Apart (I) (2011) User Reviews

Compelling and Original

[jessp19 · 6/10 · 18 March 2012]

Granted, we downloaded this movie due to my husband's alumni status from Lamar Consolidated High School. However, I do not personally know any of the people involved in this film, nor does my rating reflect any bias of that nature. Sorry, wasn't my high school...

We watch a lot of movies, but we won't watch anything rated under 5 stars on IMDb. This movie should NOT be relegated to that category. In fact, the plot was quite compelling, the cinematography had some exquisite moments, and the whole idea is original at a time when we're surrounded by sequels and remakes. Could this movie have been better with a multi- million dollar budget? Sure. However, I guarantee you we've all been entertained by big budget movies with far less substance than this film.

Darkness and confusion of teenage love and disaster

[napierslogs · 3/10 · 3 May 2012]

"Apart" starts with the premise that two teenagers share the same psychological infliction: induced delusional disorder. Apparently, they are the only two people on the planet with this disorder. Based on that "fact" I assumed it was a made up disorder, and so I sat waiting for my way in to experience their reality. They never gave me any such connection. Afterwards, I discovered it was a real disorder, but one that only two fictional characters suffer from they tried to have me believe.

Although marketed as a psychological thriller, the romantic angle of teen love was really played up. And I was left wondering why they were trying to make that any more dramatic or mysterious when teenagers do a pretty good job of that themselves. But then again the entire movie is about wondering in confusion trying to figure things out.

Something occurred. What? We don't know. When? We don't know. Why, or how? Obviously, we don't know. Who? I assumed it was our two main tragic, teenage heroes, but the more I watched I got the impression that it was most likely disastrous events occurred to other random characters but which Noah and Emily observed.

The disorder that Noah and Emily have is one where they experience delusions, shared delusions, where they are seeing the exact same hallucinations. They can never be sure of their reality or their sanity. We can't be sure either.

But the problem is, I couldn't even follow what was going on. With lots of jumpy editing, we went from flashback to flashback to flashforward? Perhaps. I don't know what time frame the present was. The two youngest actors could be identified as our main protagonists in their childhood years, but past that, I couldn't always distinguish as to whether they were teenagers, older teenagers, young adults or slightly older young adults. For all I know, there could have been even more ages that we jump around to.

It was definitely dark, it could be thrilling if there was any narrative to hang on to, but "Apart" was mostly just confusing.

Awesome Movie!!!

[hmccountryman · 7/10 · 7 August 2012]

I was randomly looking through movies on Netflix, and lately the recent chain of movies I have been watching are thriller type movies. But the "cerebral" movies caught my eye. The picture for the film was odd enough and the name as well, plus the description had a certain odd attraction to it. I wasn't sure if I would like it, but surely enough here I am typing out a review for it. The acting in Apart isn't bad at all, and the actual movie is put together quite well. With the colors (and just overall theme) that they use throughout the film the movie can seem rather dark and morbid. But after I watched the movie, I couldn't (and still can't) stop thinking about it and thus had to watch it another half a dozen times. So obviously I love the movie. There isn't any nudity. But there is some language. And the movie may be kinda disturbing to younger viewers. But overall it's a great movie that i would recommend to my friends, and encourage you to watch as well.

10/10...? Yeah, right!

[mailwasher · 1/10 · 10 March 2012]

Based on the first review, this movie has an Oscar in it's future. Yeah, right. 10 out of 10 eh? On the same level of Apocalypse Now, Taxi Driver, Avatar, On The Waterfront, Citizen Kane, To Kill A Mockingbird, The Artist, Bladerunner, Fargo, etc, etc, etc... very plausible!

IMDb should not allow ratings for the first 10 reviews a movie gets since many will be 10/10 plants.

This is the worst movie ever - on the level of Killer Tomatoes and The Blob and the Ratings Manipulator. IMO anyway.

I recommend that you watch the movie and write a genuine review for it so that the public can come to their own conclusions as to whether they may choose to watch.. or pass up this 'gem'.

Great idea but poor execution

[saadgkhan · 2/10 · 28 May 2012]

Apart – TRASH IT (C-) A movie about two lovers becoming victim of Folie à deux (Induced delusional disorder (F.24) ICD-10) is a great notion on the paper but somehow it didn't translate well on screen. Apart moves chronically and at times non-chronically, which makes it's really confusing. When you choose a topic as confusing as (F.24) ICD-10 its better to move the movie in more sensible manner. Olesya Rulin does her part well coming out from Disney movies. Josh Danziger is expressionless most of the times. And all emotions seems same on his face he was as miserable after the accident as he was before. FYI if you have wrote the movie it doesn't give you the permission to star in it as well. Overall, Apart makers were thinking they' were making something indie phenomena but unfortunately it became indie disappointment.

Two defective children are bad for each other and those around them.

[suite92 · 1/10 · 24 January 2014]

Folie à deux (Induced delusional disorder (F.24) ICD-10) is in the literature; wikipedia has a nice article about it. However, this is the worst vanity indie film I've seen in months.

In the first half or so of the film, we follow Noah around as he tries to remember his past. He's lost much of his memory in some acute personal event. Several people assure him that this is a good thing. He looks for Emily, finds her, gets past her thorny personality and direct resistance to visiting the past.

Supposedly Emily and Noah are linked by a psychiatric disorder which lets them know each other's minds. Even worse, they see visions of bad things happening to those around them. It's tough for Noah to recall. For similar reasons, it's tough for Emily as well. Even worse, they are not able to ward off the bad things happening.

The first such event was when they were around eight years old; the second around when they were high school seniors. The first was a bus crash. The two of them recuperate, more or less, in the same hospital. The second was a fire, the culmination of a sequence of unfortunate events during late high school.

All this is nonsense, and assigned to folie à deux, or induced delusional disorder. In this case, "She's crazy and made me do it," or "He's crazy and made me do it." The simpler explanation is "He is crazy and she is crazy." So, own up to it and get them off the streets: two crazy people are over-indulged and allowed to hurt others unnecessarily.

-----Scores------

Cinematography: 10/10 Fine work. Amazingly good considering the foulness of the screenplay and most of the acting.

Sound: 10/10 No problems.

Acting: 3/10 The veteran actor Bruce McGill delivered as usual. The rest of the cast was terrible. The two principals were the worst. The three points are for Mr. McGill.

Screenplay: 0/10 This was a rat's nest of nonsense of endless re-interpretations. The script is as bad as the acting of the two principals. There is about five minutes of content stretched over 85 minutes. Rotten Tomatoes got it right at 11%.

Great psychological Thriller

[kluttsjd · 8/10 · 14 March 2012]

I was fortunate enough to see Apart in Houston on the night of the premiere with Josh Danziger, the star of the film. It was shot in my home town and my high school, so I was going to see the movie regardless. However, I was truly blown away with the writing, acting, and cinematography of "Apart".

The film is a very mature, and dark film and a large undertaking for a freshman writer/actor like Danziger. However, the movie was pulled off spectacularly. The story is rich and layered, and while the non-linear, broken time line may be difficult to follow for some, it is integral to the story line. The way the film is cut and shot really envelops the audience into the storyline and into the psyche of the characters.

The film is an amazing psychological and philosophical journey into reality, sanity and what it means to love, exist, and what is real. This isn't your typical high octane thriller, but it is thrilling nonetheless. You will leave the theater questioning more than when you went in, and for this film, that is a good thing.

Top notch movie

[moser_klaus · 10/10 · 17 March 2011]

I had a chance to view this film at SXSW and it really blew me away. Far better than I ever would have expected from an indie movie, the screen play was top notch ( written in the spirit of Momento ) and the acting was spot on. Josh Danziger and Olesya Rulin both are able to portray characters with a wide range of emotions tough-out the multi-year time-line of the movie. Joey Lauren Adams and Bruce McGill both have smaller roles in the movie but use their time on screen to full effect.

Aside from the keep you on the end of your seat script, the movie also is also visually stunning, with great cinematography. It's really a pleasure to see, and it's a movie that ask you to think, as opposed to just watch.

Pleasant Surprise

[jacob-kirkpatrick · 8/10 · 23 July 2012]

I friend of mine saw this movie at SXSW and recommended it to me. I'm not a big fan of independent films so I was reluctant to take her advise, but I'm so glad I did.

I was surprised to see recognizable actors and actresses like Bruce McGill and Joey Lauren Adams. Josh Danziger and Olesya Rulin were awesome in their lead roles. There are several twists and turns in the story that kept me engaged throughout the film.

Its rare to find an independent film put together this well. I didn't really feel like I was watching an independent film. The cinematography was great, the story was engaging and the acting was really good. I would definitely recommend this one.

This is an excellent film despite the unbelievably low rating

[pdeitenbeck · 8/10 · 27 March 2012]

to begin, i am in no way affiliated with this film, i don't know anyone associated with this film and this is a completely unbiased review. as you will notice, i have never even written a review on this site before. the reason i am writing one now, is that i would like others to be able to experience an awesome indie film as i have. i always look to IMDb when choosing to watch a film and it was the positive reviews on this site that coaxed me to watch this. i am glad that i did. i will say nothing of the story except that it is definitely worth the time spent to go through it. the cinematography is excellent, the plot is excellent and the acting is good. actually considering the history of one of the leads, the acting is exceptional. the movie slightly borrows from donnie darko at points, although imo doesn't quite live up to darko. but then again donnie darko is a classic imo. anyways, don't pay attention to the rating and do yourself a favor and watch a very good movie. this comes from someone who watches at least 1 movie a day as i work from home and have to be in front of the computer for countless hours and love film.

Engaging. Recommend

[unclephi609 · 9/10 · 15 July 2012]

Within the first five minutes I wanted to FB "like" the lead male actor. He didn't come across as over-acting, but came close a couple of times. There were just a couple of familiar faces which allowed me to get into the characters. It was nice not knowing where specifically this film took place because it was irrelevant to the plot. And the closing credits, well the credits had me thanking the whole crew for getting TOGETHER on this film. A great tie-in to the flow of the entire film.

Is it hard to follow? Yes. And all the more rewarding when you do.

This is film offers cerebral stimulation rather than couch-potato viewing. If you prefer not to use your imagination to draw conclusions, if you worry about being too confused to enjoy a film, or if you would rather spend an hour-and-a-half watching plots as deep as "See Spot Run" then don't watch this movie.

However, if you liked "Brick" and enjoy well written scripts, excellent visuals, and a kind of supernatural component to your films, I highly recommend "Apart."

Don't take my word for it. Netflix instant this film.

apart summary

[rlsaka · 9/10 · 17 July 2012]

Josh Danziger did an outstanding job! It will remind you of a sixth sense. The music is memorable and the acting is very good.The cast consists of Olesya Rulin and Josh Danziger. The movie takes them on a path of destruction. I saw the SXSW version last year in Austin and then I saw the finished product at the Sundance Theater in Houston Texas. The final release blew me away. Joey Lauren Adams, Bruce McGill, and Oleysa and Josh do an amazing job! I encourage you to see this film. Josh and Oleysa share the same genetic disease but neither of them know it. They cause chaos and tragedy whenever they come together.Based on a real disease the characters have a love story with a twist.I recommend the film and hope it hits more theaters soon. I liked the film and give it a 9.

A work of art, new enough to be over criticized. Always happens when you do something different.

[gilbertnate · 9/10 · 22 October 2012]

I loved this movie! Simply put if you don't like art films don't watch it. You won't like it. However if you do like movies that give you a new beautiful experience, you'll probably like it. Phenomenal soundtrack! This is a very dreamscape esk film. Your not going to get the straight forward everything laid out from beginning to end experience like you do with most movies and that bothers a lot of people hence the poor rating. I thought the acting was excellent as well as the cinematography. I personally love the dreaming emotionally driven films(and music) so this movie was right up my ally. I normally don't write reviews but the poor rating that this movie was given on IMDb I felt was very unfair for how good it was. I understand it is a taste thing. It is just unfortunate that preference is mistaken for quality. If you like this type of movie, you can rest assured that it is of quality. This movie is kinda along the lines of Donnie Darko or The Butterfly effect as style and feeling and younger characters just with less of a budget. Despite the lack of budget though unlike some independent films you don't really notice. The film quality and acting If you like those movies I think you'll like this one.

Artistic and Intriguing

[brent_or · 8/10 · 6 January 2013]

I enjoyed this film quite a bit. Part of watching it is the process of trying to figure out what's going on, as the non-linear chronological progression gradually reveals more. It is understandable that some people won't enjoy a film that is this labyrinthine, as it can be confusing. However for my part, I felt that it was very well written and directed, and the mystery was a virtue. The cinematography is very artistically executed; a beautiful (although dark) film for the eyes. I thought that the two lead actors did well, and in particular I was glad to see Olesya Rulin get a serious role like this. I would like to see her some more. All in all, I would recommend this to anyone who appreciates psychologically serpentine films that are thought-provoking in an impressionistic sort of way.

Wonderful Surprise...

[ffo1 · 8/10 · 16 July 2012]

First and foremost what sold me on this film was Bruce McGill. Above and beyond any other connection I've had with the film this man is seriously top form and always has been. Bar none, period, end of story. If you give him a chance to tell you into a story, you will love this film.

Now that this film is on Netflix you should take the time to see it and rate it, both here and on your streaming service. The film has been out since March 8 2012 and there less than 200 ratings here on IMDb. Thats sad indie film lovers. Because if you travel in the same circles I do you've gone way out of your way for new good movie content constantly and failed...time and again...but not here.

What I'm here to tell you is that "APART" will not disappoint. I don't want to give anything away and heck, I am obviously biased. I've worked with these guys and hope to again. So don't listen to me, just give it a chance and I think you'll like it. It's a fresh slice of what you don't see from big-budget studio pictures so much these days. If you like that about Apart...for good or bad, please rate this film and give it even just a few words of review here on IMDb so it can reach more people.

The last user review said it best: he won't regularly watch anything under a five and this film simply does not fall into that category. Plus you get four solid actors in reasonably messed up situations...it was fun and I'm honored to log in and write this to help Apart succeed.

Darkly Twisted!

[vicky-l-sheets · 9/10 · 24 July 2012]

I'm a BIG fan of Indie films! I had not heard of "Apart" and completely missed out on the Tugg screening at the AMC in SugarLand last week. This film is darkly twisted, A bit of "Memento" & "Donnie Darko" (of which I love both just as dearly). Wow, the cinematography is excellent for a film with such a small budget. The acting was believable. "Apart" was filmed mostly in Richmond & Rosenberg, after Lamar High School graduate Josh Danziger (star of the film) had suggested this location to Aaron Rottinghaus for his directorial debut. So glad he did. The Houston area is certainly not Hollywood, but several great films have been birthed in this area. Full of "Texas Talent"! It became available on 7.15.12 for streaming on Netflix. Don't miss this one if you are an Indie Film fan. The story was drawn from actual case histories about a rare psychological disorder classified as ICD-10 F24, (Induced Delusional Disorder) "madness of two". This story is one you will want to rewind & watch & remark "Oh, I get it". Darkly Twisted!!! I love the soundtrack as well, Ck it out!