Review
Author: anonymous from San Rafael, California
2 January 1999

This is a recipe for filmmaking at its finest... Get a dialog driven play, get the playwright to pen it for the screen, and toss in two of the most intense and talented actors (Kevin Spacey and Sean Penn) in the business, supported by a very talented and surprising cast. What do you get? Hurlyburly! Billed as a black comedy, this is more what I would term "black hole" comedy. It is VERY dark, very disturbing, and the humor comes from the characters' need to lighten up a moment or to justify their actions. This film is NOT for everyone...

If you're looking for anything truly humorous, this isn't the film. But if you want to see amazing acting and professionals who work well together, this is your film. Read other reviews with cautions on this film--don't confuse the tone of someone who hates what the characters stand for, what they believe in, and how they behave with the quality of the work done by the entire cast.