Better than you think

Author: dereine-berlin from Germany
17 February 2008

I saw this movie yesterday at the Berlinale.Going into the theater I thought it might be a dreadful film (after all there were some terrible comments running the net...) I must say though after just a ten minutes the film had gotten to me. It is funny and has quite a pace to it. Getting to know the different characters did not seem to be "set up" as it happens tobe in quite a few movies.

Despite the obvious humor the movie contains a lot to think about and even more to remember .I really would advice anyone to go and watch the movie as it is one of a kind. Just go in expecting nothing and you will receive everything...

Don't Particularly Like Maddonna...But This Film?
Certainly Different, Entertaining & Quite Under-Rated!

Author: KissEnglishPasto from Pasto, Colombia
22 October 2013

Here's something we can ALL add to our own personal laundry list of labels/notions/concepts we ALL harbor about Madonna: She is a helluva (!!?)lot better director than she is actor! Of course, maybe that's not really saying much, so make that: "Light Years Better Director Than ACTOR!"

Madonna has been constantly re-inventing herself for over 25 years. That's what she does. This is, by far, her most surprising, most interesting and most promising re-invention to date. She is credited as Director, Co-Writer and Executive Producer. Who else but Madonna would come up with a Title like FILTHand WISDOM?

This is her baby. She has a lot invested in WISDOM receiving, at the very least, a modicum of both commercial and critical success. Quite frankly, I think it would be well-deserved! Madonna is both a micro-manager and a perfectionist. It's easy to see both of these traits reflected in the final cut of WISDOM. The overlay of the music tracks with the visuals is truly inspired and borders on pure genius! Perhaps this aspect was just a tad too In-Your-Face!, but knowing Madonna and her excesses, I would say some of them were rather low-key, considering their origin.

Madonna has populated her film with a cast of starkly contrasting, singularly unique, true to life, rather dark and believable characters. Eugene Hutz is nothing short of phenomenal is his intricate and amazing characterization of the dominatrix by day-Ukranian folk/punk fusion band leader by night! The most shocking aspect of FILTH and WISDOM? Surprisingly, perhaps just the title! In retrospect, maybe a bad choice, considering it might scare off a lot of potential viewers who otherwise would have enjoyed its relatively inoffensive and aesthetically pleasing rendition.

There is no escaping this fact: Considering WISDOM is a first effort, we must give credit where credit is due and say that, all considered, the Material Girl has turned in a rather surprising and oddly entertaining piece of work!  ENJOY!

Better than a 5.1!

Author: chester_staines from United Kingdom
6 April 2009

I cannot ever recall writing a review on this site before, but I felt compelled to after looking up the average rating out of curiosity and seeing a score of 5.1. Generally for any given film I can put my own taste aside and guess within half a point what the IMDb general consensus will be. I'd have gone here for something like 7.4 ... (and rated it 7 myself). Maybe as some other reviewer's have suggested, people's judgement has been affected by the hype and media around this film. I was fortunate enough to watch it knowing nothing about it and enjoying the ride. I found Eugene Hütz's character completely believable and felt the film managed to steer way clear of being pretentious yet telling an amusing story. OK, so it's no Trainspotting, but then again it is something different and in my opinion, worth a watch!

nothing wrong with this one, mo matter what people say

Author: dragokin
20 April 2013

If you're a Madonna fan, you'll probably be disappointed with this one. And i guess there are a lot of non-fans out there who can hardly wait to disparage the movie. Nevertheless, Ms Ciccone did a good job in her directorial debut. Filth and Wisdom is clearly not a masterpiece, yet there is nothing wrong with this movie. It is the matter of personal preferences whether you like it or not.

Besides, it features Eugene Hutz, whose role confirms everything you thought about him while listening to his band Gogol Bordello. I assume the story is partially based on Madonna's experience as a struggling artist after her arrival to New York. More than that, i see it as a subtle competition with her then-husband Guy Richie, since some aesthetic similarities with RocknRolla (2008) are visible, apart from the setting. She proved him she can direct a movie, divorced him and moved on with her life...

Not the Worst Film...

Author: Raddish72 from USA
2 November 2008

I watched this last night On-Demand and although it was lacking in some others, I still found it worth watching. Eugene Hutz is fabulous in everything he does so I fully understand Madonna basically making this film to highlight him and Gogol Bordello. My main issue with the film was the lack of comradery between the roommates. They were supposed to be very close and I never got that impression. And there was basically no back story on any of the characters. But I do get what Madonna was trying to do with this. She just fell short a little. But I think she's on the right track. Also, one of the main characters, Vicky McClure was quite good. I would like to see her in more films. But definitely see this if you are a fan of Gogol Bordello.