The Chumscrubber (2005)

just watch it!

Just so...so bad

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

I loved this movie. The title is great and symbolic of the movie. The title Chumscrubber comes from a video game played by the kids. After all the big bombs go off the city is filled with mutants. One man decides to rid the city of the evil mutants or Chum, hence he is the Chumscrubber. The ironic part is that the Chumscrubber's head is detached from his body, i.e. he is a mutant also, but doesn't realize he is part of the problem. This is symbolic of the community. Everyone lives in their own little idea world and ignores anything that would change it. The details in the movie is interesting as the people are neat freaks. In one scene, the mother straightens up papers on a table, that already appear straight. If you notice when they are in the garage, there is no clutter. Everything is clean and in its place. The attention to detail, the odd twists, and vibrant personalities makes this a must see for anyone with half an intellect.

At February 2008 I rated this alongside The Quiet as the best of the first four of Cammie's features as a young woman, but Stranger as the quality Cammie acting in the four. Now I also rate this as quality acting as well. I find it difficult to rate the acting of Camilla Belle as my first impressions tend to be that it is worse than it actually is, as if there is a barrier. My problem with Jack and Rose is just the storytelling style, not the acting at all. The Quiet, for me this starts with Belle's acting feeling squashed, memories of Trachtenberg at the very start and end of Clausen's Pier, also Belle in 10000BC. To really enjoy the Quiet I have to apply tolerance to the first ten minutes. I rate Annie 2 and Practical Magic even higher than these, but they are two very different types of amazing story. Few features attain the level of Practical Magic even though it does not seem to attract many positive professional reviews. Griffin Dunne's Fierce People also gets a dearth of positive attention, except from fans, despite it being as amazing as Practical Magic. It is as if there is a barrier there. * There is a question of just what this feature is about and that could be a rather personal thing. I found the DVD's commentary and Making Of to give useful extra detail for musing on one's own personalised interpretation. This is a way better commentary than most. They even help me to smile more when Fiennes first notices the purposes of the school mural. To quote a Katherine Applegate 'Making Out' novel, reality is humorous for those who think but tragic for those who feel. Chumscrubber and The Quiet have the tragedy, but in a way that allows it to be tolerable. There does not appear to be a prescription for the insanity that abounds here, but how Jamie and Cammie develop can be taken as a hint.

I'm sure this film was trying to make some commentary on middle-class suburbia, all is not what it seems or what-not. Any profound statements this film makes certainly went over my head. I think that's because there weren't any.The film follows the life of Dean, a high school boy whose best friend, Troy recently committed suicide. The suicide victim was a drug dealer, and a school bully, Billy (Justin Chatwin) along with his friend Lee (Lou Taylor Pucci) and girlfriend Crystal (Camilla Belle)mistakenly kidnap a boy they thought was Dean's brother as collateral so that Dean would would bring Troy's drugs to Billy. It also follows the lives of some of the other couples in this seemingly normal community.This is an all-star cast - Glenn Close, Ralph Feinnes, Rita Wilson, Jon Heard to name a few. Perhaps they mistakenly thought that this film had a purpose. Most of the characters in this film are absolutely absurd stereotypes, with Ralph Feinnes character just ridiculous. I did find the kidnapping plot interesting though. I wish the film had focused entirely on this. This was perhaps the only poignant social commentary in the film, the dangers of peer pressure and parental ignorance. The character of Billy was actually quite fascinating as the psychopath on the verge of doing something terrible. None of the other characters were likable or interesting. And none of them were 'real'.Basically, the film was just plain weird, which was enough to keep you watching. But much of it was just being weird for the sake of it, trying to make some obscure point. But really this film explores nothing that hasn't been explored before. One reviewer put it perfectly when he said this film was "Desperate Housewives meets Donnie Darko." Of course the writing was the on the wall because I hate both of those. I'm still in the dark as to what the hell a "Chumscrubber" is. Yet another attempt by this film to be profound. I wouldn't say this film is a loss completely. As I've said the kidnapping plot line was interesting. The rest is garbage.

This movie was good, the acting was incredible. at parts it was slow, but it had enough twists to keep you interested. The ending, although it told you/showed you what happened after the events that transpired during the movie, was to short. I would have liked to have seen more than just a kiss betweenst the two. Show the two having a fun time together as a couple would. The basis of the name of the movie was pretty weak. But the characters were good. This movie is just another reason why Camilla Belle is my favorite actress. She fit her character very well. some parts of the movie seemed pointless and unnecessary the movie, like when the drugs were put in the hot dish it didn't seem relevant to the events in the movie if you ask me. Their was one scene in the movie that had a really good point, it was when Camilla said, don't act like like someone your not, if u do that long enough you'll forget that your acting. It is a true statement that people should remember.