Fear X

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Fear X is a 2003 psychological thriller directed by Nicolas Winding Refn.


Fear X

The Past Can Never Be Rewound
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Written by Hubert Selby Jr.
Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring John Turturro
Deborah Kara Unger
Stephen McIntyre
William Allen Young
Gene Davis
Mark Houghton
Jacqueline Ramel
James Remar
Music by Brian Eno
Cinematography Larry Smith
Editing by Anne Østerud
Distributed by Lions Gate Films
Release date(s) January 19, 2003 (Sundance Film Festival)
Running time 91 min.
Country USA/Denmark
Language English
Budget $6,600,000 (estimated)
IMDb profile

Contents

[edit] Plot Synopsis

When his wife is killed in a seemingly random incident Harry (Turturro), prompted by mysterious visions, journeys to discover the true circumstances surrounding her murder.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Critical Reception

  • The film earned a 61 metascore (out of 100) on Metacritic, which means "generally favorable reviews." [1]
  • The film earned a 57% rating on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes, with a 71% positive rating coming from the cream of the crop critics. Though the film is not certified fresh, it is only one positive review away.[2]
  • Though the film itself has received mixed reviews, the majority praise John Turturro's performance. LA Weekly says "Turturro ... never wavers in his commitment to a role that deprives him of nearly all his actorly tools. (He) keeps Fear X fascinating." [3] The New York Daily News says "Turturro's subtle turn keeps our emotional connection solid" [4] and Compuserve adds "Turturro gets under your skin." [5]

[edit] The Ending

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
  • There is no universally-accepted interpretation of the ending.
  • Director Nicolas Winding Refn commented on the ending within several interviews:
    • In an interview with BBC:
      • Harry’s impossible quest raises questions, but it all adds to the brave elliptical nature of this film. So did Refn ever get to the bottom of those questions in his own mind? "I can’t answer that," he says bluntly. "It depends on how I feel that day. And of course that pisses off a lot of people because they’re not used to a film without an ending. But what the f**k is an ending, you know?" [6]
    • In an interview with IndieWire:
      • "Fear X" is about idealists and when they're confronted with reality, a lot of the time their ideals are tested and turned and they're no longer what they thought they would be...[7]
      • "You can view it in many different ways... it's so up to your own interpretation."[8]
      • How were we going to end this, without giving anything away, without making it too obvious, because the minute the audience's mind begins to work, you're on very dangerous ground. Because if you tell them too much, they're disappointed and if you don't give them any clues, they get confused. So it's that fine line of giving the audience as they walk out, okay, I believe it's this or I believe it's that. We never gave more in the script. [9]
  • Actor John Turturro also commented on the ending within an interview with Channel 4:
    • "I liked it because the idea of the story was about a simple man thrust into this overwhelming, debilitating circumstance, and he never really finds out what happens... Nicholas doesn't have all the answers to what he's trying to do. A lot of times these guys, their biggest problem is solving the script, but Nicholas seems to be a filmmaker who likes to throw the script away."[10]
Spoilers end here.

[edit] Trivia

John Turturro in Fear X
Enlarge
John Turturro in Fear X

[edit] Festivals

(Listed Chronologically)

[edit] Awards

  • 2003 - Sochi International Film Festival - Nominated - Golden Rose
  • 2003 - Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival - Nominated - Best Film
  • 2004 - Bodil Awards - Nominated - Best Actor
  • 2004 - Fantasporto - Nominated - Best Film
  • 2004 - Fantasporto - Won - Best Screenplay
John Turturro in Fear X
Enlarge
John Turturro in Fear X

[edit] Film Locations

  • Portage Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
  • Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

[edit] Miscellanea

  • Nicolas Winding Refn's film company Jang Go Star went bankrupt after the box office failure of this film.
  • The film was shot in sequence (chronological order). [12]

[edit] External links

  • [1] IndieWire Interview with Nicholas Winding Refn
  • [2] Interview with John Turturro
  • [3] Channel 4 Interview with John Turturro
  • [4] BBC Interview with Nicolas Winding Refn
  • [5] Rotten Tomatoes Entry
  • [6] Metacritic Entry
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