10 1/2 (2010)
AKA: Dix et Demi
Directed by: Daniel Grou
Starring: Robert Naylor (Tommy), Claude Legault (Gilles), Martin Dubreuil (Dad), Eugénie Beaudry (Karine)
Country: Canada; Effed Up Canadian Movies
Language: French; Effed Up French Films
Runtime: 01:56:42
Genres: Childhood, Misery-Depressing-Mental Illness, Domestic Abuse, Old-Young Relationships
Plot – Spoilers:
10½ opens with a couple of shocking scenes that pave the way for a movie that will most likely have you wincing and perhaps even wonder, What a fucked up movie. And this is mostly down to a knockout performance from Robert Naylor who plays Tommy, a traumatized kid who’s excessively prone to episodes and fits of rage. He’s shunted into a social services center after forcing a smaller kid to blow him.
At the center, there’s no violence from the adults – instead they choose to use the option of restraint when dealing with outbursts. For the most part, the staff actually care about the kids and some of them even carry home the trauma of a day scarred by handling troubled boys. But the center has so many rules and prescribed guidelines that the staff have been trained to follow, everyone seems on edge, ready to explode.
But among all the kids, Tommy is a different breed, none of them seem equipped to handle. Except for Gilles, who believes Tommy need not be a future psychopath waiting to grow up. At one point, when Tommy runs away for a couple of days, the center experiences a calm that everyone seems grateful for.
In another era, Tommy would have been tagged as having been possessed by the devil. This is one of those movies that can actually be harder to watch compared to films with copious amounts of sick violence and is the second work from Canadian filmmaker Daniel Grou here, after 7 Days.
God damn, this is dark – not in a horror or gore-fest way, but far too realistic. From personal experience, this is exactly the kind of shit going on here every damn day with kids in social services. Makes you really wonder about humanity overall, maybe we should just all die off… Regardless – great addition by EUM. Leave it to the French to really dive into the depths of inhumanity, particularly between “parents” and children.
i liked this but the ending was so sudden:(
Wait, I’m supposed to feel bad for this kid? The mother should have dropped him into the traffic
Thanks entertain us
a nice movie
well thought out ending. exhausted from watching Gilles’ hard work.
Annoying little shits, need to put those degenerates in concentration camps and gassed their pathetic asses along with their irresponsible retarded parents . The world already full of evil and we don’t need to foster future terrorist, serial killers, rapist and overall malignant individuals in this planet.
How dare you talk about the users of effedupmovies.com like that!!
Let’s see how it goes
this movie was interesting not really fucked up but a fun watch
Great movie
What a raw, visceral film, amazingly well crafted and executed. The acting is absolutely suburb! Another one of these “where have you been all my life” movies from the fine folks at EUM…..
Thanks for this!!
I can’t tolerate your existence on here, let alone the knowledge of you skulking among society in your professional career. I wouldn’t want a predator like you tending to me in an emergency… You’re narcissistic lurker with an obvious neuropsychiatric disorder
I don’t know if this is just me but the ending felt rushed like felt like there could’ve been more cause we don’t exactly see Tommy change, he runs away again and comes back then that’s it
I agree completely. But the story just keeps going on and on with little to no change…
I was expecting Tommy to meet up with Mr. Pedo Killgore, and I really thought I nailed it, but they pulled the rug out from under me and served up the ending they spun…..
yup and he’ll keep being an asshole to everyone around him
im the last now
Excellent…
Truly gritty and totally believable… Naylor plays the lead in a remarkable way . A truly sad tale and it’s nigh on two hour length flew by. I could have watched all night .
Fantastic cinema and yes… Horrible too.
Well done once again effed up.. God bless you and your amazing site.
im the last person to comment
Not anymore!!!
damn…
Quality EUM Drama … Great acting … Great respect for those who work in support services … It’s a vocation and not a job!
good film. gilles is so hot lol
hi,
great movie – great director!
thx
xoxo
nikki
Great acting. I love this film. Messes up with feelings but in a good way.