Human Nature
In the interest of civilization... conform.
From the creators of Being John Malkovich comes a comedy that examines our most basic instincts.
Tim Robbins, Patricia Arquette and Rhys Ifans go for a walk on the wild side in this deliciously twisted tale about three strangers caught in a hair-raising love triangle. Hilarious twists and plenty of comic turns make Human Nature "the smartest comedy of the year!" (Marshall Fine, The Journal News)
Member Reviews
Not a total success! - aj79
As understood, the film is constructed around two antagonisms: that of the nature and civilization found in Puff and the human nature and appearance that affects Lila. While Human Nature clearly pokes fun at modern civilization, it is not however a humanistic fable. Nathan symbolizes the superficial character of modern society. His definition of the perfect man—erudite, cultured and refined—quickly turns out to be a tedious snobbery that cannot truly serve as a model. On the other hand, the final twist also shows that utopia is not a solution but rather a lure for the naive. Far from preaching a return to nature, Human Nature opts instead for an adaptation of society's mold without erasing the cave man that lies dormant in us.
While the film has without any doubt the touch of madness that seems to characterize Charlie Kaufman's work, it is neither as cerebral nor as originalPretty Funny - zaakistan
Multimedia director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind) teams up with the one of the only original hollywood writers Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation) for this zany take on the artificiality of societal norms.
A man raised as a monkey is taken in by a psychologist obsessed with manners. A nature writing woman with a severe full body hair growth issue undergoes extreme electrolysis to try and reintegrate herself into mainstream life. Of course nature vs. nurture is tackled in a variety of hilarious ways.
Rhys Ifans steals the show as monkey man. So funny.
Other bits of the show aren't as successful - like the lack of empathy we feel for most characters (especially Tim Robbins' scientist).More than monkey business - SPSullivan
It will probably come as little surprise that the mad mind behind the script for "Human Nature" is Charlie Kaufman, who also wrote "Being John Malkovich". Both films aim for the same level of inspired absurdity, and although "Human Nature" falls short of "Malkovich", it's still quite a ride -- one which, with the emphasis firmly on premise rather than plot, wisely wraps up just as it's about to lose our interest. Kaufman's goal here is to explore the fine line between man and beast. On the one hand, we have Puff, the man raised as a monkey, so horny that even multiple shocks from an electrified collar fail to stop his chronic masturbation or his insistence on humping every female biped he meets. Ifans is hilarious, displaying a superb range of physical comedy (his facial expressions are simply riotous) and lending Puff's lines a classic mix of intelligence both primal and advanced. On the other hand, there's the ill-fated Nathan, who acts out of the pretense of being an obsessively mannered man of knowledge, but is really just as inept as Puff at controlling the urges of his loins. Caught in the middle is Lila, who serves as both a visual and a metaphorical link between man and animal. Unfortunately, Lila's comic potential is quickly exhausted, and though Arquette tries gamely, she ends up playing third fiddle to Puff and Nathan.
Member Reviews
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Not a total success! - aj79
As understood, the film is constructed around two antagonisms: that of the nature and civilization found in Puff and the human nature and appearance that affects Lila. While Human Nature clearly pokes fun at modern civilization, it is not however a humanistic ...Pretty Funny - zaakistan
Multimedia director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind) teams up with the one of the only original hollywood writers Charlie Kaufman (Being John Malkovich and Adaptation) for this zany take on the artificiality of societal ...More than monkey business - SPSullivan
It will probably come as little surprise that the mad mind behind the script for "Human Nature" is Charlie Kaufman, who also wrote "Being John Malkovich". Both films aim for the same level of inspired absurdity, and although "Human Nature" falls short of "Malkovich", ...