Though made with great skill, Funny Games is nevertheless a sadistic exercise in chastising the audience. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
When Ann, husband George and son Georgie arrive at their holiday home they are visited by a pair of polite and seemingly pleasant young men. Armed with deceptively sweet smiles and some golf clubs, they proceed to terrorize and torture the tight-knit clan, giving them until the next day to survive.
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Rating: R (Terror|Some Language|Violence)
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Genre: Mystery & thriller
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Original Language: English
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Director: Michael Haneke
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Producer: Chris Coen, Hamish McAlpine
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Writer: Michael Haneke
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Release Date (Theaters): limited
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $1.3M
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Warner Independent
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Production Co: Lucky Red, Celluloid Dreams, X-Filme Creative Pool, Tartan Productions, Halcyon Pictures
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News & Interviews for Funny Games
Critic Reviews for Funny Games
Audience Reviews for Funny Games
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Michael Haneke's 'Funny Games' is a work of existential nihilism that challenges the idea of 'Hollywood morals' and audience's complicity in acts of violence. The story sees two serial killers/ home invaders subject a family to a series of games in which humiliation is key and mercy is left behind. 'Funny Games' suffers from an undeserved sense of self-brilliance, the fourth wall is often broken as the killers question if viewers are enjoying/agreeing with what is happening on screen in a manner which assumes they don't,this is wrong. As the film progresses it becomes that which it criticizes, elevating itself to the enjoyable levels of 'torture porn' it desperately wants to parody. The failings of the film's proposed ideologies is furthered by the moments the family being tortured are alone, which are boring and over-long, somewhat building excitement for their deaths. Despite all this 'Funny Games' is strengthened by convincing performances and a few experimental devices that separate it from the norm. Overly heavy handed and boring, 'Funny Games' fails to reach the levels of greatness it's so sure it has and offers less than the torture films it grows to become.
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Until this film, I don't think I had ever watched a shot-for-shot remake, let alone one made by the same filmmaker as the original. I mean, what's the point, exactly? Perhaps a wider appeal in America/the English-speaking world, which traditionally resists reading subtitles...? Unfortunately, I don't really like Tim Roth, (he's no Ulrich Muhe, not even close), and after seeing the original, there's not much punch in the remake, nor even any subtle corrections to strengthen what was already there. I'll give it a decent rating, though, because other than the Roth vs. Muhe question, it's hard to find much difference. Personally, I'd watch the original, because it was made when it needed to made, when its point might have been strongest - plus, on that DVD, you get the interview with Haneke that's crucial to understanding just what the heck is going on, and why anyone would make a film like this. You'll get a chilling story whichever version you choose though, and one that ably points out how calmly we accept violence on film - and why, perhaps, we shouldn't.
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Directed (and written) by Michael Haneke, Celluloid Dreams, 2008. Starring: Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Brady Corbet and Michael Pitt. Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller Question: Do you like it when a story is told in a unique and brilliant manner? Of course you do. How about when the story is about two young males who like to play mind games, torture and....oh wait, almost gave a little too much away. Well, I just finished watching Funny Games (the American version) and feeling a little guilty for liking this film. I have to remain vague in this review. As you can see Funny Games is a thriller and a really good one. Trust me, you think you will know how the story ends, but the fact that this movie takes storytelling to a whole new level. And as a storyteller myself, especially about movies, I loved how this movie ended up playing its own mind games. Unfortunately, I felt a little sick to my stomach during and after watching Funny Games. Again, I can't say why. Let's see, what can I tell you all about this film? First, it was remake of an 1997 Austrian film of the same name. Second, the director/writer Michael Haneke, directed both films - shot-for-shot. Although the actors used in each film were cast differently. Third, it is a very sadistic story...okay, did I just lose you all with that point? Okay, here's the gist (somewhat): a well-to-do family drive to their summer home on Long Island for a relaxing weekend. They stop to say hello to some neighbors, who behave strangely but they continue on to their home all ready to start their vacation - golfing and boating. Their dog runs around gleefully saying hello to the mother, father and son. They unpack and prepare for the weekend; a neighbor stops by with a white-gloved "friend" and help put their boat in the water. This "friend" ends up staying and another white-gloved "friend" shows up asking to borrow 4 eggs for a neighbor. From this point everything just starts to go wrong. So, so wrong. I mentioned something about torture and that is what the rest of the story is about. These two young men (white-gloved "friends"), who revel in the enjoyment of causing pain and suffering (mental and physical) to others, may end up being the most evil characters I have witnessed on screen in a long time. Actually Michael Pitt, one of the young fellows, is definitely the scariest characters ever and almost gave me nightmares with the final shot of the movie. Now all this talk may not make you want you to run out and rent Funny Games; however, the method the director used to tell this story was nothing short of brilliant. It will make you feel sick to your stomach, although a lot of the violence is not really on screen. And some typical tricks with thrillers that you expect aren't used (sort of) and you almost end up begging for those tricks that usually end up making the story typical. See, mind games. That's it - I can't say anymore. My favorite part: The remote control, but then again, it should be my least favorite part. You'll see why. Rating: R Length: 111 minutes Review: 7 out of 10
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Even if looking at both sides of the coin [1) to popularize an earlier brilliant film with famous Hollywood names and 2) to experiment with a remake in the form of an exact replica only to determine if a remake can be equally good], there is no alternate universe in which I can justify such attempt, even if it is done by the same director, which makes even less sense. How ironic... to make social statements against violence when Haneke himself was influenced by his own masterpiece. Ha! 48/100
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