getting away with murder, and the parents don't even notice. The kids are just as bad. It's like an apathy of choice; they are so passionate about their own issues, but don't give a damn what anyone else is doing. Powerful, and it rings so true in today's self-serving society of entitlement. No other suburban satire has quite hit the nail on the head in this way. Other films have hit the nail on the head much harder and more sharply, but this is very much coming from a bit of a new direction.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
ErickMar 19, 2007
For a real listener this is a good movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
1
keithw.Nov 16, 2005
What a mess!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
5
yogibbearJan 27, 2011
Average. It has its moments, but I wouldn't watch this more than once and even then it was just to see what it was all about. This has be done before, and better in every way in a multitude of movies. Movealong. However, if you like theAverage. It has its moments, but I wouldn't watch this more than once and even then it was just to see what it was all about. This has be done before, and better in every way in a multitude of movies. Movealong. However, if you like the genre, watch this movie to realise why the other movies like this are true stand outs whereas this is just average. Enjoyable at times, some good acting (mixed amongst some bad acting), pretty good soundtrack, OK storyline, but at the end of the day it's completely unmemorable. As others have said, Donnie Darko/American Beauty/The Breakfast Club/etc. have done this before and a million times better.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
SoulExcuseMar 27, 2020
A cult classic. A dark exploration of affluent white culture and why mental illness happens.
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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10
ourtimehascomeMar 31, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this film, especially considering it's not for everyone, but that isn't an aspect of its quality. It is dividing, with its excellent cast and original tone. It dares to be hyperbolic and comedic, while maintaining aI thoroughly enjoyed this film, especially considering it's not for everyone, but that isn't an aspect of its quality. It is dividing, with its excellent cast and original tone. It dares to be hyperbolic and comedic, while maintaining a sarcastic sense of morose and daring.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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6
DawdlingPoetNov 27, 2021
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a film about teenage angst, about being ignored by your teenage peers in relation to one character and parents who barely acknowledge you, in relation to another. Its a dark comedy with some interesting angles. I don't think it'd appeal to everyone but for what it is, its not bad. I'd have liked to have learnt a bit more about one or two people and there is perhaps a little too much going on with the many sub-plots but its a relatively easy watch and its an alright film overall. Its an alright piece of social commentary certainly. Its partly about self absorption and keeping-up-with-the-jones'. It has quite an eery tone and if your very squeamish then I wouldn't recommend it due to an upsetting moment present (I won't go into details so as not to spoil it but its not the obvious one mentioned in the plot synopsis).

I wouldn't overly recommend it as such - its an ok film, maybe worth a watch if it comes on TV but otherwise I wouldn't go out of your way to see it as such.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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