Um a Menos

Hampton Fancher is a brilliant writer and director. In The Minus Man, he has managed to accomplish several tasks that no one else has be able to do. He is the first director who has cast Janeane Garofalo in a role that reveals her immense sex appeal. Ms. Garofalo's character, Ferrin displays a full range of emotions and despite her obvivous personal demons, she is a beam of light in a rather dark and disturbing film. Owen Wilson is magnificant as the quirky, unassuming vagabond killer machine, Van. Much of the movie is told by Van's narration. We are made to sympathize with his obvivious moral confusion. The scene with Van and Ferrin are touching, sweet and spooky. Mr. Fancher's fantastic film is further enhanced by the presence of Mercedes Reuhl and Brian cox as the landlords who rents Van a room. Ms. reuhl is allowed to be troubled and complex and still maintain her smouldering, mature sexuality while Mr. Cox is still engaging despite his David Lynchian psychotic episodes. This director even manages to makes Van's truck and the sun-drenched, westcoast beachscape a character in the film. A must-see!

Typical Sundance film: weird and off beat. Vann Siegert is not your usual serial killer; no, he slays in peculiar ways. Siegert, a likable drifter, is starting to come unraveled but manages to keep his dark side locked away and his secrets his own. Good drama: thumbs up.

"A person's brain is like a pet- sometimes it gets loose, sometimes it gets lost, sometimes it sort of behaves itself and stays in the yard."

This film isn't a mystery in the sense of a whodunnit, it's more of an examination of the mystery and strangeness of people, and the minutely strange things we do. Hampton Francher tows a taut line of existential inquest. This film defies categorization and really does get the gears turning by creating a complete world with an unrelentingly quiet unease. This film is what I'd call a mirror film, it's uninflected and amoral, so the ultimate interpretation is left to us.

this is one odd movie,and i don't mean that in a bad way.it's basically about drifter(Owen Wilson)who's a serial killer.the difference is he poisons his victims.the interesting thing is,it's hard to pin down what his motive is.the movie might have explained it,but the movie is so subtle,it's hard to get everything.it may require repeat viewings to understand everything,and even then,you may not understand it all.if you like action in your movies,you might want to stay clear of this one.it tends to move slow,but to me,it was just compelling enough to keep watching.i won't say this is a bad movie(especially since i have just seen "Dracula 3000",the worst movie ever made)but it's not for everyone.for me The Minus Man is a 6/10

Hampton Fancher's The Minus Man is a methodical, chilling excursion into the mind of a serial killer. Not much different from the better known Henry: Portrait of a serial killer, this movie is not a comfortable motion picture to sit through. The lack of overt violence and gore deepens the sense of unease. Watching Vann's tale unfold, we should be gripped by revulsion; instead, there's a strange fascination. Like Henry this movie takes us into an alien world and strands us there for a little while by way of showing things from the killer's point of view. This movie may not invite emotional participation, but it gives its audience much to ponder.