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Michael Shannon, Chloë Sevigny, Willem Dafoe, Grace Zabriskie, Udo Kier ... see more see more... , Brad Dourif , Michael Peña , Bill Cobbs , Verne Troyer , Loretta Devine

The first collaboration between legendary filmmakers David Lynch and Werner Herzog, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done is loosely based on the true story of a San Diego man whose mystifying experiences... read more read more... lead him to commit a shocking act of matricide. Michael Shannon, Chloë Sevigny, and Willem Dafoe headline this psychological thriller written and directed by Herzog, produced by Lynch, and featuring Grace Zabriskie, Udo Kier, and Brad Dourif. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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40 critics

R, 1 hr. 33 min.

Directed by: Werner Herzog

Release Date: January 1, 2010

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DVD Release Date: September 14, 2010

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Flixster Reviews (303)

  • blkbomb
    April 1, 2012
    blkbomb
    Brad McCullum: Some people act a role, others play a part! 

    "The Mystery Isn't Who. But Why."

    I really have no idea on what to think of My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? It's definitely a weird and interesting film. It has some bizarre performances, especially in the case of M... read moreichael Shannon. The film is shot beautifully, and has the stamp of of both Herzog(a good thing) and of Lynch(in my opinion, most of the time, a bad thing). At times the movie is absorbing and you forget that you're actually watching a movie. At other times it began to get very tiresome and I became aware of every second of my life the film was taking up. In the end, it was actually a pretty hard film to get through, which is irritating because I really expected to like it. I love Herzog, and I definitely love the cast of Dafoe, Shannon, and Savigny. Still, I can't say the film is a good one. In fact I'd almost sway to the side of not recommending this to anyone, but I'm sure there are people who will be able to find the masterpiece that is hidden somewhere below the surface. I'm under the impression that it is there, I just couldn't find it. Maybe upon another viewing in the future, I will be able to. Hopefully.

    It really does have the Lynchian feel to it. Many scenes felt like they had his fingerprints all over them, and that really annoyed me. I don't know for certain that that is true, but just the thought of Lynch having any control over the end product makes me a little nervous. You should know that I really just don't like Lynch. I've seen many of his films and of the ones I've seen, I can only say I like Blue Velvet. So his involvement here just irks me, especially because it compromises the film in my opinion because I could see him wanting at least a decent amount of artistic control. I wish Herzog was the only name selling the film; I think it would have turned out better.
  • cosmo313
    March 26, 2012
    cosmo313
    There was an awesome team behind this, with David Lynch producing, and Werner Herzog co-writing and directing. That fact alone makes this film interesting. It's just unfortunate that the end result is rather underwhelming and doesn't really add up to much.

    The film is loosely ba... read moresed on an actual event, and involves an young actor who, obsessed with a Greek tragedy he's rehearsing, kills his mother with an antique sword. So, since everyone knows who did it, the investigation of the case is based around why he did it.

    Given who's involved here, that obviously means that this film is offbeat and takes an unconventional approach. When the film begins, the crime has already happened, so the film alternates between flashbacks leading up to the crime, and the investigation itself. It's sort of a horror movie, but it's more about tone, mood, and atmosphere, and the psychology of things instead of focusing on the bloodshed.

    There have been plenty of films already that have done the whole descent into madness thing so well that there's no real point in trying to top those or add to that collection, so here it is a case of, "we've got a crazy guy, let's just film something about him". In a way, that's cool, and kinda works. It doesn't really lead up to much though, and I never felt like I got much of a point here, but there were some high points along the way at least.

    The pairing of Herzog and Lynch is awesome, so it sucks that the result wasn't spectacular. There's a great cast of character players here, all fitting perfectly with the vibe common to H and L's typical works. The performances are pretty damn good, save for Sevigny who just kinda seems ot be spaced out and phoning it in. The music if great, and the cinematography is also pretty sweet.

    The film has a great, creepy vibe to it, and it's a nice reminder of how these two directors can take seemingly normal places and warp them. Too bad the overall result is meandering, ponderous, and a tad too slow in the pacing department.

    Look, I like parts of this, a lot, but it's just a bit unfulfilling when it shouldn't be. Maybe I missed the point. All I know is that if you like either director, you are bound to find at least something to like, even if it isn't everything.
  • fb619846742
    March 8, 2012
    fb619846742
    An unbearably pretentious bore concerning a mentally unstable man (Michael Shannon), convinced he has been spoken to by God, who kills his mother after journeying around the area of Southern California and becoming more detached from society. What sounds like a thrilling, surreal... read moreistic probing into a familiar but still fascinating subject falls flat on its face due to a nearly incomprehensible screenplay loaded with weird characters that do not feel natural to the story. David Lynch was clearly brought in here to give some of that Lynch-ian surrealistic atmosphere, but it all feels so fake, hollow, and forced. The acting is the only dependable aspect of this film, where Michael Shannon shines brightly yet again, and Brad Dourif has a memorable cameo although his character doesn't really serve any real purpose to the story. Werner Herzog and David Lynch are two of my favorite film-makers, and the combination of both of their talents should have been a home-run. Instead it's a full, blown-out bore of a movie that is not as eerie or suspenseful as it thinks it is. What a waste.
  • SirPant
    February 16, 2011
    SirPant
    My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done isn't exactly what I was expecting from a collaboration of Lynch and Herzog but it's as good as I was expecting. Michael Shannon is intoxicating in the lead role and he really makes the film. Both directors show themselves here and there but keep... read more their signatures slight and subtle - The true story is the star here as it should be and they've told it accordingly. The supporting cast also do a brilliant job and it is visually rich, far from disappointing and very haunting indeed. My kind of film!
  • RCCLBC
    January 6, 2011
    RCCLBC
    As a fan of both Herzog & Lynch, I was extremely excited by the idea of this union.

    And them when I saw the cast, my interest was peaked even more.

    Sadly, aside from a few bright spots here and there...things never really gel. Not that you expect a lot of "gelling" from He... read morerzog & Lynch...but ultimately it just feels like a battle between two very powerful and brilliant forces in which neither wins.
  • gor41
    November 20, 2010
    gor41
    Intriguing, stylized study of a descent into madness, ably portrayed by Shannon who is rapidly becoming the go-to-guy for unhinged loons. Herzog keeps his flights of fancy to a minimum but I didn't feel the profundity he seemed to be aiming for.
  • 366weirdmovies
    September 23, 2010
    366weirdmovies
    A deranged man commits a murder and holes up in his house with a couple of hostages, and we learn his story through flashbacks as detectives interview those close to him. Surprisingly uninvolving, and considering the talent assembled (directed by Werner Herzog, produced by David... read more Lynch, starring Willem Dafoe and Michael Shannon) a big disappointment.
  • fb1142797643
    February 21, 2012
    fb1142797643
    The idea of David Lynch and Werner Herzog working together sounds like a cineaste's dream, so the tedious mediocrity of "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done" is a grave disappointment.

    This one comes off like a quickie, mostly shot with available light in sunny San Diego and full ... read moreof performances which seem notably underrehearsed. No one tries too hard, except the ever-ghoulish Udo Kier. Chloe Sevigny is particularly unconvincing, and looks like she can't wait for a cut so she can have a laugh.

    The casual treatment becomes doubly irksome, considering the heavy scenario: A disturbed son (Richard Kiel-lookalike Michael Shannon) who murders his controlling mother (Grace Zabriskie, wildly over the top). As Shannon holds up in the family home with two hostages, the police (led by Willem Dafoe) keep watch and interview friends about his history. The killer's background is filled in with disjointed flashbacks, a la "Citizen Kane." The similarities stop there.

    The triggers for his madness include a doomed rafting trip and an all-consuming role in a local staging of a Greek tragedy, but such details do not adequately explain the killing.

    The film has none of the eerie atmosphere which one might expect from a David Lynch production, and even the soundtrack is just a sloppy assemblage of found music.

    Watch for a moment in Peru where Shannon repeats a line after it's interrupted by unplanned thunder.
  • gator681
    August 27, 2011
    gator681
    In "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done," San Diego Police Detectives Havenhurst(Willem Dafoe) and Vargas(Michael Pena) respond to the scene of a murder. If they want to talk to the suspect, then they should try Brad McCullum(Michael Shannon), the tall guy they just passed with th... read moree coffee mug.(Oh and while they're at it, could they find out where he got his coffee?) It seems he killed his mother(Grace Zabriskie) and has now taken hostages. Thankfully, Brad's girlfriend Ingrid(Chloe Sevigny) is on hand to fill in the blanks.

    "My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done" is a Werner Herzog film presented by David Lynch and lives up to its promise of craziness enough for me to give it the barest of recommendations. While not much of it makes sense, it allows the filmmakers to fully explore their obsessions, Herzog with insanity, Peru and, well, obsessions while Lynch will always have his coffee. Not that it is relevant, with the exception of Grace Zabriskie, the casting leans towards Lars von Trier territory and Michael Shannon moves another step towards becoming a running joke, as the movie lurches perilously close towards unintentional comedy. If you cannot guess who Brad's hostages are, then you have not been paying attention.
  • fb704730572
    July 4, 2011
    fb704730572
    I really like Werner Herzog and David Lynch, two great (some might argue brilliant) directors. So you'd think the combination of the two would yield epic results. Not so much. I'll be the first to admit that I really don't know what the hell this movie was trying to say. There's ... read morelots of the Herzog signature randomness, which can sometimes work (like the great Bad Lieutenant), but here a lot of it just seems weird for the sake of weird. Still, I have to admit, Michael Shannon fit the part, whatever that means in this case. On a side note, I loved Brad Dourif's role. He is unquestionably one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. Those of you that doubt me need to check out the exceptional X-Files episode, Beyond the Sea.

View All My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done Reviews

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones
January 3, 2011
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

What they deliver is the sort of fake mysticism that usually ensues when secular intellectuals try to plumb the depths of religious faith. Full Review

Roger Ebert
April 8, 2010
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Confounds all convention and denies all expected pleasures, providing instead the delight of watching Herzog feed the police hostage formula into the Mixmaster of his imagination. Full Review

Colin Covert
February 26, 2010
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

Lynch and Herzog have tickled us for years with their dwarves and iguanas and impenetrable stories. This collaboration represents the vanishing point of willful obscurity. Full Review

Gary Goldstein
December 18, 2009
Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

As a writer-director with five decades' worth of notable screen work to his credit, [Herzog] certainly can't be faulted for taking risks, even if it means now and then, well, falling on his sword. Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
December 11, 2009
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

Herzog fans will love it. Full Review

Manohla Dargis
December 11, 2009
Manohla Dargis, New York Times

While watching Werner Herzog's My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done you might be tempted to murmur, "My Werner, My Werner, What Have Ye Done."

V.A. Musetto
December 11, 2009
V.A. Musetto, New York Post

A surreal descent into a twilight zone created by the twisted sensibilities of two cinematic geniuses. Full Review

J. Hoberman
December 8, 2009
J. Hoberman, Village Voice

Herzog has gone beyond Good and Evil to reinvent himself as a candidate for the wiggiest director of comedy in America today. Full Review

Jeffrey Chen
September 25, 2010
Jeffrey Chen, ReelTalk Movie Reviews

The version of madness displayed by [Michael Shannon's] Brad is not typically dramatic; it's mostly just strange, and dances the line bordering on goofiness. Full Review

September 13, 2010
Daily Express

More like a bad dream than a good film. Full Review

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