MovieChat Forums > The Puffy Chair (2007) Discussion > Apparently the nay sayers have never had...

Apparently the nay sayers have never had a terrible vacation

posted 13 years ago by FourthLittleBird
6 replies | jump to latest

*spoilers*

I just now had a chance to watch this movie. I thought it was beautiful. The story was great, the actors were amazing (I can't remember the last time I saw an actress cry so realistically) and what it was lacking in "professional quality" it made up for in plot, editing, and character development.

I am constantly astounded by viewers who say they had to "turn off" a movie halfway through and then proceed to talk about how it left such a bad taste in their mouth. I think viewers are doing themselves a grave disservice. You have to see where the film is going to take you, cinematically, to form a constructed opinion about it.

I can completely understand how the "home movie" aspect would turn viewers away, but that very same aspect is what fuels this film. We are literally dropped into the lives of these "real characters" and the underlying conflicts are shown immediately. They practically spell it out for you! How many of you said to yourself, "wait, she's going on the trip with him...*blink*...that's *beep* healthy".

How can people turn up their nose at such a carefully orchestrated, seemingly authentic, backstory? These characters were domed to fail. It wasn't a cliche Hollywood ending, but it sure as *beep* was a happy one for both of these characters. This is the way it happens in real life. There are no grand gestures or silver linings in situations like this. Break-ups happen because they need to happen, people will continue to transfer their emotions onto others, and sometimes chairs aren't going to be upholstered by 10 o'clock the next morning. I would take a story like that over all the puzzle pieces falling into place any day of the week. Maybe that's why I enjoyed it so much.

Do yourself a favor. If you hated the movie, watch it again, IN ITS ENTIRETY, but watch it as if you were watching your best friend, or your brother, or even yourself, going through a similar situation that the characters went through, and then try to tell me that you were still unable to muster up some empathy within your big-budgeted bells-and-whistles soul. Try it.

"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain."

[–] lasherxl 13 years ago

Just because a story isn't in the vein of a cliche hollywood film does not make it fine art.

[–] doggie_rodriguez 9 years ago

Well said. 

There seems to be a mindset that thinks if something has never been done before it is automatically amazing.

[–] BadCash 12 years ago

I've been known to SHIFT+DEL some movies halfway through because they just made me sick, but I have to say I had a great time watching this one. And that's even considering the non HD picture quality and the lack of subtitles!

I've read people complaining that it's like watching a home movie. In my opinion that's exactly right - it is supposed to be a home movie! These are real people living real lives - not some picture perfect Hollywoodized version of life. I can totally relate to the main character and his wish for things to be perfect and exactly as planned (the chair), and for having a hard time making up his mind and waiting for something, or someone, to do it for him.

"I've got nothing. Confused. I've got about 50 million *beeping* thoughts and strategies about how... some... *beep* is, and I don't *beeping* know... *beep*

You could argue that that line is just *beep* and "*beep*", but to me it's the way life is. The more you try to figure things out, the more confusing they get. I can totally relate to that. IMHO the ending was pure genius - we want to know what they decided - did they really break up, or did they make out and get back together? Well, we can't know, because at the moment the movie ends they don't even know. Could go either way, that's life for ya.

I fear that some of the people who disliked this movie have been brainwashed. You know, like in that song by Marina & the diamonds - "Hollywood infected your brain, you wanted kissing in the rain?"

[signature]This is my signature.[/signature]

[–] TheBeardedWonder 11 years ago

The problem with the Duplass' brothers movies is almost always the female characters writing, and how it barely everyone resembles a real woman.

In this one its the whole convo that went something like:
'How long do you think they'll last'
'Eh probably a week'
'I NEED TO KNOW IF YOURE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AFTER A LONG BOUT OF DRINKING! TELL ME IF WE ARE GETTING MARRIED RIGHT THIS INSTANT!'

Nobody does that. If she does the dude would leave asap because it hints at deeper issues that probably go back to way before you even met her. That was just the most obvious example of her terribly written character, there were plenty more sprinkled throughout the movie. Like the girl the bro meets playing cute pixie girlstereotype then doing a complete 180 about them (off screen btw) when the story needs it.

Not that I disliked it, when I get into a Duplass bros movie I know what to expect. But to the average watcher a mumblecore film with badly written female characters, I imagine a lot of dislike...

[–] GuyOnTheLeft 10 years ago

I enjoyed it (6/10) but I don't agree that you have to watch a movie all the way through to decide you dislike it. If your basis for disliking it is "they didn't explain what happened to _______", then sure: how do you know? But if it is just horribly acted, or you can't handle the low production values, or the script is risible, it's not necessary to sit through the whole thing IMO.

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My top 250: http://www.flickchart.com/Charts.aspx?user=SlackerInc&perpage=250

[–] doggie_rodriguez 9 years ago

Apparently the nay sayers have never had a terrible vacation

We've all had terrible vacations. We just didn't think the rest of the world needed to watch it.

You have to see where the film is going to take you, cinematically, to form a constructed opinion about it.

If you don't care about the characters then you've already formed a pretty strong opinion that probably won't change by watching the last 45 minutes of the film you are already not into.

I can completely understand how the "home movie" aspect would turn viewers away, but that very same aspect is what fuels this film.

So there is no reason to keep watching?

"You know that thing you hate? The thing that made you shut off the movie in the first place? Well, the movie keeps doing that! You should watch the whole thing!"

but watch it as if you were watching your best friend, or your brother, or even yourself, going through a similar situation

These characters were so boring and unlikable that I couldn't even pretend I knew them.

and then try to tell me that you were still unable to muster up some empathy within your big-budgeted bells-and-whistles soul.

I love indie films (Hell, I make them!). So to suggest that anyone who dislikes this indie film only enjoys big budgeted films is a pretty flawed way of thinking.