Waking Life

Bomb Rating: 

While somebody unfamiliar with director Richard Linklater might think this plot of not having a plot to be original... it is simply consistent with Linklater's inability to put together a film with a plot.

I had heard much positive buzz about this movie. However, not only does it fail to live up to the hype, it's not even a very good film. While it utilizes a new approach to animation, there's nothing else in it that's even the least bit interesting. Rather than having a story, it follows a character that walks around listening to different people spout various philosophical views on the nature of existence. While all his occurs, the animation makes you start to think that one of those underpaid theater workers slipped LSD into your drink.

While somebody unfamiliar with director Richard Linklater might think this plot of not having a plot to be original or even to be consistent with the concept of a waking dream (or a walking dream or a living dream or dream walking -- what the hell ever), it is simply consistent with Linklater's inability to put together a film with a plot. This, after all, is the guy who made "Slackers," which is just a camera following a bunch of different people around.

Do I need to recount what happens in this film? Sorry, but I can't. I can't remember a thing about it. That's because this film was gone from my memory the second I left the theater, much like college philosophy. You sit in class and think that all this stuff about existence is interesting, until you leave class and realize that your philosophy professor can barely function in the real world. Thank God for universities where these guys can teach the fine art of thinking yourself catatonic. This movie serves much the same function. Interesting idea, you might say, but what the hell is the point?

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