The Heart is Deceitful Above All Things
Behind the greatest hoax of all time is the heartbreaking story that started it all. The seductive tale of "JT LEROY."
Seven-year-old Jeremiah lived a calm, comfortable life in the care of a loving foster home until the day his young mother Sarah came to take him back. Jeremiah is thrust against his will into his mother's reckless life of turmoil and depravity, bouncing between desolate truck-stops, flea bag motels, strip joints and drug dens. Deadbeat surrogate dads swoop in and out of Jeremiah's life until he finds himself in the custody of his ultra-religious grandparents. Soon after Jeremiah adapts to his new life as a Christian fundamentalist, Sarah returns to claim him. Back on the road and bound by a love only a mother and son could have for each other, Sarah pulls Jeremiah further and further into her dementia. When Sarah is finally and wholly consumed by drugs, prostitution and violence, Jeremiah is forced into a desperate struggle to survive the madness of his surroundings.
Member Reviews
Overdone - RobBC
Seen through the eyes of one terribly abused child the world is a disjointed place full of menace and confusion, a fact that is presented with horrible clarity in this unsettling and thoroughly ugly film. There are no easy outs as Argento plunges us into a knee-high vision of hell and then challenges us to make some narrative sense out of the non-stop barrage of repulsive images. Yet despite the film’s undeniable power and the brilliant performances by Argento and the three (!?) boys who played her son, it’s not without its flaws. For starters, the film’s quirky, episodic nature often leaves large narrative holes that defy logic. Furthermore, in over-playing the grotesque Asia fails to flesh out her characters sufficiently causing them to appear as little more than white trash stereotypes. The story’s essential misery comes through loud and clear, we don’t need to have it shoved down our throats.Terrible - Mr._Monster
I count A Serbian Film, Cannibal Holocaust, and many other of the most "extreme" films ever made among my favourites. And yet I hated this film. It is nothing more than 90 minutes of child abuse. Was it too extreme? No, it was just pointless. I suppose Marilyn Manson's cameo as a pedophile was supposed to be amusing. I didn't find it so. I'm a huge fan of Asia Argento's father, but this film just furthered my distaste for her. Exploitation and pretentiousness do not mix, and Asia fails to realize that. I'm not even sure if this review makes any sense. I just can't remember the last time I hated a film this much. And I even liked The Woodsman, another film that dealt with the theme of child abuse. At least that one had a point. I should point out that the DVD I received froze with 10 minutes left. It's possible that the ending ties it all together with a moral or something, but I really don't care to find out.missing scene link - jchu
There was a manufacturing problem and a scene was accidentaly cut at around the 1hr 18 min mark. The scene, in its entirety, can be found at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4v6VYsoA_c
Enjoy! I don't feel that the scene really changes much, but it does explain why they left that situation and moved on.
Member Reviews
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Overdone - RobBC
Seen through the eyes of one terribly abused child the world is a disjointed place full of menace and confusion, a fact that is presented with horrible clarity in this unsettling and thoroughly ugly film. There are no easy outs as Argento plunges us into ...Terrible - Mr._Monster
I count A Serbian Film, Cannibal Holocaust, and many other of the most "extreme" films ever made among my favourites. And yet I hated this film. It is nothing more than 90 minutes of child abuse. Was it too extreme? No, it was just pointless. I suppose ...missing scene link - jchu
There was a manufacturing problem and a scene was accidentaly cut at around the 1hr 18 min mark. The scene, in its entirety, can be found at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4v6VYsoA_c
Enjoy! I don't feel that the scene really changes ...