Hurlyburly is an extraordinarily dark and terrifying film. While it contains a lot of cynical and ironic humour, the film is surprising, disturbingly frank, and sometimes difficult to watch. And then, as horrible as it sounds, it is the film's charm and the part of it that makes it the most radically shocking indie film since Larry Clark's Kids in 1995. Hurlyburly, fortunately, has a better chance of popularity and exposure than the genuinely underground Kids might have hoped for, thanks to a stellar cast.
Hurlyburly is such a tense film that it could pass as a documentary without a storyline. For the most part, it does. The protagonists of this film pursue no overarching purpose, nor is there a subject matter that makes up the bulk of the running time. Instead, a dramatic character analysis involves four guys, an exotic dancer, a runaway teen, and a non-central female figure who is more of a shadow who influences the other six characters than a character herself.
Eddie (Sean Penn), Mickey (Kevin Spacey), and Phil (Chazz Palminteri) live in Hurlyburly, a small town south of Los Angeles. They both happen to have some very costly drug problems and a high level of sexual inequality. Cocaine is breakfast, evenings are undefined, and work is just a tiny part of their daily routine. It's up to you to decide if this is a relationship created between three extraordinarily odd but undeniably real humans or a force of separation.
Artie is the trio's shared "mate" (Garry Shandling). His appearance, though, is so typical among the three that his character emerges and appears as a fourth male figure, distinguished only by the lack of sexual desire. Donna (Anna Paquin) is introduced to the party of three by him. She is a fugitive who appears to have hitchhiked to Los Angeles and later taken up residency in an elevator. Artie finally picks her up and gives her to the trio as a "treatment kit" in which they can engage in sexual acts wherever and wherever they want. As strange as it might be when placed in the context of this extraordinarily complicated and similarly twisted film, it seems to be a common phenomenon.
Bonnie (Meg Ryan) is a close member of the squad. She is one of the most compelling characters in the film because she is the only adult female subjected to a thorough investigation. This film explores her every step under a microscope of sorts, showing an odd and tragic life that is entirely missing as seen from the outside. Her relationships with the male characters are somewhat complex, and the rich meaning that appears requires careful examination.
When these characters are combined, they produce a film that is both dramatic and terrifying. The film would be a flop if each member of the seven-person cast could not deliver outstanding performances. These things come together to create a good movie. Despite this, it is a much darker and more theatrical film. Hurlyburly would astound anybody who sees him. After watching this movie, there is an almost indescribable impact, but it is a power that the content you just saw lays upon you, grasping you and forcing its way into you. Perhaps it will remain the same indefinitely; I sure hope so since I don't want to part from this movie any time soon.
