Rubin and Ed

This was a hilarious, hilarious movie. The humor in here is very bizarre and dry and clearly isn't for everyone, but films like this are a staple in the collections of cult intelligentsia.

The premise is not unrealistic, and the characters are not unbelievable. What happens once the action starts is surreal and fantastic, but the story really does start here on Earth and I think that may be an effective hook to make the audience sit and watch the whole thing: how could such a reasonable situation go so incredibly far off course? And it's not just outlandish for the sake of seeing how weird they could possibly get, it's not just arbitrary freak-you-out material, the story is a more or less logical progression of events. Some of the jokes (especially the desperate passage of events in the desert) may churn the casual viewer's stomach, and I think that these contributed to its less than widespread popularity in the States, but anyone with an active imagination and a sense of humor other people don't "get" is going to dig this film. And by gods, is it quotable: you too will find yourself interrupting discussions and social events to announce, "My cat can eat a whole watermelon," or "I am the king of the Echo People," for years - yes, years - afterward.

Rubin & Ed is an odd movie. It's a funny movie. There are one-liners in this flick that my friends and I still use to this day ("How do we make money!?" "Work?" "NO!!! REAL ESTATE!!!"). Is it a movie for everyone? Definitely not.

For starters, it's not a movie that many people would call "good" or "funny". You have to have a specific sense of humor to find this movie entertaining. I can easily see how some would think this movie was terrible, or at the very least bewildering.

In the end, this is nothing more than a "buddy movie". The only reason it works (for some) is the interplay between Rubin (Glover) and Ed (Hesseman). Rubin is, quite simply, a complete odd-ball. Ed is the quintessential middle-aged dork trying desperately to be something more than he really is.

The plot, if you could call it that, centers around Rubin attempting to find a suitable place to bury his dead cat, and Ed's pathetic attempts to win his ex-wife back (sort of). All of this is strung together with the strange conversations and "adventures" the two manage to get in.

In closing, if you're a person who enjoys "odd-ball" comedies, this movie is definitely worth a viewing.

I gave it 8/10

This movie is a story of two failures who get thrown into each other's worlds for one of the most bizarre journeys ever captured on film. As an avid lover of truly weird films, I find Rubin and Ed to be an irresistible comedy.

Crispin Glover is, as always, wonderful. He portrays Rubin, a social outcast and complete shut-in who's forced to go out into the world to prove to his mother that he is making friends, so she'll give him back his stereo.

He comes across Ed (Hessman), who is a "fraud failure" trying his hand as a member of "the organization," which is portrayed as some sort of real estate cult. The two wind up traveling into the Utah West Desert to bury Rubin's recently murdered cat, and come to hate each other entirely as they become the most unlikely pair of friends.

This movie is not for everyone, and indeed it is not easy to find even in Utah (where it is set, and from whence director Trent Harris hails). Rubin and Ed is a remarkably strange and offbeat film. It's the epitome of a cult classic, and as such will inevitably leave you thinking, "huh?" However, if you're tired of Hollywood's sanitized story lines and obvious repetition, I highly recommend trying to find a copy of this movie.

I presume this film to have been a "work of love" for Crispin Glover and Howard Hessman - two actors reveling in their trade just for the fun of it and for the personal challenge. The result is both hilarious (I don't use that word lightly) and gratifying, as the two never let us down, but sustain their wonderful best to the end. The budget must have been super-lean, yet the work is crafted to fit within it, resulting in a piece of comic theater that should even provide the two actors themselves with nostalgic sidesplits in years to come.

This film brought to my mind visions of "Rozmarné Léto" (Capricious Summer, by Jiri Menzel) for its humanist humor, and, less obviously, Ataque Verbal, by Albaladejo and crew, for its acting virtuosity - though by Albaladejo, I would sooner recommend Cielo Abierto to anyone unfamiliar with his work.

At first viewing, though I felt the acting good, I considered it narrow in scope. On second viewing, the depth of the characters' problems struck me: one a virtual agoraphobic recluse with little future ahead, the other a whimsical business misfit whose wife's left him. Neither has a clear view of how to escape his predicament, but both see through - or have no choice but to wrestle with - much of the phoneyness of Americana materialism and mercenary dreams.

I just wish this film were more available - and on DVD - I'd like to buy several copies to send to friends.

This is a must for a Crispin Glover fan. I have no idea why it is difficult to find. It is a gem. Great story and very funny. If you don't think it's funny then you must not get it. You know; one of those. My review did not contain 10 lines of text so I must add more. I really really think you should see this movie. Dahhhhhhhh. It is still not long enough. What a stupid requirement that IMDb has. Why? Okay, I will type more meaningless praddle. are you happy now>? No? Still not enough. They want more and more and more. Okay, this is really great! Thanks for listineing Please show your appreciation at the offering plate. Gem stone