Henry Fool

Henry Fool

Simon (James Urbaniak), a shy garbage man, lives with his sister (Parker Posey of Party Girl and Waiting for Guffman, among dozens of other movies) and mother, who both treat him with minimal respect. Into Simon's life comes Henry Fool (Thomas Jay Ryan), a heavy-drinking self-proclaimed great writer who goads Simon into writing an enormous poem. The poem becomes the source of great controversy, proclaimed by some as a great work of art, denounced by others as perverse trash. As Simon's star rises, he tries to draw attention to Henry's work as well, to little avail. Though the premise seems simple, Henry Fool takes on something of an epic sweep as it follows the effects of fame on Simon's and Henry's lives. This rumination on art and inspiration was hailed by some critics as the best film yet by writer-director Hal Hartley (Trust, Simple Men, Amateur), while others felt it brought out his worst self-indulgences. All of Hartley's movies defy easy interpretation, and Henry Fool is no exception. Still, it's a rare film that even tries to tackle such subjects, let alone does so with a combination of intelligence and humor (ranging from verbal quirkiness to scatological embarrassment). Hartley's films, surprisingly enough, feel warmer and more accessible on video; perhaps watching them in one's home makes them seem more intimate and less abstract. --Bret Fetzer

Genre: Comedy, Drama
Production: Sony Pictures Classics
  1 win & 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.3
Metacritic:
68
Rotten Tomatoes:
89%
R
Year:
1997
137
1,436 Views

Share your thoughts on Henry Fool's quotes with the community:

0 Comments

    Quote of the Day Today's Quote | Archive

    Would you like us to send you a FREE inspiring quote delivered to your inbox daily?

    Please enter your email address:

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this movie page to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Henry Fool Quotes." Quotes.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 Nov. 2024. <https://www.quotes.net/movies/henry_fool_quotes_5158>.

    Know another quote from Henry Fool?

    Don't let people miss on a great quote from the "Henry Fool" movie - add it here!

    Quiz

    Are you a quotes master?

    »
    Who said "Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent."?
    A Robert A. Heinlein
    B Kurt Vonnegut
    C Isaac Asimov
    D Poul Anderson