Animal Room (1995)

That was an excellent one.

Sorry, this movie sucks

Overrated

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

What an amazing piece of junk cinema this is. This is a classic example of someone not knowing quite what to do with the material. A judicious editor could have turned this into a classic harrowing story of teen angst and social responsibility. Instead it's a schlockfest of horror and some of moments which, in better hands, may have provoked unease and shocked audiences into contemplation of the situations at hand, instead provoke hilarious laughter. This, in and of itself, is not a bad thing, but I don't think it was an intentional choice.Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed "Animal Room" for all the wrong reasons.Matthew Lillard gives what is quite probably his best performance, and it's wasted here. But it's still worth watching. As another review stated, "we all know young men like him" but Lillard pulls it off with a sincere creepiness and unrelenting Neil Patrick Harris' as Arnie breaks out of Dougie Houser mode, and although he professes resistance to being part of this group experiment of social misfits, he otherwise acquiesces to his plight and it's difficult to feel any empathy towards to a character who constantly reminds everyone who much more brilliant, witty and crafty he is than everyone around him. Of course, were this to be remotely true, there wouldn't have been a movie.As Arnie's old best friend, Gary, Gabriel Olds turns in a shiny, performance as the golden boy who wants to help Arnie get back on track. His performance, even as good and genuine as it is, can't help but provoke more laughter so out of place is it here.It's also fun to see Catherine Hicks relieved of "7th Heaven" goodness as a creepy, alcoholic Mom who can't seem to keep her hands off an uncomfortable young Gary.Again, there was a good idea here, but it wasn't developed. To start with the premise is completely unbelievable – not far-fetched or impossible, which is acceptable in the right hands, but simply unbelievable. It's difficult to move beyond that. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed "Animal Room" – but then again, I'm a misfit!

Punk-worshipping writer/director does pretentious remake of "Clockwork Orange". After trundling along for several hours, film ends. Sadists gain loads of new whack material. Tarantino's shelf remains undusted.

This is a truly original film and while some parts were dark, I think it has true vision and something to say . The acting and directing were fantastic. Animal Room is not for the mind numbing popcorn chompers. This film has a vision and a voice that made me think and stayed with me. I wish more films had the kind of power and emotional qualities this gem has.

I had heard nothing on "Animal Room," but when I saw it in the video store, I noticed it had a big cast of young future stars and it sounded like it had an interesting premise. I figured I'd give it a try and was quite impressed with it, finding it to be quite a hidden surprise.The story centers around Neil Patrick Harris (who we all know as Doogie Howser, M.D.) as a teen who has a bit of a drug problem and finds himself stuck in a school dropout prevention program where he finds himself often fleeing from a group of mean students there, led by Matthew Lillard (SLC Punk). They often torture and beat up Neil, with the only aid is his best friend (Gabriel Olds, Calendar Girl) who is the only bright spot in his depressed life. Neil hopes to find whatever way he can to avoid the bullies just in time so that things don't get uglier than before.I wouldn't recommend this to many mainstream audiences or those looking for a cheery movie, since "Animal Room" is probably one of the more depressing and disturbing films I've seen. But its also a fascinating and creepy film that gives you plenty to think about and talk about when the movie is finished.The actors are fantastic in their roles. Harris is quietly intense in the lead part as the confused teen. Lillard is the most powerful I've ever seen him. Lillards acting is phenomenal and I look forward to seeing Lillard in even more films for how talented he is. Olds performs the likable part really well that shows plenty of skill and charisma. Amanda Peet (The Whole Nine Yards) and Catherine Hicks (Childs Play, TV's Seventh Heaven) have small, but memorable roles as Olds concerned girlfriend and Neil's crazy mother.The directing by Craig Singer is excellent and the camera work is both beautiful and dreary at the same time, which makes it perfect for the films gloomy atmosphere. It has your eyes glued to the screen right from the beautiful opening shot in an old carnival. The hallucination sequences in the film in particular are quite eerie and have the right creeped-out look to them. If I had to mention a gripe on the film, the script by Singer keeps you thinking, but it feels a little bit sloppy and tries to pack too much into one film. It tends to feel a bit uneven around spots and not all the subplots in the film aren't fully developed.Overall, I would recommend this for art house fans looking for something different or those who are fans of the stars. I found it to be an unforgettable and VERY intense little film that will most likely shock you. Those who don't like brutal movies though should stay away since its a really graphic and violent movie.