Indie Movie Review: “Hesher”

I don’t really like Redbox.

I’m not saying that it’s not a cool concept, but normally I am not intrigued by the options that I am presented with. Naturally, I was more than surprised when I spotted a movie that not only contains some of my favorite actors, but that I have never even heard of before.

Enter “Hesher,” a movie about a young boy named TJ trying to cope with the death of his mother. This movie does a good job at taking you on a very personal journey of each character’s growth. The very first scene involves TJ refusing to get out of an old beaten down car, where his mother spent her very last moment on earth. Aside from TJ, it is easy to feel a personal connection with everyone else. Each character, from his weed-smoking grandmother to a bespectacled “hero,” develops beautifully throughout the movie and aids with TJ’s growth.

The most interesting character is Hesher who is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. If you’ve seen “500 Days of Summer,” you’ll know that Gordon-Levitt is best known as that lovable guy that you just want to cuddle with (or maybe that’s just me…). Surprisingly, he is the complete opposite in this movie. Playing a grungy loner whose favorite things are porn and farting, his character is easy to hate. But it’s Gordon-Levitt’s superb acting and the overall development of Hesher that makes your opinion of him turn a complete 180 by the end of the movie.

Although she doesn’t appear as much as TJ or Hesher, Nicole, played by Natalie Portman, is just as important. After saving TJ from a greasy-haired bully, she asks TJ if he thinks she’s a lady, and her character immediately becomes very reminiscent of her role from “Garden State.” TJ quickly develops a schoolboy crush on Nicole, and she turns into a sort of mentor for him.

It isn’t until the end of the movie that things really begin to blow up, and the characters become more dynamic than ever. TJ’s father, played by Rainn Wilson (best known for his role as Dwight Schrute in “The Office,”) comes to his senses after an intense scene involving the throwing of dishes and the exchange of heart-breaking words with his son. TJ arrives at his ultimate breaking point and the movie ends with a bang that sends thing spiraling even more out of control.

With excellent cinematography, impeccable acting by all and surprises around every corner, “Hesher” never presents you with a dull moment and leaves you wanting more and more. The ending is somewhat typical of an indie movie, but nevertheless it is still what ties the movie together perfectly, leaving you crying and smiling all at the same time.

Posted by Anna Morris on Sep 29 2011. Filed under Leisure, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.