Freddy Got Fingered (2001)
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A childish slacker's quest to become a professional cartoonist leads to a bizarre series of events involving his dysfunctional family and a bizarre accusation.
The story
Unemployed 28-year-old cartoonist Gordon "Gord" Brody leaves his parents' home in Portland, Oregon, to pursue his lifelong ambition of obtaining a contract for an animated television series. After moving to Los Angeles and failing to secure a deal at a major animation studio, Gord returns home to face his short-tempered father, Jim. While attempting to navigate his personal life and artistic goals, Gord finds himself caught in a cycle of deception and conflict with his parents, eventually leading to a dramatic and bizarre confrontation during a family therapy session.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Gordon "Gord" Brody, a 28-year-old slacker, moves to Los Angeles to pursue a career in animation but fails to impress a studio CEO. He returns to his parents' home in Portland, where he faces constant belittlement from his father, Jim. Gord begins a series of escapades, including impersonating a doctor at a hospital and starting a relationship with Betty, a masochistic woman in a rocket-powered wheelchair. After a series of lies and a physical altercation with his father, Gord falsely accuses Jim of sexually abusing his brother, Freddy, during a therapy session. This leads to Freddy being sent to a facility for sexually molested children. Following a period of personal failure, Gord returns to Hollywood with a new concept, "Zebras in America." When Jim trashes the studio office during a pitch, the CEO greenlights the show. Gord spends his windfall on Betty and a bizarre relocation of the Brody house to Pakistan. After being abducted and held hostage for 18 months, Gord and Jim eventually return to the United States to a hero's welcome.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 87
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tom Green
- Writers
- Tom Green · writer; Derek Harvie · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tom Green · Gordon "Gord" Brody; Rip Torn · James “Jim” Brody; Marisa Coughlan · Betty Menger; Eddie Kaye Thomas · Freddy Brody; Harland Williams · Darren; Anthony Michael Hall · Dave Davidson; Julie Hagerty · Julie Brody; Drew Barrymore · Davidson's receptionist
- Genres
- surreal black comedy
- Themes
- dysfunctional family dynamics; failure and ambition; absurdism
- Tone and mood
- surreal; black comedy; gross-out humor
- Setting
- Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles, California; also Pakistan
- Premise and plot tags
- slacker; animation; family drama; surrealism
- Reception
- The film was overwhelmingly panned by critics upon release for its gross-out humor and was considered one of the worst films of all time. However, it has since gained a cult following and some positive critical re-evaluation as a work of neo-surrealism.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 13 · scale: 100 · review count: 25
- Awards and nominations
- Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award · Worst Picture · win
- Production trivia
- The film was originally intended to be NC-17 but was toned down to an R-rating.; A scene featuring an alternative ending was released as a DVD extra.; The film's title refers to a plot point where Gord falsely accuses his father of sexually abusing his brother.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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