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ABSURDISTANMovie Reviews
European comedy about an adoring couple who find their perfect moment together threatened by a battle of the sexes that sweeps through their once-thriving small village. Cast:Maximilian Mauff, Kristýna Malérova, Assign Planes, Annie Amiridze, Suzann PetricevicDirector:Veit HelmerRelease Date:February 6, 2009DVD Release:August 18, 2009From:First RunLength:1 hr 28 min
Absurdistan played in key cities to very good reviews that at the same time were mixed. • Dennis Harvey wrote in Daily Variety, "Physical comedy, charmingly primitive f/x, robust perfs and imaginative design... a treat for the eyes and funny bone." • And Stephen Cole wrote in the Toronto Globe & Mail, "That it works so well remains something of a mystery – one that perhaps we shouldn't try too hard to explain." More Reviews Below...
Absurdistan has not been reviewed by Broad National Press
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (4 Reviews)
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...a droll and lusty comedy set in a remote ancient village once under Soviet control, now forgotten in an arid no-man's land."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 239 words, 02/06/09
Stephen Cole, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "That it works so well remains something of a mystery - one that perhaps we shouldn't try too hard to explain. After all, one should never look a gift camel in the mouth."(See all of Stephen Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 519 words, 11/27/09
Tim Grierson, LA Weekly: OUTSTANDING "...a nonstop charm machine... makes a virtue out of modest, handmade storytelling without falling prey to cutesy self-indulgence..."(See all of Tim Grierson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 209 words, 02/05/09
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "An infectious spirit of whimsy, eroticism and wonder infuses 'Absurdistan,' a beguiling romantic fable set in a fictional Caucasian backwater."(See all of Ann Hornaday's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 283 words, 03/27/09
Reyhan Harmanci, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the slapstick can get a bit tedious - smacking, slapping, pinching and bonking... but the willing actors and clever visuals keep the momentum going."(See all of Reyhan Harmanci's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 489 words, 02/20/09
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the teen-hormone farce we've been waiting for.... half-amusing, half-tedious... rarely exceeds the ribaldry of a show like 'Benny Hill.' "(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 392 words, 03/06/09
Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: MODERATE(cg) "From its thin concept to its woefully unsuccessful attempts at whimsy, the film demonstrates that 85 minutes can be an eternity."(See all of Calvin Wilson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 326 words, 03/13/09
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (5 Reviews)
Tim Grierson, LA Weekly: OUTSTANDING "...a nonstop charm machine... makes a virtue out of modest, handmade storytelling without falling prey to cutesy self-indulgence..."(See all of Tim Grierson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 209 words, 02/05/09
Gerald Peary, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...nice to look at, with an unusual palette of lush, saturated colors, but the story, amid a barrage of sight gags, is more thin than absurd."(See all of Gerald Peary's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 115 words, 03/05/09
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...a droll and lusty comedy set in a remote ancient village once under Soviet control, now forgotten in an arid no-man's land."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 239 words, 02/06/09
MOVIE INDUSTRY (3 Reviews)
Dennis Harvey, Daily Variety: EXCELLENT "Physical comedy, charmingly primitive f/x, robust perfs and imaginative design contribs make 'Absurdistan' a treat for the eyes and funny bone."(See all of Dennis Harvey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 251 words, 01/31/09
Justin Lowe, Hollywood Reporter: FAIR "...an attempt at comic allegory that stretches a thin premise... Helmer's filmmaking skills aren't sufficient to the task of forging a coherent vision for the film."(See all of Justin Lowe's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 497 words, 01/30/09
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: VERY GOOD "...a droll and lusty comedy set in a remote ancient village once under Soviet control, now forgotten in an arid no-man's land."(See all of Kevin Thomas's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 239 words, 02/06/09
25.1 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Absurdistan's reviews are separated by an average 25.1 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Absurdistan (14 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Absurdistan's reviews cover 10.6% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 4,497 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 321 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 45 Days After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Absurdistan's reviews on average broke 45 days after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Absurdistan's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Absurdistan (14 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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