Mister Lonely
| Mister Lonely | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Harmony Korine |
| Written by | Harmony Korine Avi Korine |
| Produced by | Robin Wood |
| Starring | Diego Luna Samantha Morton Werner Herzog Anita Pallenberg David Blaine Joseph Morgan Denis Lavant |
| Cinematography | Marcel Zyskind |
| Edited by | Valdís Óskarsdóttir |
| Distributed by | HanWay Tartan Films (UK) IFC Films (USA) |
Release date | 2008 |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
Mister Lonely is a 2007 film directed by Harmony Korine, and co-written with his brother Avi Korine.
Plot summary
The story, according to Celluloid Dreams, is of "a young American man lost in Paris. He scratches out a living as a Michael Jackson look-alike, dancing on the streets, public parks, tourist spots and trade shows. Different from everyone else, he feels as if he's floating between two worlds. During a show in an old people's home Michael Jackson meets Marilyn Monroe. Haunted by her angelic beauty he follows her to a commune in the Highlands, joining her husband Charlie Chaplin and her daughter Shirley Temple. A place where everyone is famous and no-one gets old. Here, The Pope, The Queen of England, Madonna, James Dean and other impersonators build a stage in the hope that the world will visit and watch them perform. Nuns fall out of airplanes and children ride ponies. Everything is beautiful. Until the world shifts, and reality intrudes on their utopian dream."[1]
The Screen International interview describes specifically "scenes being shot in an old people's home in the Ville de Bonnueil, an hour outside Paris, and the next day in the Luxembourg Gardens and Montparnasse," that "show typical Korine improvisational touches." It goes on to say: "In the retirement villa, where 'Michael' first meets 'Marilyn', Luna is dressed as a Dangerous-era Jackson, delivering some trademark whoops around some seriously aged Parisian senior citizens, singing, "You're never gonna die, I want you to live forever," as the residents fall asleep in their chairs. Morton proceeds to comfort a nonagenarian non-actor who appears to be hitting himself with a plastic hammer." [2]
Cast
- Diego Luna as Michael Jackson
- Samantha Morton as Marilyn Monroe
- Denis Lavant as Charlie Chaplin
- Werner Herzog as Father Umbrillo
- James Fox as The Pope
- Melita Morgan as Madonna
- Anita Pallenberg as the Queen of England
- Jason Pennycooke as Sammy Davis, Jr.
- Esme Creed-Miles as Shirley Temple
- David Blaine
- Leos Carax as Renard
- Britta Gartner as Nun
- Alisa Grace Greaves as Autograph Girl
- Quentin Grosset as Le Petit Garçon
- Rachel Korine as Little Red Riding Hood
- Joseph Morgan as James Dean
- Daniel Rovai as Moe Howard
- Richard Strange as Abraham Lincoln
- Mal Whiteley as Larry Fine
- Nigel Cooper as Curly Howard
Critical reception
Mister Lonely received mixed reviews from critics. As of May 2, 2008, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 41% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 29 reviews — with the consensus that the film is "less biting than Korine's earlier works, but frustratingly dull."[3] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 53 out of 100, based on 21 reviews.[4]
Box office performance
The film opened in the United States in very limited release on May 2, 2008 and grossed $19,100 in 1 theater its opening weekend.[5]
As of May 4, 2008, the film has grossed an estimated $164,304 worldwide — 19,100 in the United States and $145,204 in other territories.[6]
Soundtrack
Half of the music for the film was written and performed by Sun City Girls, with the other half being created by Spiritualized frontman, Jason "Spaceman" Pierce
Tracklisting
- 01 "Michael's Opening" (dialogue)
- 02 Jason Spaceman: "Blues 1"
- 03 Jason Spaceman: "Blues 2 (Intro)"
- 04 Sun City Girls: "3D Girls"
- 05 Jason Spaceman: "Panama 1"
- 06 Sun City Girls: "Spook"
- 07 Jason Spaceman: "Garden Walk"
- 08 Sun City Girls: "Steppe Spiritual"
- 09 Jason Spaceman: "Pope in the Bath"
- 10 "Nun's Prayer" (dialogue)
- 11 Sun City Girls: "Mr. Lonely Viola"
- 12 Sun City Girls: "Beryl Scepter"
- 13 "Red Riding Hood's Hangman" (dialogue)
- 14 Jason Spaceman: "Stooges Harmonica"
- 15 "Father Umbrillo's Broken Nation"
- 16 Jason Spaceman: "Musicbox Underwater"
- 17 Sun City Girls: "Circus Theme"
- 18 Sun City Girls: "Vine Street Piano"
- 19 Jason Spaceman: "Paris Beach"
- 20 Sun City Girls: "Farewell"
References
- ^ "Harmony-Korine.com – News" (html). Retrieved 2006-12-27.
- ^ SI Feb 2 p34-35 lonely-tj.indd G
- ^ "Mister Lonely Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ^ "Mister Lonely (2008): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ^ "Mister Lonely (2008) - Weekend Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2008-05-02.
- ^ "Mister Lonely (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2008-05-02.