C.O.G. (2013)
Average Rating: 6.5/10
Reviews Counted: 31
Fresh: 22 | Rotten: 9
C.O.G.'s plot is a bit meandering, but the characters are always compelling and the ending is richly rewarding.
Average Rating: 6.2/10
Critic Reviews: 12
Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 3
C.O.G.'s plot is a bit meandering, but the characters are always compelling and the ending is richly rewarding.
liked it
Average Rating: 2.9/5
User Ratings: 1,525
Movie Info
In the first ever film adaptation of David Sedaris' work, a cocky young man travels to Oregon to work at an apple farm. Out of his element, his lifestyle and notions are picked apart by everyone who crosses his path. (c) Official Site
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Cast
-
Jonathan Groff
Samuel -
Denis O'Hare
Jon -
Corey Stoll
Curly -
Dean Stockwell
Hobbs -
Casey Wilson
Martha -
Troian Bellisario
Jennifer
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All Critics (31) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (9)
Modest and good-looking, the film starts as dark comedy and ends in pathos. Director Alvarez makes the Oregon scenery a character unto itself.
Top CriticDespite smatterings of wit and a stable of skilled performers, "C.O.G." struggles to find a consistent tone, its episodic structure veering from farcical to poignant to dangerously raw.
a dramedy that keeps you guessing where the main character is going (emotionally and physically) as he drifts from one odd situation to the next.
The film features snappy, hilarious bits among the coming-of-age vignettes, but it loses momentum as it winds toward a finish. You won't grow bored with the characters, but you might check your watch a few times.
For Sedaris fans, "C.O.G." is a regrettably patronizing washout.
There are a few stretches in C.O.G. where the movie feels like it's dawdling, much like its protagonist. But the wonderfully sad, exhilarating ending proves this filmmaker knew exactly where he was headed the entire time.
It's not necessarily the events Sedaris describes that make his essays enjoyable; it's the words he uses to describe them. Without his voice, the story falls flat.
A coming-of age story with specific touches but a universal appeal.
The sardonic humor hits the mark more often than not, and Groff brings sympathy to an otherwise smug and pretentious character.
This America takes some getting used to.
Everyone in this wonderful surprise is looking for a place to belong while ultimately having to look out for No. 1. And I don't mean that in the spiritual sense.
I really wanted to like this film, being a fan of Sedaris' writing, of (screenwriter-director) Alvarez and of the great actors assembled here. Unfortunately, the screenplay lacks focus and is more often cruel than comedic.
Despite some good performances and sharp screenplay, C.O.G., like its lead character, seems stuck in the space between.
Stale, flat and unprofitable might be how Shakespeare would have also described this uninvolving David Sedaris adaptation.
People who approach it as a film in its own right, with its own rhythms and goals and pleasures, will be amply rewarded.
"C.O.G" is like a collage of Americana from the perspective of someone incapable of comprehending its value.
Bolstered by beautiful cinematographic framing that expresses his alienation, the film strikes a fine balance between hilarity and heartbreak.
There are some who have complained that C.O.G. ends too abruptly, but it has the bracing, devastating punctuation of a fine short story.
Audience Reviews for C.O.G.
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| Topic | Last Post | Replies |
|---|---|---|
| Christians portrayed in this movie | 15 days ago | 0 |
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