MovieChat Forums > Palindromes (2025) Discussion > I feel so terrible for laughing...

I feel so terrible for laughing...

posted 18 years ago by chrispacolypse
50 replies | jump to latest

There were many parts in this movie when I felt soo terrible for ALMOST laughing out loud, in particular there was this one scene where Mama Sunshine talks to Aviva one-on-one

"I'd go to pieces if you decided to leave us...

Last year, our special daughter Monika ran away... and she didn't even have any legs. She wanted to return to her birthplace in India... poor child she didn't even make it as far as India Tennessee"

It was a very sad a emotional moment and Mama sunshine breaks into tears at this point, but I seriously almost cracked up at this moment. Solondz is a bastard, but brilliant at making the audience react this way!

There are so many scenes in this movie that are hilarious yet too sensitive to laugh about... great stuff, but very disturbing as well. Other scenes are: when Peter Paul and Aviva pray at the trash dumpster site with all the aborted babies ("Dear Lord, please make sure the unborn babies are happy in heaven... even the ones that were strangled, limbs pulled apart, head cut off, incinerated... etc.")

soooo *beep* up!!!

[–] BW_with_Subtitles 18 years ago

"Last year, our special daughter Monika ran away... and she didn't even have any legs. She wanted to return to her birthplace in India... poor child she didn't even make it as far as India Tennessee.."

I laughed my head off. It's a fantastically morbid film.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Audrey_L 9 years ago

"Last year, our special daughter Monika ran away... and she didn't even have any legs. She wanted to return to her birthplace in India... poor child she didn't even make it as far as India Tennessee.."

I laughed my head off. It's a fantastically morbid film.

I laughed out loud to this line too. I could watch Solondz' movies all day, every day.

______________________
“Daydreaming subverts the world.” ~ Raoul Vaneigem

[–] livewire_override 18 years ago

funniest part of the film was when joe/earl/bob shot the little girl by accident.

[–] dude_guy99 18 years ago

"MY NAME IS SKIPPY LIKE THE PEANUT BUTTER"
I nearly pissed myself when that happened
it was just so random that I cracked right up

you got about 1 f uckin second to live buddy- Frank Booth,Blue Velvet

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] PimpSmackersGOM 16 years ago

how can you laugh at a little girl getting shot?

clear emotions guide / to the gates of open mind / leave the shame behind / peace is by your side

[–] tntales 16 years ago

We just didn't laugh at that part.

[–] Jorge_Dunst 18 years ago

I know! i love those kind of movies

FREE PARIS

[–] CaptainSensible 18 years ago

I cracked up at the bit where Mama sunshine backstabs Peter-Paul, saying 'if it wasn't for his condition I'd'...

And when they sing the Dr Dan song (and he dances).

Message brought to you by Captain Sensible. Bringing Sensibility to the IMDB since 2004.

[–] ulver666 16 years ago

I laugh my ass off when the grown up Aviva is talking with the guy in glasses who is beign accused as a pedophile and she says she beleive his not one because pedophiles love children.

[–] thenYES 18 years ago

i know...i was on the floor laughing when she was like "and she didnt even have any legs...." and then when they were dancing and the girl with no arms was dancing with her shoulders, i really wanted to laugh but i felt so bad. i couldnt help it!

[–] sebberskyld 18 years ago

Although those parts were funny, I found the funiest part to be where the children were painting the sign saying sunshine singer and they only had sin down and mamasunshine walked by. "Sunshine sin!" "Sunshine Singer!" "Well thank jesus!"...I found it so funny and I still don't know why lol

[–] nightsparkle 18 years ago

i cracked up when at the motel he says " ehm oh eh...she's my half-daughter"

[–] kyrill_87 17 years ago

Am I the only one who didn't crack up at all? I first rated this movie a 5.6 out of 10. But after thinking deeper about it I find it a 6.6 out of 10.
But I cant stand Ellen Barkin.

Btw whats up with Aviva being a negro half of the time?

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] m_l_edwards34 17 years ago

Ellen Barkin's character did annoy me, but I think it was purposeful, it was her selfish fake concern towards Aviva that got to me.

The only bit I truly laughed out loud to was when the whole moma sunshine family were singing the christian songs with their Britney styles head mics, genius!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] AgentX7k 17 years ago

This movie is hilarious:

The fact that Dawn has such a cheap looking coffin, honestly it looks like a plain create.

Aviva: Missy said Dawn was pregnant from a date rape (just sounded funny from a 5-year old with a lisp)

*sliding door opens*
Mom: Judah, why don't you come out and show Aviva the deck?
Judah: Would you shut the *beep* up!
*sliding door closes*

*Judah and Aviva are upstairs watching hardcore porn together* (which by itself is funny).
Judah: That guy there, he lives across the lake, I'm going to see if he'll do a cameo in my features, I need a professional actor for marketing purposes

Aviva: Do you think about sex alot?
Judah: I dunno, I guess
(He has half naked woman posted up all over his wall, has porno he brings out for guests he's never met before and has a T-shirt of a guy with a boner which says 'look he likes you')

Aviva: Is that it?
Judah: Yeah .. why? Did you want a tissue? Is that what you mean?

*I love the music playing when Aviva's mom is storming out of the doctors office to the car*
Joyce: WHO DID THIS TO YOU!? WHO THE *beep* DID THIS TO YOU!? IT WAS THAT WALLACE BOY WASN'T IT THAT UGLY FAT LITTLE BASTARD! (softly) Aviva did he rape you?

Aviva: But it's my baby!
Joyce: But it's not a baby! Not yet really it's like, it's like it's just a tumor!

Aviva being picked up a trucker, then in the next scene they are having sex is pretty funny. So is this line (when he starts to have anal sex with her)
Aviva: Can you still get pregnant if it goes in there?

Aviva: Joe, do you think next time you could try cumming inside of me?
Joe: Yeah ... I can do that, meet you in the coffee shop

There's really happy music playing, Aviva showers and rushes to the coffee shop with a smile on her face. I just love the moment she gets there and the happy music stops with a thud, like it feel from a building and has no just landed. It's also funny that not only is he not in the coffee shop, there is no coffee shop, it's closed and abandoned.

Aviva being a boy is kind of amusing, so is her finding a child's boat which she/he uses as a real boat to travel down the river. Then in the next scene Aviva is a gigantic black woman.

Shazaam: Her Peter Paul, catch any fish?
Peter: You bet I did (looks at Aviva and winks)

Mama Sunshine: We had our neighbor Doctor Dan examine you
Aviva: What? (look on her face is priceless)

I find Aviva's story funny, considering it was all complete bs, it has everything, rape, pedophilia and 9/11!

Then there's the breakfast scene, God that was just constantly hilarious, like a creepy Brady-bunch. I like how Peter Paul keeps whispering secrets in Aviva's ear about each of the Sunshine children, even after being constantly told off by Mama Sunshine. Then there's the blind girls story, I laughed alot at that, mainly because she so subtly brings up the fact her mother died choking on her own vomit.

Pete Pauls pray about dead babies

Mama Sunshine: Out special daughter ran away ... and she didn't even have any legs!

The 'Nobody But Jesus But You' song.

Doctor Dan making copies of Aviva's parts and showing them to Bo

Bob finding a doll with a bottle up it's ass and *beep* me' written on it's chest. It's also funny how he says 'sickos' even though he is a pedophile on his way to murder someone.

Aviva: How's your feature?
Judah: I stopped working on it, I realised my whole idea sucked
Aviva: I guess it;s better that you realised it sucks now rather then working on it for 2 years, then realising it sucks.

Judah: *beep*
Aviva: No that was good, much better
Judah: But then it slipped out!
Aviva: Most of it got inside
Judah: But the timing was all off, damn it! (punches tree)
Aviva: It was fine
Judah: You're just saying that
Aviva: God no, it was really good and alot of really did get inside me

His face said "Kill Me!", his hat said "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!"

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] gosundancekid 17 years ago

I'm not a native speaker but why is there a 'negro' comment among the others, is it supposed to be okay?

[–] thee_eyez 13 years ago

Exactly, that's what I love about Solondz. He has a way of simultaneously making something funny and horrifying at the same time. David Lynch also does that, but the moods about those scenes tend to be on the darker side. Solondz's scenes tend to be on a lighter (if not creepier) side.

[–] wronske 17 years ago

aviva was a boy?? i'm guessing you're referring to the parts where she is walking through the field, and right near the end when she's having sex and is laying on the ground.

i thought she was just an androgynous girl, though.

[–] Buddy-Blank 17 years ago

What about "You know me, I'm Shazam!" or "Pass the freedom toast please!" or "The bacon is mighty good today momma sunshine" and skippy chimes in "it's fat and greasy!"

I laughed so hard my neighbors thought I went insane and I was fearful of internal hemorrhaging for weeks after. I quite nearly busted a gut.
---
You know what I'm gonna tell God when I see him? I'm gonna tell him I was framed.

[–] rootbeerking12 17 years ago

....how about when the little blind girl says "Aw, I was just watching the flame." I near shat my pants at that bit.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] rootbeerking12 17 years ago

Hey, everyone has a difference gage for humor. I don't think a person can be seen as ignorant--no, let me phrase it as "retarded"---for finding some bits a little funny...as they were intended...by Todd Solondz.

[–] ebonyruffles 17 years ago

Mama Sunshine telling Aviva "you sure look like you could use some home cooking!" Like she's about to faint from starvation? LMAO!

[–] Kastore 14 years ago

Even funnier was right after that, Mama Sunshine (?) then says that the blind girl sliced all the bacon herself. A few shots later, you can see the blind girl has bandages on the tips of her fingers!

If I ever go down, I hope I don't get the Potato Judge.

[–] ellie_maracas 17 years ago

yeah i thought it was a tom boyish girl

[–] TheJesusAndMaryChain 17 years ago

Me too. I thought overall it was a pretty dark film but those handicapped children singing "Nobody Jesus But You" all choreographed with their headsets ala In Sync had me on the floor!

-We are all of us in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars

[–] roell29 16 years ago

I chuckled at one line - when Earl considers assuming the identity of a Mexican chauffeur only to realize he doesn't speak Spanish! heh. But loved the movie. It's weird how so many take it as a straight comedy. I'd have been very annoyed to have seen it in a theater with that kind of reaction, but thankfully I'm a recluse ;)

[–] B-J-C 14 years ago

That was the funniest moment for me as well. "Half daughter".

[–] werecow2003 9 years ago

Yeah, that was priceless.

[–] bwsullivan0512 17 years ago

'It's not even fully formed yet... it's more like a tumor!"
oh..my...god.
so...funny.

[–] psychodelicate-1 17 years ago

I don't really get why everyone thinks they're so BAD for laughing, the film had alot of intentional dark humour, so well done for spotting that. And at least everyone here appreciates it, theres another thread where this film is 'pretentious', how can it be? Its not saying 'OMG THERES A GUY *beep* A LITTLE GIRL' and thats it, it 'says' alot more than that, probably.
Who says its too sensitive to laugh at? God, you think you're so far out there.

Whenever anyone criticises Men At Work, I burst into tears!

[–] RedPeggy 17 years ago

Yeah - I could have done without someone's 'negro' comment too.

But yeah - the film was clearly supposed to be making you laugh (against your will in a lot of places). My favourite was the Sunshine Singers, especially the Dr. Dan song and his jaunty dance. Hilarious.

I think you can laugh with it but also take it seriously - I think it's very clever to make you laugh then minutes later horrify you. And yes - I have life experience too, and do not consider myself 'retarded'.

[–] cool-o 17 years ago

I can't believe none of you have mentioned the part where Aviva is in the hotel with Earl/Bob after he killed the doctor and his little girl. I love how Bob is venting and then, while punching the wall, says something around the lines of "How many times must I be born again??". ha ha ha. classic.

[–] b-horror-fangirl 16 years ago

Yes, the "how many times can I be born again?" comment was priceless.

[–] Vilian 15 years ago

Just got done watching this. I've never laughed at something so horrible before in my life. I wasn't expecting it to be this kind of movie at all. I was expecting more of a Pan's Labyrinth type movie, not an extremely dark comedy.

I'd say the name of the doctor is hilarious. Fleisher... sounds like flusher. As in a toilet.

The part where Aviva turned from a boy to a fat woman actually had me yelling "Fat girl, for the win!!!".

The circle of anti-abortionists. "Don't do it! Don't do it! Don't do it!" ... yep, she did.

"I'm not just into sex...You know, I've really matured and changed over the years, Aviva...oh.. uh.. hold on" --- unzips his pants.

If you notice, the palindrome is really in Aviva's transformation, as her first and last incarnation in the movie are the same. She is the one girl at the party just once, that being the "middle letter", then goes back in backwards order how she progressed through the movie (while Otto, formerly known as Judah) was banging her.

Strange movie.

[–] Pantouflica 15 years ago

i realized it's gona be funny immediately at the start when mom is talking to aviva. (and god, that woman is annoying, her acting was so bad and disappointing.)

''your cousin was troubled child. middle child. her parents didn't love you the way your father and i love you.''

''why not?''

''i don't know. maybe if she hadn't grown obese. if she'd gone to dermatologist...''

''is it true she never washed her hair?''

and after that short conversation, aviva says what her friend missy told her, and mom is saying:

''you shouldn't listen to everything missy tells you just because she's beautiful and popular.''

but still, my favorite is mama sunshine talking about her runaway child. amazing, haha.

[–] spicymcboner 14 years ago

Thanks for not saying "oh wow i feel so bad for laughing! why was she black?! WEIRD MUCH?!LOLOL"
and when I realized that the blonde kids "disability" is being gay literally LOL'ed

[–] Kastore 14 years ago

The best/worst part for me: When Peter-Paul explains that there's nothing wrong with him, he just needs to clean the mucus out of his lungs every night.

I had to stop the movie and mull over the realization that that means he has cystic fibrosis and will probably not live to see adulthood. The disease itself is horrible, but I couldn't keep from laughing at the character's nonchalance towards it. I suppose the Christian fundamentalist parents were purposely keeping him in the dark about it.

If I ever go down, I hope I don't get the Potato Judge.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] lollipop15 10 years ago

That's really depressing, poor Peter Paul.

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