Asylum Seekers

In reference to some of the previous reviews, yes "Asylum Seekers" dares to be surreal. Whether this is a compliment or an epithet is entirely according to individual taste, I suppose. I think that the film is quite smart and very humorous, although at times the joke takes a while to sink in. This, to my mind, is a good thing. Themes of acting, self-presentation, fragmentation, and "mental health" in modern life are presented quite well in this film. True, quite often "Asylum Seekers" dispenses with easy plot devices, but this seems to be rooted in an expectation that the audience will actually engage a bit with the underlying themes rather than passively wait to be jolted into cheap laughter or "understanding".

Interestingly, the film reminds me a lot of Raymond Roussel's novels; Roussel was funny too, but only if you were open to his strange sense of the world.

For those interested in the formal qualities of a film, I can say that "Asylum Seekers" looks great. True, it is not "realistic", but it is clear that the director and crew got the most out of what was probably a fairly low budget.

So, for lazy viewers, this is not a good film at all. If you actually take X-Factor or "the media" (any media...Fox, MSNBC, BBC...does not matter, really) or your therapist seriously, by all means stay away! If this is the level of your engagement, this film is not only not for you...you are actually the film's target. For those who can appreciate a more complex world than this, however, I can highly recommend "Asylum Seekers".

The plot concept of this film might be best described as a tale of morals but is one that uses the interaction between startlingly bizarre and troubled characters, personalities who describe extreme ends of society. This surprisingly surreal mix in turn questions the viewer's own thoughts on their behaviour as the story continues to develop. The viewer is forced into trying to empathise with each character in order to better understand their individual mannerisms and their interaction with the others. The result is that the troubled nature of each character presents a vignette of differing social mores, whilst all the while the viewer is attempting to determine which one will ultimately prevail in their mutual quest. Cleverly conceived and excellently cast. A fine production.

R.

AMAZING ESCAPISM!!! Wish I could escape our "mad" contemporary world through "ASSYLUM SEEKERS" EXIT door!!! Loved the revolutionary Red Digit Cinema Camera! Incredible Inventive Cinematography!!!! Saw the preview in London and I can't wait for the general release in the U.K. Perceived insanity is like beauty in the eye of the beholder! Not all of us would reach a consensus what beauty is & certainly will agree who is sane or insane! Rania Ajami in my view reached the same conclusion! Her inmates evoke certain universal truths! A job well done!! The choice of actors was superb which proved the greatness of the director1 It was a remarkable black comedy!

So many movies are the same and this one isn't, mixing wry humor, visual painting that combines an unpredictable story (refreshing, that) with some bizarre circumstances. See it, experience it, this is the stuff that scifi fantasy fans just wait and wait for, something new and unusual.

Adults need fantasy with wit and the bigger than life characters in the film are fraught with humor and totally twisted! Notable performances form the principles, hilarious and just so wrong, I bet Carlos Castaneda & Lewis Carroll would love this film.

I look forward to more of Ajami's directing!

Six people on the verge of a breakdown decide to check themselves into an insane asylum, only to discover there is just room for one.

I have to wonder, what sort of thing inspires this film? Luis Bunuel? David Lynch? Clearly Alice in Wonderland to some degree... but this film has a surreal vibe -- no, not a vibe. It is surreal through and through. Which, if you like that, will tickle your fancy.

The idea behind this film was awesome, the imagery was awesome, the twists were awesome... so why did I give it a mediocre rating? Simply because this film, if redone by someone with a bigger budget and with access to more star power, could make it a much better film. The only really good actor was the man playing the bald guy in a suit. (The cyber girl was okay, too... the gender bender rapper was by far the worst.