Fun (1994) User Reviews

Kinda fun.

[ElijahCSkuggs · 6/10 · 26 March 2009]

Story revolves around two girls who after meeting each other and becoming BFF's in one day, agree that having fun is the best and most important part of life. So, they hit up arcades, act silly and kill an old lady. Huh? Yep. Well, they get caught and the story focuses on them dealing with their current confinement.

The film is basically a two person character study. I keep on seeing reviewers rave about the acting. Sure it's okay I suppose, but it's pretty clear these girls were given the green light to just go nuts. Not incredibly impressive if you ask me. Don't get me wrong, they did a fine job, but nothing crazy good. The movie could only succeed if these two delivered quality acting jobs...and with the green light, they were given that opportunity, which they took advantage of, and pulled it off.

The flick though, isn't that entertaining. Even though the girls do a fine job acting, the characters aren't very interesting, and the scenes kinda boring. Also the writing is very up and down. Scenes like when they were discussing their sexual past was right on, but scenes when talking with the counselors, were almost boring. Fun plays out in a back in forth type way with the "here and now" and flashbacks. Weird thing about that though, the flashbacks are in color and the scenes of them in their current situation is in black in white. I thought that was a nice touch.

Fun managed to succeed in being a moderately realistic take on teenage nihilism. It's a pretty unknown flick that should get more talk, because most of the people who have seen it enjoyed it. If you enjoy serious drama or films about troubled youth, then you should definitely check it out.

Excellent movie, Well worth hunting down

[richdvk · 8/10 · 21 March 2002]

I thought this was an excellent film and I was surprised to find out how little-known it is. What's best about this movie is that it can be extremely disturbing and yet very believable at the same time. It shows what two minds are capable of when they become obsessed with each other. I would also have to say that there was nothing sexual about the girls relationship (as hinted at in the plot keywords). They just had an intense understanding of each other which allowed them to get dangerously close, but not sexual. Excellent acting, intense drama, I gave it an 8/10.

what happened to the girls in real life?

[mikeycarmichael · 8/10 · 20 February 2005]

I liked the film and I may know something that many of the other commentators don't know. The film had the standard disclosure at the end noting that any similarity to actual events is coincidental. But it was anything but coincidence. The actual event happened around 20 years ago in Auburn, California. After knocking on numerous doors, the two teenage girls literally talked their way into an elderly woman's home and killed her. And one of the girls wrote in her dairy "we killed an old woman today and it was lots of fun". The girls were sent to the California Youth Authority where they could have been held until their 25th birthday. One of the two girls continued to make the news by fighting with the woman guards and telling them she would come back to get them after she got out. But does anyone know if the two girls went on to live productive lives after finally getting out as adults??

Excellent. Chilling. Heartfelt. Grotesquely beautiful.

[hansornot · 10 October 2001]

Fun is personally my favorite film. This is a risky film to stand by with a claim like that, but in my opinion Alicia Witt has never been greater and before taking on more fun, low brow roles, proved herself an incredibly gifted actress. Bonnie's psychosis (or perhaps unsettling lack thereof) is brought to life with a combination of intensity and whimsy and like similarly antiheroic characters leaves us questioning where we are morally. You cannot advocate the behavior, but there's a potency to the role that makes you almost excuse it in your weaker moments. Renee Humphrey is an interesting counterbalance to Witt in that sympathy is easier to find with her character, though I must admit that the personal magnetism is most visible in Bonnie. To quote Bonnie, "Fun is number one".

He made what?

[Groverdox · 7/10 · 26 September 2019]

It's hard to believe that Rafal Zielinski, the guy responsible for bargain basement sleaze like "Screwballs", wanted to make a movie like "Fun". The movies don't exist on the same plane of reality. "Screwballs" featured characters with names like Jerkovski and Purity Busch. "Fun" is a gritty true crime drama, actually based on a true story.

This is not to say that "Fun" is a masterpiece. It is bolstered by its two unfettered performances from Witt and Humphrey as two motiveless, remorseless teenage killers. However, the best thing that I can say about the direction is that it gives these actresses the space they need to do their own thing.

"Fun" is a must-see for fans of true crime, but anybody else can probably skip it.

Disturbing yet haunting examination of teenage nihilism

[howie73 · 9/10 · 27 December 2004]

This must be one of the most underrated films of all time. I first saw this in 1997 after seeing Heavenly Creatures, a film which many critics have found superior to Fun. However, I found Fun far more impressive than Heavenly Creatures. The acting, camera-work and score are on target. Moving between black and white camera-work to signify the present predicament of its two protagonists, Hilary (Alicia Witt) and Bonnie (Renée Humphrey) in a detention center, and lurid color (the past), the film expertly entangles the viewer in the labyrinthine world of these two murderers. The director manages to portray both girls sympathetically at times only to pull the rug towards the end where the horrific murder is shown. The anti-linear structure is quite ingenious because it never allows the audience to feel superior or all-knowing in our view of the girls. But the horrific reality of the murder makes us question what we have already seen. This is by far Rafal Zielinski best work and proof he could rise above the lowbrow trash he made in the 80s.

Two girls meet one morning and spend an incredible day together

[randulos · 10/10 · 14 December 1998]

I really enjoyed this movie for a multitude of reasons. The best reason for watching this movie is the fact that it raises so many questions. After I saw it for the first time I wanted to watch it again, because I wanted to try to better understand the characters. I wanted to know why, and also why not.

I also thought the acting done by René Humphrey and Alicia Witt was phenomenal. These two really made the roles believable, one thinks that the characters are real. I was truly impressed.

Finally I liked the use of black & white, and colour. It helped me see how the characters felt, especially at the end. on a scale of 1(bad) to 10(good), I give it a 15.

Lack of supporting talent kills it

[Captain Ed · 5/10 · 26 December 2002]

I could not get into this film, which bothered me as the two young actresses playing the leads were extraordinarily good. However, the whole flashback structure required the story to be told to two supporting actors in 'current' time, neither of whom seem like they have any acting chops whatsoever. "Jane" and "John" are such caricatures that any scene involving them feels incredibly false. The flashback sequences are excellent -- except for the victim, who is also a terrible actress -- and those are compelling enough to make the film worth a look. I gave it a 5. Shame on either the producer or the director for the casting decisions involved. Alicia Witt is especially good in this.

If you want to see the same theme dramatized much more effectively, see "Heavenly Creatures".

Not all films give you the ending you are looking for

[Spidey-13 · 10/10 · 9 March 1999]

The film is split between flashbacks of a certain day and black and white scenes of the two girls in a detention centre. By seeing this we know the girls have committed a crime and we watch to find out what they did. We find out that the two girls never knew each other before the day they did what they did. They were loners who had never really had a friend before and they just connected. On this day the girls knocked on an old woman's door saying that one of them was ill and they needed to use the phone. Then they killed the old woman. They went back to one of the girls' houses and discussed doing it again the next day, as no one could ever know who killed the old lady. They get caught and don't have the chance to commit another crime. In the detention centre the girls are being kept apart because they bring out the worst in each other but by now they love each other and can't live without each other.

The film is very similar to the excellent `Heavenly Creatures' but deserves to be recognised in its own light. I rate it 10/10.

As in "Not Much"

[zmaturin · 2/10 · 17 June 1999]

This film was disappointing. I thought some of the acting was very weak (especially anytime Alicia Witt had a "ranting happy" scene). The actors playing the 'adult inquisitors' have no chemistry together, as demonstrated in the horrible "funny" back and forth they give each other.

This was based on a play, and I'm sure the play is better. This could be a radio drama, as the advantages of "film" are never really used (only the actual murder scene and a sped-up "hanging out" montage are cinematic at all, the rest was just like a filmed stage performance).

Renee Humphrees was fantastic, a surprise after seeing her light and fluffy appearance in 'Mallrats'. The woman playing Mrs. Foster is good, too. But I probably wouldn't recommend it- unless you're an "Old Lady Mutilation" completist.

Well acted; Provocative and Ultimately Disturbing.

[dahmer-5 · 12 April 2000]

This film just blew me away. The tale of two teenage girls who are devoted to each other and conspire to murder an elderly woman was chilling.

The presentation of the film was realistic and honest. It's use of flashbacks and black and white photography, gave the film a stark and detached feel, yet enabled us to emphasise with the main protaganists, authority figures and victims.

The acting by the two leads; Alicia Witt and Renee Humpherey was superb, thoroughly deserving of the joint best actress award they won at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival. An extrordinary representation of todays lost and misguided youth, in a society that is floundering in it's own judgements; beliefs and failure to acknowledge the truth. 9/10.

Very hip low budget entertainment.

[duckbutter · 9/10 · 28 June 2000]

This film represents the best of independent film. The director obviously recognized the talents of two rising stars and utilized their abilities in this gritty compelling drama. Why this film did so abysmally and garbage like Dogma gets worlds of acclaim I have no idea.

Check it out!

The dark fun of troubled youth...

[Foreverisacastironmess123 · 10/10 · 10 July 2013]

Two young lost souls. One, sullen and withdrawn, the other wild and flamboyant. They happen to cross paths one day and form an instant and intense connection, becoming what each is desperately missing in their lives. They spend the day running riot and breaking the rules, bonding by sharing secrets and lies and having fun. Events escalate as they grow ever more exited, and in the midst of this 'passion', they forget for a while that they too are constrained by the laws of society, and things take a fatal turn as all their anger and pent-up emotions come to a boil, and they go in search of something 'sacred' to share. That something turns out to be the senseless slaughter of a helpless old woman who makes the mistake of trusting them. As individuals they may never have carried out such a crime, as a pair they became lethal and brought out the worst in each other. ::: Okay, so one of the few things I didn't like was how annoying Alecia Witt is when she's acting all hyperactive and theatrical, I think the character was supposed to have O.C.D. or something. However I absolutely loved her when she calmed down and pulled her performance back a little, subtly revealing a depth of emotion while idly running fingers through her beautiful fiery hair. I thought she had a powerful realistic quality to her in those moments. A few flashback images reveal that the character is haunted by what she's done, if only subconsciously, so I guess that's at least something. Renee Humphries was equally great, but in a very different way. Her performance was sharp, fragile, and painfully honest. I think that while she and Witt together make for some of the most amazing moments in the film, she's somewhat overshadowed by Witt's character. I found her much more stronger and compelling on her own. One of the picture's greatest strengths is that both actresses are very realistic and it doesn't come off as acting at all, they feel like real kids. I really don't like it when they say "nuclear", it sounds so dated and corny now! There's also one memorable little sequence of them running around all speeded-up, to this oh-so 90s beat that will also probably be seen as corny by many, and I can understand why! Uh, but not for me personally, I love that part and that's another reason I think so highly of this, it makes me feel great nostalgia for the 90s. My era maan... ::: I liked the themes of colour and lack thereof that emphasises the tones of the past and present. With the 'fun', deadly day of freedom being in vivid colour, while the stark grim reality of the present is in a bleak monochrome. The director clearly had a brilliant grasp of imagery and how to utilise it properly. The ashen look of the interview scenes does not waste a single frame and is remarkably effective at conveying mood. Ultimately, great acting, script and direction make this a saddening yet thought-provoking film due to the raw humanity on display and behind the culprit's actions, it shows what can be achieved with a minimum of resources, and the emotions that such a simple-looking, spartan film can bring out is pretty fantastic. It's not for everyone, but you won't forget it in a hurry. ::: I've heard some grumblings, but for me the standout scene and core of the movie is totally when the old lady meets her demise. With each passing second the scene grows more tense and unnerving. It's obvious the poor thing isn't all there in the head, allowing two complete strangers into her home. I actually find it more disturbing before the attack begins. The way the woman busies herself around them, and shows sweet grandmotherly concern for the girl that's about to murder her. And then of course it just gets horrible as the woman becomes terrified... Witt is such a horrific force as she works herself into a frenzy. To me that's the only time you really feel the horror of it. For the rest of the film the murder feels small and remote somehow...not as important as the girls and how their stories are going to end-you care more about them then you do about her! I have never seen another movie that could manage that. It certainly makes the empathy point well. It actually makes you feel compassion for them even after seeing the unthinkable act that they've committed. It makes you stop and think twice before writing them off as worthless monsters, and that's quite a distinctive quality for a movie like this to have. ::: The final sombre closing scene with Hillary is kind of unsatisfying, as the camera draws away from her in the grey empty world she's created for herself... It's sad, they were each other's whole world for only a day, and through their rage and actions one ended up with death and the other nothing... And the magnificent music which plays over the scene and the end credits is incredibly moving, perfectly capturing all the painful themes of damaged children's lives and innocence... Those kids were beautiful, alienated, at once craving wild experience and romanticising death. Is it any wonder they can be identified with?

Ask yourself the question.

[Dumarest-2 · 10/10 · 31 January 1999]

Fun is part of the Film Festival Rotterdam 1999. It was shown on TV to promote the festival.

While zapping I got to see the last 90 minutes, and I found it absolutely gripping. The way Renee Humphrey (Hillary) and Alicia Witt (Bonny) played was refreshingly direct and convincing.

The movie makes you think, and after a while the need arises to ask yourself the question, `could this have happened to me?' And I found only one answer: I could have been Hillary.

Witticism

[tedg · 22 July 2003]

Spoilers herein.

Regular readers of my comments will know how rare it is that care about an actor, but how redheads have been used fascinates me. And Alicia Witt so captured "Dune" and "Leibestraum" that I had to sit up and remark out loud to strangers.

So I have been interested in her work. Some of it has been just showing up, some has actually used her as an icon because of Dune.

This (and arguably "Mona Lisa") is the only place she has been called upon to act. She shows the degree of commitment and controlled abandon that marks the great ones. I was impressed with what she did here. She must have really given some bad readings to have not gotten parts after this. Or possibly there is another reason.

At any rate, this is good. The story is structured in a clever way as well, though not particularly novel. We have a (magazine) documentary embedded in a (film) documentary. The "reality" is in flashback, and the intelligent core of the predecessor play deals with constructed reality. The director is lost. He doesn't quite know how to create and exploit the nesting of stories. And he lets Alicia get away with too much jumping and not enough internal focus. The game-parlor collage is trite.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 4: Has some interesting elements.

after two decades, still carries a kick

[tshary17 · 8/10 · 9 April 2013]

So hard to believe that this film came out nearly two decades ago, five years before Columbine made the topic of juvenile violence so taboo in teen movies. And it still remains impressive as an examination of girls' anger rather than boys, as a meditation on the possible yet inexplicable outcome of childhood torment.

• spoiler of ending ahead -

Two girls meet one afternoon and, after sharing stories of their childhood abuses and going on a cross-neighborhood prank spree, end up murdering an elderly woman in a cathartic rampage of unleashed aggression. Their lack of motive for the crime and their passionately non-sexual devotion to each other baffle the authorities who question them: for these effectively parentless children, the path from conversation to confession to stealing to games to jokes to murder is a logical progression, and the film leaves open the unsettling question if many young women are simply waiting for the right partner with whom to follow a similar epiphanic trajectory. In the end, after being imprisoned, one of the girls kills herself when she learns that the two of them will be separated, which becomes her twisted attempt to immortalize their uniquely understanding relationship. The film wisely concludes that the diffuse yet damaging oppressions of girls may lead to all manner of "fun" or furious outbursts and reactions.

Amazing and addictive, and underrated.

[isildur · 10/10 · 25 March 1999]

I saw this film at about 2am over a year ago on Channel 4 in the UK. Whilst very disturbing and depressing, the direction and concepts behind the film are nothing less than amazing; making the viewing very compelling indeed. The acting is incredibly intense, making the subject matter all the more uncomfortable - it came as no shock to read in the end-credits details of consultant psychologists on the film. I'd never heard of the film until I accidentally tuned into it - the reviews that accompanied it in various magazines rated it as 1 and 2 stars (out of 5) respectively - a sorry comment on the closed-mindedness and inability to face the more uncomfortable aspects of reality that can be found in some professional reviewers. This is an amazing film - if you are feeling relatively stable, go and see it as soon as possible.

Two teenage girls in an obsessive friendship commit a crime together.

[TeaBunny · 8/10 · 21 October 1998]

I really liked this film. At first the b/w segments seemed stiff, but the introduction of Bonnie and Hillary brought the movie to instant life. I really liked the characters, and the acting from Witt and Humphrey is brilliant. Even though the outcome of the film was hopeless and dark, it makes you think for days, which is the best thing a movie can do. What was really wrong with Bonnie? Did Hillary grow up to be a productive member of society? Was Mrs. Farmer's character annoying on purpose? These things make the film worth watching and mulling over again and again.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

[Nina Newman · 14 November 2001]

This chilling disturbing and in some ways almost funny film deserves 9/10. The color days were used to show how back in the past how Hillary and Bonnie had so much ......well "Fun" in the past hanging out. And The black and white film used it present time how the "fun" they had brought them into trouble. And also being seperated from one another. I saw this movie late one night on Sundance. It had wonderful acting. I loved it and yet was disturbed by it at the same time.Hillary had already told about how she was abused as a kid. And Bonnie was kinda Hyper Active Disorder.Well you know what they say "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!"Why did I not give it a 10/10. I loved everything except....where was the ending? If what i saw was the ending I didnt like it. Give it more UMTH! Than .....whoops cant tell! I say see this movie whenever you get a chance. But you HAVE to see it begining to end. Or else youll miss out on the fun!

Stuck with me

[danijcollins · 8/10 · 27 January 2024]

I saw this movie when it first came out. I think it may have been the first movie I saw that was based on a true crime story. I was also around the same age as the main characters.

I didn't know what it was about when I started watching it and at first found myself somewhat identifying with the girls. I wasn't well liked at school. I didn't fit in and I knew I didn't, I knew I was different. I wanted a friend that I could talk to the same way. Someone that listened to me and understood.

Then the murder happened and I was shocked and fascinated. I did a bit of research on the crime it had been based on. Tried to find out what happened to the killers...

This movie is probably the reason I'm now a true crime and horror junkie.

Great acting!

[mspmurder · 2 February 2001]

Alicia Witt is a great actress, in my opinion. This movie brought back the nostalgia of my teenage youth. I remember what it was like being a mischief back in my years. The ending is not typical Hollywood, and I definitely recommend it!

A good flick

[mythology789 · 11 February 2000]

I saw this film a while back and parts of the film stick in my mind...i wish i could see it again but its real hard to find. I had to call a bunch of places for this movie.The film is basically about two girl who meet up one day and later kill someone...thats all said in the beginning so i am not giving anything away...I think it has a great performance by Alicia Witt (she will be better know in the future ..Mark my words) and renee humphrey...its in black and white, And basically its about friendship and being a little crazy..i say see the film, is worth it, if you can find it...the picture on the video cover of this film is cool..its alicia witt with a bunch of blood on her face..any picture like that is cool with me!