The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman

The movie is dumb and disappointing. Shia LeBouf did a commendable job but his character in the film was extremely annoying. There was barely any plot and the director didn't bother fleshing out any of the characters. All the characters were one dimensional. I watched this movie with zero expectations and yet I ended up disappointed. The ending sucked. The only redeeming quality of this film was Mads Mikkelson. Sadly he was given barely any screen times.

Protagonists Shia LeBeouf - the stuttering Transformers boy - supported by Evan Rachel Wood, and antagonists Mads Mikkelsen and Til Schweiger, also with Rupert Grint (Harry Potter's Ron Weasley).

Poster, cast, trailer, and IMDb good rating were what made me watch this indie movie which I usually don't give an interest. Interesting poster art with 90-degree orientation, sharp stare, beautiful colors, and Evan Rachel Wood's face lurking back behind LeBeouf's face. The poster reminds me of Limitless, which tells us a story about a kind of drug that maximizes your brain capacity.

But the story is different than Limitless. The only same thing is the pupil on the poster. If in Limitless the pupil portrays a brilliant mind after consuming NZT, here it depicts hallucinations. The love story is unlikely, a blind act of love with courage to take unknown risks.

The movie has several draggy parts, a little bit of action during the last 15 minutes, a bit of funny/corny scenes, and a particular twist at the end which successfully upped my personal rating about this movie.

The cinematography was good, showing a little view of Bucharest painted with interesting colors, and accompanied by good soundtracks. The acting is good too, I like Evan Rachel Wood's Russioan accent even though I don't know whether people in Romania use that accent. LeBeouf also seems to gave his all despite his stuttering. Not forgetting the antagonists that gives a scary impression.

It felt like watching a movie based on a graphic novel. Those who loves indie movies should see this.

Nigh on impossible to categorize, kookier than a Tim Burton Halloween party, an at times borderline incoherent shambles and a film destined for a life time in the Cult selection of cinema, Fredrik Bond's energetic and unique The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman is an absolute blast of fresh air that despite all its many faults and inadequacies is a film well worth tracking down for its undeniable charms and ability to never conform to expectations.

The story at the centre of Charlie Countryman feels no need to adhere to much formal structure or the ABC's of movie storytelling and fly's the line between being a straight up drama, a love story, a frenetic thriller and some type of modern day fairy tale where the dead talk and Mads Mikkelsen wears a vast array of insane shirts with a highlight being his sausage dog getup. Charlie's journey to Bucharest is undertaken because his dead mum told him to go there and once there the story continues to surprise, frustrate and involve in equal measure and Bond has such a keen eye for not only the eye-popping visual (a scene where Charlie and his new friends Luc and Carl played by the Inbetweeners Buckley and a very naughty wizard in the form of Grint first party a particular highpoint) but a great feel for the pace and structure of the film that you can't help but go along with all its craziness and you'll find yourself asking internally "since when has Shia LaBeouf been so tolerable?".

In a role that showcases a talent that is missing far too often in his other projects LaBeouf delivers here in what could be his best role outside of kids classic Holes. Charlie is clearly a messed up person and LaBeouf plays him to perfection with the right amount of vulnerability, smarts and craziness that while hard to relate to is always watchable. LaBeouf is well supported by the other cast members and in particular by a menacing Mads Mikkelsen who continues to impress in everything he does. Mikkelsen's role of drug dealing gangster Nigel is a strange one but fits in well with the films tone. Evan Rachael Wood is perhaps the films weak link in a role that doesn't exactly click in the ways we needed for the love story to be more involving.

Not for everyone and as stated early filled with many various faults The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman is also more enjoyable the countless other films released on a week to week basis. A fine debut film by director Bond and a role that shows LaBeouf can in fact act and act well, Charlie Countryman should be sort out but perhaps not by Harry Potter fans who wish to remember Ron Weasley as a clean cut ginger wizard not a budding adult movie star called Boris Pecker.

3 and a half hard partying Ronald Weasley's out of 5

I really liked the movie. It was shown at the International Film Festival in Berlin and the director was there. Shia was there too for the Premiere, but only the director stayed a few days longer and did a few Q&As for the movie and general movie making. While the story he is telling here, is not really that surprising and the German actor known as Schweiger, is not adding much to the equation, the two lead characters are doing the heavy lifting.

I liked the way, Shia played his character and I thought Evan Rachel Wood was great too. Of course the movie does have quite a few flaws too, but it is engaging and if you let yourself into it, you will be entertained (even if it is also predictable). A nice little thriller then

This movie really surprised me; I think this was one of , if not THE best Shia LaBeouf performance (looking forward for nymphomaniac).

The story is pretty simple and suffers from some plot holes but the movie strangely kept me glued to the sit wondering where Shia LeBeouf's journey of self discovering in the unknown city of Bucharest will get him.

The casting choice for the lead female role was a little odd, (i think it would've worked a little better with a more "traditional hot"-looking girl) Also noted should be the brilliant soundtrack of this movie (especially Moby's contribution). must listen: Moby -- After (Drumsound & Bassline Smith Remix) from the subway chase scene.

To sum up, this movie was a very nice surprise, the kind that keeps me watching and trying to discover the unappreciated beauty in the not-so-mainstream movies.

My Rating - 8/10