Petits suicides entre amis

This is a creative treat that, while boasting of no discernible insight or idealist film-making ambitions, manages thoroughly entertaining – perhaps it is due to the aforementioned low-key approach that Wristcutters fares so well. Balkan director Goran Dukic combines the best of offbeat indie cinema with 'traditional' dark humour, making the film appropriately edgy but never tipping over into 'desperately quirky' like so many "festival type films" fall prey to.

In fact, when I sneaked in as a volunteer to a screening during the Stcokholm International Film Festival, the manager presented the film as one of his personal favourites of 2006. This should serve as a mark of its success and indeed I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had. This is highly ironic since both the style and substance of Wristcutters are unspeakably gloomy and sad. Much credit it due to Dukic for making something as tragic as suicide victims into laugh-out-loud catalysts.

But the film perhaps belongs to Patrick Fugit who inhabits the protagonist Zia – a young man who slits his wrists in the first scene of the film and ends up in a 'suicide limbo' of sorts, where all people who have taken their own lives are banished. I say 'banished' because this afterlife is an unreasonably gloomy, grey and grainy nowhere-place that is captured remarkably through a seemingly colourless lens that aptly emphasizes the mundane and depressing state. There are barren industries and vast stretches of desert – nothing else. Oh and no one smiles. Ever.

Zia leads a dull life in this post-apocalyptic hole until one day he finds out that his ex-girlfriend on earth has also committed suicide and ought to be in the same place as him. He sets out on a road-trip with his friend Eugene (a superbly funny Shea Whigham) – a Russian immigrant who lives with his whole family of suicide victims and soon the two are joined by a beautiful newcomer and hitchhiker (Shannyn Sossamon) who claims she got here "by mistake" and is now trying to rectify it by finding the people in charge.

Although much fun is to be found in the creatively barren setting, the central triumvirate is possibly one of the most dynamic mix of characters on film in recent years, no hyperbole. Shea Whigham is gloriously hard-boiled and hilarious as Eugene the Russian and enables the director Dukic to reconnect with his Slavic roots. It is both admirable and puzzling that the film manages so funny without resorting to laughter or smiles (there are two smiles throughout the movie, seriously).

But 'Wristcutters' has problems: it remains a shallow look at an infinitely more layered issue, suicide. It explores no characters to depth nor does it ever bring up what drove them to taking their own life in the first place. In this way, no interesting philosophical notions are navigated and no insights or messages come through other than an overriding 'Pro-Life' attitude – Pro-Life being for living and against suicide which is punished by an eternity in a perpetually gloomy state, a subtle hell of creative proportions.

Thankfully it avoids most of its shortcomings by simply being short and sweet. Of course, this renders Wristcutters: A Love Story an ultimately forgettable little indie romp.

7 out of 10

An excellent film and well worth seeing: It defies pigeonholing into a genre; it's a romantic comedy, but not *at all* like the stereotypical romantic comedy, even if it does use some of the same conventions. It's a road movie, but not in the traditional sense. The dynamics and even the plot work and are believable, requiring less suspension of disbelief than I would've imagined. The music and cinematography work well into a story that is darkly/morbidly funny but also a bit sweet, without being saccharine. The acting is well done and the characters believable and quite well developed. This is definitely an art-house film, but one that it really decently pedestrian and accessible, rather than esoteric or exclusionary (that is, appealing to only art-house film lovers). The sound works well, and visual effects are only ever momentarily cheesy.

this is a must see picture. if you enjoyed Garden State then you will most definitely enjoy this. A movie that deals with life, and the appreciation of it all, even from a dead perspective in a creative way. a must see for Tom Waits Fans and recommended to anyone who's a sucker for a love story. The movie deals with what's at the core of a person. Cinematography that let's a viewer sink into the story, and laugh at what most would refer to as a "dark" or "sad" topic. With all that's going on in the world, it's about time that we start to realize that life is what we have, it's something valuable, that we have the choice to live, and can start living it any day. When Mikal says, "most of my friends were already half dead or dead anyways.", it does make you think and the movie pushes the idea it's never to late to start your life. The actors are all well picked for this movie, it seems as though they all move with ease together. You will leave the theater feeling not so much better about life, but with a smile on your face. You'll feel not a huge sigh of a relief, but a sigh of delight. Something about the movie made me remember time and time again that the purpose is to enjoy what you have, and to love without regret. It's a movie that makes you appreciate life from a new angle.

Wristcutters is a wonderful picture about love, suicide, the afterlife, and happiness. At its core, Wristcutters is a surreal romantic comedy about a young man who (after a presumed break up with his girlfriend) kills himself only to wind up in another world that's exactly the same (or slightly worse) than his previous one. As you would expect, this is a very dark comedy with few laugh out loud moments. The acting and direction in the film are all good (especially Tom Waits) and the soundtrack is really amazing. Most of the music was done by Gogol Bordello, a gypsy punk band (I think they are from NY). I also really enjoyed the contrasting landscapes of the world of the living and the world of the dead. Overall this is an effective film that most people will enjoy. The characters are, for the most part, likable and the plot is original and entertaining. A fine piece of dark comedy!

Bleak film of death and a depressing afterlife. Lots of nice little touches, like with the music - you only pick up on it after talking with people about it. From what I understand not completely faithful to the book, although I didn't read it. Good humor, oddly uplifting due to the romance.

Saw this at Sundance this year, was one of the 3 best we saw. Patrick Fugit was brilliant. Shannon was also strong. If you like dark films, you won't be disappointed. Can't comment on technical aspects of film, since i'm not in the industry.

Summary: Great cast, good writing. Fun times by all.