Themes: Drug Addiction, Self-Destructive Romance, Going Straight
Main Cast: Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Denis Leary, Jack Black, Will Patton
Release Year: 1999
Country: US
Run Time: 109 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In this independent drama, a young man tries to find himself in the early 1970s as he wades through a swamp of heroin addiction. FH (Billy Crudup) is a well-intentioned but weak-willed man whose propensity for messing up his life has earned him his nickname, short for "F--khead." FH's problems with drugs begin in earnest when he falls in love with Michelle (Samantha Morton), a beautiful but emotionally unsettled woman addicted to heroin. FH soon finds himself drawn to the needle, and the couple drifts from one incident to the next, some funny and some horrifying. Michelle rescues FH from overdoses on a few occasions, although their friend Wayne (Denis Leary) isn't so lucky. After a few years, Michelle becomes pregnant and has an abortion in Chicago shortly before leaving FH and journeying to Mexico. While heading South in hopes of finding her, FH falls into a relationship with an older woman, Mira (Holly Hunter), and becomes involved in an auto wreck; his brush with death, and the opportunity to save a child's life, lead him into rehab and a chance to straighten out his life. The American debut from New Zealand director Alison Maclean and based on the novel by Denis Johnson, Jesus' Son also features Dennis Hopper, Will Patton, and Jack Black. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Review
Two of the most promising performers of their generation pair up with mixed results in Jesus' Son, New Zealand director Alison Maclean's loopy, intermittently brilliant adaptation of author Denis Johnson's cult novel. It's both an asset and a failing that McLean has kept as faithful as possible to her source material. Instead of being preachy or heavy-handed, the disjointed vignettes that tell the tale of junkie FH (Billy Crudup) and his erstwhile girlfriend Michelle (Samantha Morton) have a pleasantly unforced feel. Unfortunately, it's that same unforced rhythm that makes the movie evaporate from memory as soon as the lights come up. Along FH's journey to self-enlightenment, however, we're treated to a smattering of compelling moments: the shocking car accident that opens the film; the split-screen overdose of demented building contractor Wayne (Denis Leary, in an all-too-brief performance); and the surreal hospital job FH and his friend Georgie (the ubiquitous Jack Black) keep in order to score drugs -- any drugs. Our hero occasionally lapses into hallucinatory dream sequences which, at their best, recall Fellini; at their worst, they feel like warmed-over fantasy sequences from Ally McBeal. Through it all, the performances of the sensual, electric Morton and the laconic, dreamy Crudup -- in the first role perfectly suited to his sluggish charm -- keep the film from becoming a mere exercise in style. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
Andrea Stanley - Art Director, Oren Moverman - Associate Producer, Laura Rosenthal - Casting, Ali Farrel - Casting, Margot Bridger - Co-producer, Kasia Walicka Maimone - Costume Designer, Alison Maclean - Director, Stuart Levy - Editor, Geraldine Peroni - Editor, Steve Tuttleman - Executive Producer, Joe Henry - Composer (Music Score), Randall Poster - Musical Direction/Supervision, David Doernberg - Production Designer, Adam Kimmel - Cinematographer, Lydia Dean Pilcher - Producer, Elizabeth Cuthrell - Producer, David Urrutia - Producer, Geri Rudin - Set Designer, Elizabeth Cuthrell - Screenwriter, David Urrutia - Screenwriter, Oren Moverman - Screenwriter, Denis Johnson - Book Author
The original soundtrack to Alison Maclean's Jesus' Son, the often hallucinatory tale of a young man's tragi-comic journey from drug addiction to redemption in the '70s, features an appropriately diverse mix of songs from Floyd Cramer, Joe Tex, Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson, and the Louvin Brothers. Joe Henry and Wilco's equally trippy and rootsy contributions are especially impressive; Henry's title track blends wah-wah guitars and shimmering vibes into a delicate yet compelling theme, while Wilco's languid, poignant "She's a Jar" ranks among their best work. Tommy Roe's "Sweet Pea" adds a touch of cheerfully annoying bubblegum to the collection, which is balanced by Sgt. Barry Sadler's "The Ballad of the Green Beret"'s somewhat morbid patriotism. An expressive set of music on its own, Jesus' Son's soundtrack complements the film's strange, moving tone perfectly. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Floyd Cramer (Performer), The Louvin Brothers (Performer), Tommy Roe (Performer), Doug Sahm (Performer), Joe Tex (Performer), Barbara Mason (Performer), Peggy Scott (Performer), John Henry (Performer), Chris Parker (Album Supervision), Randall Poster (Producer), Jo Jo Benson (Performer), Emily Lazar (Mastering), Joe Henry (Producer)
