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Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Rainn Wilson, Devin Brochu, Piper Laurie ... see more see more... , John Carroll Lynch , Brendan Hill , Paul Bates , Biff Yaeger , Frank Collison

Loud music. Pornography. Burning **** to the ground. These are a few of Hesher's favorite things. And they are what Hesher (Joseph Gordon Levitt) brings into the lives of TJ (Devin Brochu) and his fat... read more read more...her, Paul (Rainn Wilson) when he takes up residence in their garage uninvited. Grief-stricken by the loss of TJ's mother in a car accident, Paul can't muster the strength to evict the strange squatter, and soon the long-haired, tattooed Hesher becomes a fixture in the household. Like a force of nature, Hesher's anarchy shakes the family out of their grief and helps them embrace life once more. --(c) New Market Films

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61% liked it

16,285 ratings

Critics

54% liked it

68 critics

R, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Spencer Susser

Release Date: May 13, 2011

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DVD Release Date: September 13, 2011

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Stats: 1,041 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,041)

  • yona71
    May 21, 2012
    yona71
    It's refreshing to see something that doesn't try to do too much. The plain and simple approach is seldom seen or at least not seen done well.
    In this one, Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as an "anarchist" that takes up residence in the garage of a father and son's home. They are havi... read moreng a difficult time dealing with the death of the wife and mother, and Hesher kind of shakes things up to keep the vitality in the household he wasn't even invited into.
    Hesher befriends the grandmother and even adds a bong to her medical marijuana which allows for some interesting subtext. So I'm gonna say if it happens to be on, check it out. Or if you like Natalie Portman who surprisingly plays a small role in such a random film, go the extra mile and rent it.
  • Crashinkov
    December 17, 2011
    Crashinkov
    Metallica tracks!! so interesting, big advantage , but what genre would this going to be? is it a family movie, drama, violent, sentimental, uncomfortable comedy ??!! really don't know, but I kind of liked it
  • dunmyer
    November 30, 2011
    dunmyer
    "Hesher" is a flawed but moving, refreshingly unique story about grief, love, and loss. Three male characters representing different generations (one about 13 years old, the second about 25, and the third about 40) are each suffering a terrible loss and each handling it miserably... read more. Their lives are in a shambles.

    On the rare occasion when they're able to get out of bed, they get enmeshed in fights, vandalism, car crashes, bonfires, and explosions everywhere they turn. And they are usually the cause of this violence. "Hesher" is one of the most kinetic films I've ever seen.

    These three troubled boys develop an uncommon bond and help each other heal, in their completely unique way. The final sequence, which sees the three of them pushing a coffin through the streets of their town, had me in tears.

    The lead character is the youngest one, played by Devin Brochu. The 25-year-old (whose name is Hesher) is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Rainn Wilson, in what I believe is his first non-comedic role, plays the bereft, profoundly depressed 40-year-old.

    A few female characters dot the landscape, again representing different generations. (The cross-generational aspect to "Hesher" was a real delight.) Natalie Portman plays a down-on-her-luck supermarket clerk, and Piper Laurie, most famous for her role as the demonic mother in "Carrie" (1976), is radiant as a generous, slightly senile grandmother.

    "Hesher" may have its flaws, but it also has a tremendous amount going for it. The fact that it has received overly harsh reviews and been completely ignored by audiences strikes me as one of the cinematic travesties of 2011. We seem to hate unique filmmaking in America. --unfinished--
  • itsjustme2004
    October 27, 2011
    itsjustme2004
    Ok. I guess that I am a snob of some sort....but I couldn't stand much more than an hour of this movie. Unbelievably crude. Not sure how I even made it an entire hour....
  • fb619846742
    October 21, 2011
    fb619846742
    A truly weird, but still watchable train-wreck of a film anchored by a more than capable cast, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt once again showing why he is one of the best actors working right now. There is a lot going on here, and the film could have done a slightly better job hinting... read more at the fact that Hesher (Gordon-Levitt) might in fact be the more violent, older alter ego of young TJ (Devin Brochu), something I was hoping they would do, but for the most part this is powerful stuff. It does push the dramatic envelope a bit too much, notably at its ultra slow-motion finale, but as said, the title character is a unique and intriguing one, and Rainn Wilson (really liking his body of work performance wise recently), Natalie Portman (nails her part and does what she can with her character) and Brochu are all really terrific. Not a film for everyone, and it is not a fun one to sit through, but it is an unpredictable vehicle careening all over the place, and for some inexplicable reason, it stays in control of its own chaos and delivers some powerful, memorable scenes as a result.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    October 20, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Hesher is not a perfect film, but it does manage to be entertaining. I'm going to give my point of view as a metalhead who's seen this film. I very much enjoyed the film for what it was, a drama comedy film with a great cast and a wicked soundtrack. Hesher, the character was writ... read moreten to be a stereotypical washed up metalhead with a big "fuck you" attitude, which in many ways is true about metalheads, as we don't care really trends or other crap. But, here's the thing, a lot of us metalheads possess that attitude, but we're not as messed up as Hesher is. That's why people see metalheads the way society sees it. The film expresses a view of metalheads that couldn't be so far from the truth, but at times so close too. Hesher is a metalhead obsessed with porn, metal, and setting things on fire, he meets TJ a kid who's bereaved at the lose of his mother. Little by little, Hesher helps TJ unwind and appreciate life a bit more. However Hesher does so in very strange ways. I really enjoyed this film, but will admit that it's not for everyone. Obviously people not accustomed to Heavy Metal music will assume, that it's how every fan of the music acts, but as a fan of the music, I can say that we don't act that way, and sadly this film will most likely be dismissed as trash by the mainstream because of it. The film is eccentric, but is quite good. Rainn Wilson gives an impressive performance and Joseph-Gordon-Levitt delivers a great performance as Hesher. This is a film that shouldn't be overlooked because the title character is a metalhead, but it might and it's a real shame because this film, under its metal mayhem veneer has a good story.
  • xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    October 5, 2011
    xXGiNoBiLiPRXx
    Sometimes life gives you the finger and sometimes it gives you...

    Great Film! A dark tone sometimes comedic drama with a mix of rebellious emotional scenes would best describe this superb film. Joseph Gordon-Leviitt in a role the majority of it's fans have never seen before whi... read morech I'm sure you'll never see him the same way again. This cast was incredibly talented, there were no flaws whatsover in any character present in this film. Well executed directing and fantastic story done by Spencer Susser. A very real yet rocky film that will impress alot of people.

    Hesher is a loner. He hates the world and everyone in it. He has long greasy hair and homemade tattoos. He is malnourished and smokes a lot of cigarettes. He likes fire and blowing things up. He lives in his van, until he meets TJ.
  • cosmo313
    October 2, 2011
    cosmo313
    This is the story of a dirty, dangerous, downright psychotic and unpedictable metalhead named Hesher who starts squatting in the living room of a family wrecked by grief over the death of a loved one. It's really about the bullied boy TJ, and how Hesher makes his life worse, but ... read morecould perhaps be helping him, though the way he goes about doing this is just vulgar, nuts, and unconventional.

    Joseph Gordon-Levitt is awesome as Hesher. It's the kind of performance that reallly allows a performer to cut loose and just do something really out there. It's a great performance, though it feels like the film is mostly relying on him to carry it. That's kinda the biggest issue with the film. It's got some great ideas and a cool concept, but the way it is done leaves a lot to be desired. The other performances are good, however, they're all underwritten, even Hesher. It would have been better had there been more backstory and depth with the characters,because they deserve to have more known about them.

    I was torn on how to rate this one. It does have the script issues, and it does start to fall apart towards the end, yet, Levitt is awesome, there's some crazy stuff on display, and it's really not all that predictable at times. It can be uncomfortable at times, but it does come around in the end. I'll just give it the benefit of the doubt and give it a mild pass, though it really does need some work.
  • fb733768972
    September 29, 2011
    fb733768972
    "Hesher" is one of the more phenomenal ideas in filmmaking to come out this year, but even though the story is brilliantly told and the acting is thoroughly believable, it can't quite make up for some of the dialogue that can be hard to take seriously, and that may be the whole p... read moreoint, but there are a few scenes that just feel lazy. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays "Hesher", a lonely low-life who hates his life and everything and everyone in it. As he uses a kid for shelter, he intrudes on a family who is already mourning from the death of a family member, which he only makes worse. His personailty is hilarious to watch most of the time, but there are moments when he goes a bit too far and it seems a bit over-the-top. This film has an insane amount of emotions jumping off of the screen, making this one of the best films of the year. I know I may be drowning this film in some negativity, but the negative points do not even come close to how many times a truly heartwarming scene presented itself. I may have expected a bit more, but this film has "unique" written all over it. This films' mature level is through the roof, it's different, the tone is fantastic, and I just plain love it!
  • LWOODS04
    September 27, 2011
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Devin Brochu, Rainn Wilson, Piper Laurie, John Carroll Lynch, Audrey Wasilewski, Frank Collison, Paul Bates

    Director: Spencer Susser

    Summary: Struggling to accept the death of his mother, T.J. (Devin Brochu) befriends Hesher (Jo... read moreseph Gordon-Levitt), a twentysomething misfit who becomes both a mentor and a bad influence on the lost and awkward teen. Hesher soon invites himself to live with T.J. and his self-medicating dad (Rainn Wilson). Their bizarre relationship is tested when T.J. develops a crush on a supermarket checkout girl (Natalie Portman) who rescues him from a gang of bullies.

    My Thoughts: "I think "Hesher" could be not only my favorite movie of the year, but also my favorite character ever. The film is dark, funny, sad, and a little twisted. That also would describe Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Hesher. He is brilliant in his role and in every other role he has ever taken on. I am a very big fan of his work and have seen just about every film he's been in. The film meshes the comedy and drama together quite brilliantly. Everyone was excellent in their role including the great acting by the young Devin Brochu as TJ. He just breaks your heart in this film. Natalie Portman was great in her small part as well. "Hesher" is an original, dark, disturbing film that no one should miss out on. This is the type of Indie film that puts block busters to shame."

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Critic Reviews

Tom Long
May 13, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

Happily, Hesher never lays things out too clearly. Just as you never know where he came from, it's hard to grasp where he's going, or even what he's doing in the moment. But you know he fits somewhere... Full Review

Stephen Whitty
May 13, 2011
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

Gordon-Levitt is a sly and inventive actor, and it can be genuinely fun to watch him having so much fun. But this character wears out his welcome fast. Full Review

Joe Morgenstern
May 13, 2011
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

Rather than a character rooted in some sort of reality -- social, satirical, psychological, take your pick -- Hesher is an abstract notion animated by false energy. Full Review

Michael O'Sullivan
May 13, 2011
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

Bad role models sometimes make the most interesting movie characters. Full Review

Kyle Smith
May 13, 2011
Kyle Smith, New York Post

Unlike many films that hope to be called black comedy, it does not skimp on either the black or the comedy. Full Review

Joe Neumaier
May 13, 2011
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News

At a future date, when some grad student writes a thesis on 'Wild Men of the Subconscious in Popular Culture,' there will certainly be a special place for 'Hesher.' Just as long as it stays there and ... Full Review

Mick LaSalle
May 12, 2011
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

"Hesher" is about as awful as independent films get, a mix of ugliness and unearned sentiment, with a flat story, repellent and pathetic characters and dialogue that consists of lots of stammering and... Full Review

Robert Abele
May 12, 2011
Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

Susser, who wrote the film with David Michod, has a kinetic filmmaking style and an impish, crash-and-burn sense of humor that keeps sentiment at bay long enough to let us appreciate the loose, uncomp... Full Review

Peter Travers
May 12, 2011
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

As played by the spectacular Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hesher is the id run rampant. Even when the script edges him into Hallmark sentiment, you can't take your eyes off him. Full Review

Ty Burr
May 12, 2011
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

[Gordon-Levitt gives] a fearsome and giddily unhinged performance in a movie that isn't entirely sure what to do with it. Full Review

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    • TJ: What is wrong with you?
    • Hesher: What's green, slimy, and smells like bacon?
    • Hesher: You lost your wife, You lost your mom, I lost a nut.
    • Hesher: I got a doctor's appointment. It burns when I urinate.
    • Madeleine Forney: Life is like walking in the rain... you can hide and take cover or you can just get wet.
    • Nicole: How do you know this guy?
    • TJ: It's kind of a long story.
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