Pumpkin (film)

Last updated

Pumpkin
Pumpkinposter02.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAnthony Abrams
Adam Larson Broder
Written byAdam Larson Broder
Produced by Karen Barber
Albert Berger
Christina Ricci
Andrea Sperling
Ron Yerxa
StarringChristina Ricci
Hank Harris
Brenda Blethyn
Dominique Swain
Marisa Coughlan
Sam Ball
Cinematography Tim Suhrstedt
Edited byRichard Halsey
Sloane Klevin
Music by John Ottman
Production
companies
Distributed by MGM Distribution Co.
Release date
  • June 28, 2002 (2002-06-28)
Running time
117 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$308,552 [1]

Pumpkin is a 2002 satirical dark romantic comedy film directed by Anthony Abrams and Adam Larson Broder and written by Broder. It is a story of forbidden love between a young man with a developmental disability and a sorority girl. It stars Christina Ricci (who also co-produced the movie) and Hank Harris.

Contents

Plot

Carolyn McDuffy is a college senior beginning her last year of studies at a Southern California university. To help her sorority win a coveted award that has eluded them in past years, she joins them in training some handicapped young adults for the Challenged Games (a fictional version of the Special Olympics).

Carolyn is paired with Jesse "Pumpkin" Romanoff, and is horrified as she has never been around challenged people. He is kind towards her and soon she finds herself developing affection towards him as he is genuine, unlike her boyfriend Kent Woodlands, and her sorority sisters, as led by Julie Thurber.

Carolyn experiences backlash and disdain about the relationship from her friends and family, including Pumpkin's own mother, Judy, despite the fact that her love has inspired him to get out of his wheelchair and become the best athlete on the team. Judy later walks into her son's room, discovering that Carolyn and Pumpkin have been sexually involved.

Pumpkin's mother accuses Carolyn of raping her son, saying she "has no idea what she has done" to him. Then she calls Carolyn's college, causing her to be kicked out of both her sorority and expelled from the university. Carolyn makes a suicide attempt by taking most of the pills and solutions from her medicine cabinet, but vomits them up.

Hearing of Carolyn's suicide attempt, the sorority convinces the university to allow her back in, and she is encouraged to attend the sorority ball with Kent; Julie feels their attendance will help the sorority secure their award. At the ball, Pumpkin and his friends crash the party to allow Pumpkin a dance with Carolyn. Kent confronts Pumpkin, punching him repeatedly, who responds by tackling Kent to the ground, temporarily knocking him unconscious.

Humiliated, Kent leaves the dance. When Carolyn tries to take Pumpkin inside to the dance, Julie and her sorority sisters block the door. She pushes her way through with Pumpkin and they dance alone. Soon, other attendees are impelled to join them on the dance floor.

Kent leaves the dance in his car, sobbing and driving erratically. He swerves to avoid a truck and plunges off a cliff with the car exploding in mid-air, crashing to the bottom. Carolyn goes to the hospital to check on Kent and finds that he is now paraplegic, though not burned from the explosion.

Kent blames Carolyn for his problems and she is left distraught. She drops out of college, swearing off Pumpkin forever. The sorority stops helping the team and their rival sorority wins the award. Carolyn enrolls at a public university, opening up to her encouraging peers.

The sorority sisters have a change of heart and show up at the Olympic event. Kent is now the coach for Pumpkin's team, becoming both a motivator and humble. Pumpkin races his rival, a bully who berates him at every chance. Pumpkin is motivated by Kent, telling him to win it for Carolyn, saying she wouldn't want him to lose. As he is running, seeing her in the stands gives him a sudden burst of energy.

Pumpkin wins the race, and at the finish line is congratulated by the sorority sisters, his mother, and Kent. Carolyn comes down to see him as his mother is hugging him. She endears him to Carolyn, finally accepting her son's progress into a man.

As Carolyn and Pumpkin walk off together, she asks him what name she should call him, and he replies that "Pumpkin will be fine." She then asks what he meant when he asked her early on in the film about the moon, wondering if the question was literal or metaphorical, to which he replies, "What?" Carolyn glances back with an ambiguous expression before continuing ahead.

Cast

Reception

Box office

Pumpkin opened in American theatres on June 28, 2002, in a limited release. It grossed $30,514 in eight theatres in its first weekend, with a per-screen-average of $3,814. The film expanded to 19 theatres the following weekend, but its theatre count declined from there. Pumpkin completed its theatrical run four months later with a final gross of $308,552. [1]

Critical response

Pumpkin received mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes the movie has a score of 36% based on 74 reviews, with an average rating of 5.1/10. [2] The site’s critics consensus reads: "The messy Pumpkin wastes its premise by not making the satire sharp enough." [2] On Metacritic the film has a score of 46 out of 100 based on reviews from 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [3]

One of the most positive reviews was by Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times ; he wrote, "Pumpkin is alive, and takes chances, and uses the wicked blade of satire in order to show up the complacent political correctness of other movies in its campus genre." [4] Michael O'Sullivan of The Washington Post also approved of the film, calling it "an odd and oddly endearing romantic black comedy." [5] On the other end of the spectrum, Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote that the film "gets along on curiosity value for a while, but becomes increasingly unconvincing and ludicrous as it staggers endlessly toward the finish line." [6]

Since its DVD release, the film has become a cult film. Ricci herself has called it "a great movie" [7] and Jeff Weiss of Stylus magazine called it "one of the most underrated films of the decade." [8]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christina Ricci</span> American actress (born 1980)

Christina Ricci is an American actress and producer. Known for playing unusual characters with a dark edge, Ricci works mostly in independent productions, but has also appeared in numerous box-office hits. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

<i>Buffalo 66</i> 1998 film by Vincent Gallo

Buffalo '66 is a 1998 American independent film directed by Vincent Gallo, who co-wrote the screenplay with Alison Bagnall, starring Gallo, Christina Ricci, Ben Gazzara, Mickey Rourke, Rosanna Arquette, Jan-Michael Vincent, and Anjelica Huston. The plot revolves around Billy Brown (Gallo), a man who kidnaps a young tap dancer named Layla (Ricci) and forces her to pretend to be his wife to impress his parents after he gets released from prison, while also seeking revenge on Buffalo's kicker who he blamed for losing a championship game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincent Gallo</span> American actor, filmmaker and musician (born 1961)

Vincent Gallo Jr. is an American actor, filmmaker, and musician. He has won several accolades, including a Volpi Cup for Best Actor, and has been nominated for numerous more, including the Palme d'Or, the Golden Lion, and the Bronze Horse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marisa Tomei</span> American actress (born 1964)

Marisa Tomei is an American actress. She gained prominence for her comedic performance in My Cousin Vinny (1992), which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She received further nominations in the category for In the Bedroom (2001) and The Wrestler (2008).

<i>The Sweetest Thing</i> 2002 film by Roger Kumble

The Sweetest Thing is a 2002 American romantic comedy film directed by Roger Kumble and written by Nancy Pimental, who based the characters on herself and friend Kate Walsh. It stars Cameron Diaz, Christina Applegate, and Selma Blair. The film was released on April 12, 2002 and received negative reviews from critics. However, according to screenwriter Nancy Pimental, the film later went on to gain a cult following.

<i>Monster</i> (2003 film) 2003 film by Patty Jenkins

Monster is a 2003 American biographical crime drama film written and directed by Patty Jenkins in her feature directorial debut. The film follows serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a street prostitute who murdered seven of her male clients between 1989 and 1990 and was executed in Florida in 2002. It stars Charlize Theron as Wuornos and Christina Ricci as her semi-fictionalized lover, Selby Wall.

<i>Legally Blonde</i> 2001 film by Robert Luketic

Legally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic and written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, based on Amanda Brown's 2001 novel of the same name. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, and Jennifer Coolidge. The story follows Elle Woods (Witherspoon), a sorority girl who attempts to win back her ex-boyfriend Warner Huntington III (Davis) by getting a Juris Doctor degree at Harvard Law School, and in the process, overcomes stereotypes against blondes and triumphs as a successful lawyer.

<i>Exotica</i> (film) 1994 film by Atom Egoyan

Exotica is a 1994 Canadian film written and directed by Atom Egoyan, and starring Bruce Greenwood, Mia Kirshner, Don McKellar, Arsinée Khanjian, and Elias Koteas. Set primarily in the fictional Exotica strip club in Toronto, the film concerns a father grieving over the loss of a child and his obsession with a young stripper. It was inspired by Egoyan's curiosity about the role strip clubs play in sex-obsessed societies. Exotica was filmed in Toronto in 1993.

<i>Anything Else</i> 2003 film by Woody Allen

Anything Else is a 2003 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen, produced by Letty Aronson, and starring Allen, Jason Biggs, Stockard Channing, Danny DeVito, Jimmy Fallon, and Christina Ricci. The film premiered as the opening night selection of the 60th Venice International Film Festival. It was released theatrically in the United States on September 19, 2003, to mixed reviews.

<i>200 Cigarettes</i> 1999 film by Risa Bramon Garcia

200 Cigarettes is a 1999 American comedy film directed by Risa Bramon Garcia and written by Shana Larsen. The film follows multiple characters in New York City on New Year's Eve 1981. The film features an ensemble cast consisting of brothers Ben and Casey Affleck, Dave Chappelle, Guillermo Díaz, Angela Featherstone, Janeane Garofalo, Gaby Hoffmann, Kate Hudson, Courtney Love, Jay Mohr, Nicole Ari Parker, Martha Plimpton, Christina Ricci and Paul Rudd, with a cameo by Elvis Costello, as well as paintings by Sally Davies.

<i>Addams Family Values</i> 1993 film by Barry Sonnenfeld

Addams Family Values is a 1993 American supernatural black comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Paul Rudnick, based on the characters created by Charles Addams. It is the sequel to The Addams Family (1991). The film features almost all the main cast members from the original film, including Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Christina Ricci, Carel Struycken, Jimmy Workman, and Christopher Hart. Joan Cusack, Carol Kane, and David Krumholtz joined the cast for this film.

<i>Alfie</i> (2004 film) 2004 film by Charles Shyer

Alfie is a 2004 romantic comedy-drama film inspired by 1966 British film of the same name and its 1975 sequel, starring Jude Law as the title character, originally played by Michael Caine in the 1966 film and Alan Price in the 1975 sequel. The film was co-written, directed, and produced by Charles Shyer.

<i>That Darn Cat</i> (1997 film) 1997 American film by Bob Spiers

That Darn Cat is a 1997 American mystery comedy film directed by Bob Spiers, written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, and starring Christina Ricci and Doug E. Doug. It is a remake of the 1965 film That Darn Cat!, which in turn was based on the 1963 book Undercover Cat by Gordon and Mildred Gordon.

<i>The Opposite of Sex</i> 1998 American film

The Opposite Of Sex is a 1998 American independent romantic dark comedy written and directed by Don Roos, in his directorial debut, starring Christina Ricci, Martin Donovan and Lisa Kudrow. It marked the final film produced by Rysher Entertainment. Shortly before the film’s world premiere at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival, it was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. The tagline: "You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be offended."

<i>Girl 6</i> 1996 film by Spike Lee

Girl 6 is a 1996 American black comedy film produced and directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Theresa Randle, Isaiah Washington, and Lee. Suzan-Lori Parks wrote the screenplay, making it the first film directed by Lee that he did not also write. Directors Quentin Tarantino and Ron Silver make cameo appearances as film directors at a pair of auditions.

<i>The Gathering</i> (2003 film) 2002 film

The Gathering is a 2002 British thriller/horror film directed by Brian Gilbert and starring Christina Ricci.

<i>Welcome to the Dollhouse</i> 1995 film by Todd Solondz

Welcome to the Dollhouse is a 1995 American coming-of-age black comedy film written and directed by Todd Solondz. An independent film, it won the Grand Jury Prize at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival and launched the careers of Solondz and Heather Matarazzo. The story follows the unpopular middle schooler Dawn as she goes to extreme lengths trying to earn the respect of her vicious fellow students and her uninterested family. Dawn reappears in two of Solondz's other films, Palindromes and Wiener-Dog while her brother and father appear in the former in addition to Life During Wartime. The film's working title was Faggots and Retards.

Marisa Coughlan is an American actress and writer. Her first prominent role was a lead in Kevin Williamson's Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999), followed by a role as Officer Ursula Hanson in the comedy Super Troopers (2001) and as Betty in Freddy Got Fingered (2001). She also had a recurring role as Melissa Hughes on the series Boston Legal.

<i>Stepping Out</i> (1991 film) 1991 film by Lewis Gilbert

Stepping Out is a 1991 American musical comedy film directed by Lewis Gilbert, written by Richard Harris and starring Liza Minnelli.

<i>Life of the Party</i> (2018 film) 2018 film by Ben Falcone

Life of the Party is a 2018 American comedy film directed by Ben Falcone and written by Falcone and Melissa McCarthy. The film, starring McCarthy and Molly Gordon, follows a newly divorced mother who returns to college to complete her degree, and ends up bonding with her daughter's friends.

References

  1. 1 2 Pumpkin at Box Office Mojo
  2. 1 2 "Pumpkin". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  3. "Pumpkin". Metacritic . Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  4. Ebert, Roger (July 5, 2002). "Pumpkin movie review & film summary (2002)". RogerEbert.com.
  5. O'Sullivan, Michael (July 4, 2002). "A Quirky Taste Of 'Pumpkin'". The Washington Post . Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  6. McCarthy, Todd (January 18, 2002). "Pumpkin". Variety. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  7. Bond, Jeff (May 22, 2008). "Christina Ricci interview". Geek Monthly Online. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  8. Weiss, Jeff (August 29, 2006). "A Second Take: Pumpkin". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2010.