dierregi This is one of those movies that totally flat-lined for me. I watched it only because a friend liked and recommended it. However, I had serious doubts about it, after having read the synopsis and seen a photo of Sean Penn in drags. I am not a Penn fan, although I would not rule out a movie just because he is in it.In this particular movie, I really disliked him for lots of reasons: the exasperating monotone of his speech; the phoniness of all his "conversations"; the weird and yet dull interaction with the many bizarre characters populating the movie, etc…The word "boring" is used quite often when we explain why we did not like a movie. Basically, we did not feel emotionally or intellectually engaged by the story unfolding on screen. Nothing works against this type of disengagement. No rational explanation will convince you about the deep, inner meaning the director, scriptwriter, actors and other reviewers saw or tried to instill into the story.Therefore, for me this is the ultimate boring movie. A plot so thin I lost track of it after 10 minutes; totally disengaging and disengaged characters; far too much artsy Penn. I gave up, 1 hour and 6 minutes into it and I am not even sure why I lasted that long. By then, I still had no clue about what was going on and I definitely stopped caring even earlier …..

urbantrashri There's a new master filmmaker in town! If the devil--or drag queen--is in the details-- this three hours of drama slams it out of the park with its use of inanimate objects and color as characters, embedded numbers as methods of communication, and--ultimately a psychological choreograph of the life of a man struggling to reconcile rejection from his father and vein idolatry from the masses while retaining inner sanctum. Viewers are bound to the screen as they watch the main character - -and his five mirrored images--move through the phases of life and resolution for family honor all without compromise. You won't watch it once--but have plenty of frozen pizza and orange juice on hand when you do.

secondtake This Must Be the Place (2011)Sean Penn tries very hard in this film, taking on a role of the worn out and disturbed rock star (Cheyenne) living in isolation. His character is weirdly ambiguous—and just plain weird—somewhere between a cross-dresser, a transvestite, and a myopic hedonist. He is something like "the idiot" of literature who seems completely out of touch but also has a wisdom and aloof perspective others do not.It sometimes works. The movie itself is filled with ambiguity, and not in an enchanting way. Since it does not charm by its aura and filmic intention (it has little of either), it should give us a better sense of what exactly is going on. Oh, you'll get the drift, and you'll pick up on the Cheyenne's regret and melancholy. And you might understand he hits the road in a bumbling search for some evil-doer geriatric Nazi (I'm serious) that no other person is better qualified to pursue.Well, any movie that pushes into its own sphere with some enthusiasm is worth watching, to me. I'm glad I did. But I can use my experience to warn a viewer that it's a personal calling here. Penn alone is reason to either hate or like the film, his overacting reminding me mostly that there are people who are really like this character who would have done much better. Instead we feel him acting all the time. It should be said that some of the other actors are forced to push their performances, too.One curious aspect to the film I loved was all the versions of the one song in the film, "Home" or "This Must Be the Place" by the Talking Heads (and performed by all kinds of people including David Byrne himself in a small, very tacked-on cameo). Some of the versions are so different you might not even catch that it's the same song again. Listen.So what's the point of all this angst and campy sadness? I think it's about the rediscovery of this Cheyenne's self. His real self, a person with normal qualities. He succeeds by breaking out of his self-imposed hermetic world and in a way it's a warm and almost terrific experience. For him and for the viewer. But for all its intentions it felt forced to me. There wasn't enough supporting material, not enough ambiance, and not enough character development (oddly enough, since it's all about Cheyenne's character). There is so much time spent on superficial aspects we never really get into the depths that might be here. Maybe.I want to think of this as a 10 star dream with a 4 star soul. That makes 7, I guess. But it feels less satisfying than that for me, and I'm thinking you'll know by now whether you might give this a tentative whirl.

perkypops I admit I was put off by the retired rock star formula but eventually I got to see this film and I am so pleased I did. Sean Penn's portrayal of Cheyenne is unmissable and he is well supported by a great cast. And although the pursuit of the Nazi who persecuted Cheyenne's father is foremost in the plot summaries I have seen there is a lot more to savour in this slow revelation of a changing man. Penn makes his character unwind and grow as the film progresses. There are many ways in which revelations are made and the script is beautifully judged to get the most out of the dialogue which is, at times, wonderful, beautiful, stunning, call it what you will.And such sumptuous cinematography, such clever use of sound, such beautifully lingering moments to take our breath away. And the likely final shots of this film are never signposted and do not give way to sentimentality. We see, think and feel what the actors see, think and feel and I cannot compliment a film more highly than that. And there are so many one liners that could be quoted as favourites from a script just littered with them.This is a film that'll need some concentration on your part, not because it is hard work, but because you'll be engrossed by it. I give it nine out of ten and recommend it to all those old enough to see it.