Just Jim (2015) User Reviews

A bit too quirky for its own good

[MattyGibbs · 6/10 · 31 January 2017]

A lonely teenagers life is transformed upon the arrival of his American next door neighbour.

This is a very quirky dark comedy that will not appeal to everyone. After a relatively sluggish start setting up the situation things pick up with the arrival of mysterious American Emile Hirsch.

Emile Hirsch is great and Craig Roberts who bears an uncanny resemblance and acting style to Martin Freeman is also superb as the unpopular kid trying to improve his social standing.

Despite the good acting this is a hit and miss affair. There are some good ideas here and some good scenes but too many of them fall flat. The pacing isn't great and it seems to bounce from place to place without any real direction.

Overall this isn't a bad film it's just a bit too way out there for my taste and I doubt I'd watch it again.

Weird, bizarre and dark. But also hilarious at times.

[peterp-450-298716 · 6/10 · 19 June 2016]

"Do you believe in God? No. I think if he exists, he needs to give me a break. Maybe you just need to man up a bit, instead of being a little bitch."

A surprising film and quite different than I expected. I thought it would be a film about a bullied, dorky, funny looking boy who learns to defend himself against the merciless bullies with the help of a new neighbor. Partly this is true. Jim (Craig Roberts) is an outsider everyone hates and who also has some bizarre habits. An introverted, insecure teenager and victim of teasing and mockery. Even his parents aren't exactly supporting him. The total isolation of Jim is portrayed in a visually stunning way. Sometimes you feel sad about it all. Certainly when his own dog leaves him behind. But mostly the images are pretty hilarious. The garden gate that falls down. Jim watching at his race track apathetically with two remote controls in his hands. A birthday party organized by his parents with a large banner. Naturally the specified age is wrong. And then it swirls down in a "Jurassic Park" kind of way, while he's sitting there pathetic on his own.

This all seems to be changing, the day the neighbor Dean (Emile Hirsch) moves into the adjacent house. An American James Dean clone who quickly manages to gain the trust of Jim. Dean tries to boost Jim's confidence by giving him advice on how to put his life back on track and take matters into his own hands. As Jim's confidence grows, Dean's behavior begins to take bizarre and aggressive forms. The way he imposes himself on Jim's parents (especially the coquettish mother) isn't exactly kosher. The rebellion side of Dean's ego starts to revolt against Jim, who slowly begins to wonder whether this American guardian angel is reliable or not.

The first surprise about this film is that 24-year-old Craig directed and wrote the film. A not inconsiderable feat for such a young individual. Notwithstanding that there are some weak elements in this film, which might be annoying, the end result isn't so bad. What struck me the most were the beautiful fragments and stylistic camera setups. If you'd take single snapshots of the patchy-ranging situations, you could start an exhibition of surrealistic, experimental photography. That's at the same time something many could make a comment about. The entire movie seems like a fusion of several film experiments, which makes it sometimes confusing and complicated. But are you a David Lynch fan (and to a lesser extent you can add Refn) then you'll definitely appreciate it.

There's one thing that intrigued me. Was this a story with a double meaning? Was Dean a real person or was he just a fantasy Jim imagined because of his psychologically tormented personality? In hindsight it appears as if the whole movie is occupied by individuals with a mental illness. The crazy ex-soldier (I guess he's off his head in a way) Jim always encounters when walking the dog ( "Yeah, copy that, Clive"). A bizarre responding guard at the local cinema (a typical "Twin Peaks" character). Then there is psychotic Dean. The unworldly and apathetic parents of Jim. And finally the skeptical and introverted lead character. Could Dean be a metaphorical appearance? A way to portray the rebellious Jim, whose true and jovial personality is fighting back in the end? Or is Jim really an outsider who's just attempting to conquer a place in society? The sometimes hallucinatory and confusing images (such as the underwater moments) didn't help me to draw a final conclusion.

"Just Jim" isn't exactly a commercially oriented film and certainly won't be well received by many. It's sinister, absurd and does give you sometimes an uncomfortable and voyeuristic feeling. The film manages to mix together a depressing and at the same time a humorous atmosphere. Perhaps it sometimes tends to degenerate into an art-house experimental film. But overall it was a pleasant and surprising experience.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT

Realisation self-confidence is a strong enough message, even with an under developed psychological sub-plot driving the main narrative.

[michaelktyee · 7/10 · 12 December 2015]

"I am depressed" from protagonist Jim, especially after the introduction of Emile Hirsch's kitschy cool foil, was probably unnecessary and a bit much. Up to that point, the film uses what it has to build this well balanced psychology: the trauma experienced as a victim of bullying and the subsequent introversion (spoiler free Brother Yee called it from the trailer), which in and of itself can be embraced rather than be seen as a responsive crutch to the act of bullying itself. Roberts never loses sight of this though and rides this one out nicely, even if his character is, at times, overshadowed/muddied by Hirsch's gratuitous performance. Overall, if you're a fan of teenage angst, Gen Y self-conscious, self-depreciative dialogue, and a good eye for shots and rendering, then there's plenty to smile – and laugh with in Just Jim.

Needed just a little more on the script

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 28 May 2017]

Diminutive Craig Roberts did a memorable turn in the BBC3 series Being Human. In Just Jim he stars as well as directing and writing the film.

He plays lonely Welsh teenager Jim, who is a bit of a social outcast. Even his dog runs away from him. Then a mysterious American called Dean (Emile Hirsch) moves next door to him and Dean is modelled on a rebellious James Dean.

He makes Jim look cool by giving him a kind of 50s American look. Jim's newly rebellious attitude lands him in trouble at school and it is left open ended if Dean is just a figment of an over- imaginative teenage brain.

This is a slight coming of age story with a jagged tonal shift in the latter part of the film. It is a little bit weird and off kilter but really does not amount to much.

Black comedy has its moments

[russjones-80887 · 4/10 · 26 July 2020]

In a Welsh valley a socially inadequate schoolboy is bullied and has no friends. Then a mysterious American moves in next door and promises to turn him into a cool teenager.

Low budget black comedy set in the Rhymni Valley, this is a writing and directing debut by Craig Roberts who plays the title character. Full use is made of the local scenery but, while the film has its moments, overall it lacks a spark.

A pathetic attempt at blending Fight Club, Gregory's Girl and Ripping Yarns

[vnmjdcv · 1/10 · 30 April 2023]

What a mess. This film tries so hard to become a cult classic that it makes the cardinal error of forgetting to tell a story.

It's all over the place and is completely implausible. The birthday party that no one comes to. The dog that runs away. The potty mouthed American who inexplicably moves in next door and spends every scene lighting a cigarette. The underwater scenes. The parents who just sit on the couch. The alcoholic PE teacher. The BMW that Jim is allowed to drive round in. The hatred from all of his school peers. The bedroom with no wallpaper. The cinema with rats and a creepy usherette.

Cult movies acquire their reputation from people who watch them. You cannot make a disjointed, meaningless mess like this and expect the public to simply embrace it. You have to earn it with a cognitive narrative or at least a smidgen of believability.

A pity, because I had high hopes at the beginning. By the end I was glad it was over.

Beautifully stylish, dark film.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 2 February 2016]

Jim is the most unpopular kid around, it's the 80's, his dog has run away, and he's the butt of all the jokes at School. When things seem utterly bleak his fortunes change when a vibrant, handsome, cool American Dean moves into the house next door, but are his offers of making Jim the popular kid well meant?

I've become quite a fan of Craig Roberts, a truly talented, understated actor, who oozes charisma in a subtle way. Fair play to him for writing and directing this, what a talent.

There are some cracking performances, Roberts apart, I thought Richard Harrington was great as the Headmaster, Emile Hirsch was charismatic as Dean, and I really enjoyed Mark Lewis's Jones performance as Donald.

A truly underrated film which seems to belong in so many genres, it's dark, funny, sad, surreal, feel good, grim. I was impressed 8/10

Depressing, unfunny, unentertaining & uninteresting

[thesmythley · 1/10 · 15 December 2019]

Film about a vulnerable boy who is exploited by a psychopath. I don't see any black comedy in it at all. What is funny about it? It's just one long depressing bad dream sequence. Having being a fan of Nighty night, I know what black comedy is. This is NOT a comedy.

Loser tale in a black comedy based in Wales

[t-dooley-69-386916 · 5/10 · 24 January 2016]

This is the directorial debut for Craig Roberts who also wrote this and starred in it – which is never a good idea. He takes the character he has played before in the likes of – the admittedly very good – 'Submarine' and plays him, again only in Wales. There are liberal scattering of clichés throughout and the only reason this is in Wales? It was co funded by The Welsh Film Board.

The plot is Roberts plays Jim whose best mate has stopped talking to him and his dog goes missing and then Emile Hirsch moves in next door and is ultra cool. Despite this Hirsch actually has time for him until strange things start happening and then Jim gets to grow a pair.

Now to call this slow is putting it mildly, it wears its quirky heart shakily on its loner sleeve from the start but the script is just so uninspiring and there are some massive plot holes too. I found this to be as funny as a phone directory and equally unedifying. Never write direct and star in your own vanity project. I admire Hirsch for making such films he did the same in 'Prince Avalanche' which is actually better than this. There is clearly a market for these types of films and there are some good parts to it but rating it as 'ok' is still being generous. If in doubt go for a rental – preferably getting some one else to pay for it – that way the disappointment smarts less.

Boring film about boring little town

[Joerg-Ruppe · 5/10 · 5 November 2015]

Obviously there's not much happening in that little British town. Jim tries escaping the boredom and loneliness by going to the only cinema in town where they keep playing the same old films over and over, and usually he's the only visitor. On top of that boredom he's also bullied by the other kids and, honestly, he hasn't much to offer. When that new cool American guy Dean moves in next door and tries to make friends with Jim this set-up comes across rather constructed for the sake of a plot. But the further developments seem even more unrealistic. Jim tries to come across as a "mysterious" guy but by God neither he or this film has even a hint of mysteriousness. It is one of the general challenges when depicting a boring character in a boring surrounding - the film plainly tends to get boring itself if you are not a master of subtleties or you don't bring in humor & irony. The film unfortunately lacks either of those qualities.

Waste of Public Funding

[pcwatt-32926 · 3/10 · 21 January 2016]

I thought the Tories stopped funding for the arts? Either way, this film is balls. It seems left to the imagination whether the American actually moved into Jim's next door residence, or whether he was simply a figment of his imagination. His parents certainly saw him as real. Regardless, anyone who can relate to the protagonists in this film has serious personal issues. I guess its no less stylistic than a full-on Yank flick like Donnie Darko or other purely stylistic shite. Yeah, I sat back and was vaguely entertained, but seriously, this is hipster fodder/rubbish. Esoteric nonsense. If film making today is supposed to serve the film maker and not the audience, then consider it a job well done.

David Lynch meets Paul Thomas Anderson

[remembervhs · 8/10 · 10 December 2015]

This movie is a lot of things.

It's an homage (or a rip-off, you choose) of Punch Drunk Love, Mulholland Drive, and Rebel Without A Cause.

It's a teen coming of age film that takes every genre trope and exaggerates it to bizarre extremities.

It's a comedy and, in certain segments, it's fairly unsettling.

It has an extremely pronounced tonal shift around halfway through that totally caught me off guard.

The camera-work is quite good, and the film looks great. The soundtrack is fantastic and it ranges from jangling ambiance (Punch Drunk Love) to deep drones (Mulholland Drive).

For a movie that copies so much, it all feels very original. Look forward to Craig Robert's next.

Probably the worst film I've ever seen

[finnt-99243 · 1/10 · 25 August 2018]

Unbelievably boring and there is little explanation in the plot for why the film goes the way it does

Just rewrite the script, Jim

[frukuk · 2/10 · 25 August 2018]

The script feels like a very early draft. I'm not convinced that the scriptwriter (who also directs and plays the lead) knew precisely what he was trying to achieve; he certainly didn't seem to know how to effectively convey his intention.

There seem to be some ideas here about feeling the need to conform (to transform oneself) versus staying true to oneself. But the film peters out without having

Nothing original

[taylorjan-63962 · 2/10 · 24 August 2018]

It's all been done before. Teenager is a bit of a misfit, new friend helps him gain confidence (with some drugs, booze and shoplifting along the way). Jim is Welsh, but I couldn't hear an accent.

Tries a little hard to be quirky and odd, but it's all been done before. Nothing new here.

Shame the BBC felt the need to use our licence fee money to part fund this (the BBC licence is compulsory and paid by every UK household and establishment who has a TV. Its fine/prison if we don't have one).

Jim The Loner On Film

[t-d-t-m82 · 5/10 · 20 February 2024]

It's quite a lonely film. Jim is clealy a very strange guy who doesn't connect with society until an American comes by to teach him the ways of being cool.

Then it all goes a bit weird. I can't work out which parts are dreams or real. The visions and then the reality. It's an isolated movie and it starts to look into bullying and important social issues but then goes on a complete tangent.

I'm just ending-up finishing lost. The ending is as empty as it started without it actually filling anything. I'm struggling to understand this concept and why it was done. It's a shame. Just rather meaningless despite the good original idea.

Near-perfect black comedy

[langford-smith · 9/10 · 21 August 2018]

If you enjoy black comedy, deliberate pacing, and having to come to your own conclusions on plot ambiguity - think Barton Fink for example - then you're in for a treat. If you need a neatly resolved ending, you'll be frustrated. As the former I loved it. Excellent direction, photography, and score; tight performances - I'm looking forward to his next. Makes a good double-bill with Aki Kaurismäki's "The Match Factory Girl".

Not terrible, not great. A bit tedious.

[imseeg · 5/10 · 4 October 2022]

The Americans are better at making teenage comedies than the British. Much better. We do have 1 American actor though, but even Emile Hirsch cant save this movie by himself.

The bad: it's kinda tedious to watch this story unfold, because nothing much happens.

More bad: the leading kid actor hasnt got much charisma, nor is he really funny.

The story is of the slowburning kind, which even worsened the tedious feeling I got when watching it... bummer.

Not a terrible movie for sure, but definitely not anything great either. A bit tedious.

This story is about a shy, nerdy teenager, who gets ridiculed and who finds some solace in getting to know a cool American neighbour (Emile Hirsch), who takes this kid under his wings.

Dead Man's Shoes meets Fight Club

[jonny-54442 · 10/10 · 14 April 2015]

I was lucky enough to see this premier at SXSW but didn't have any background information around the film so really did not know what to expect. In many ways I was glad as I was immediately swept into a world that Craig had created and the impression of the film has stayed with me since.

This is a hugely talented guy; writing, acting and directing a feature length film at the age of twenty-four.

An immediate summary of the film is 'cult classic'. This is a film that needs to be seen and without a doubt will be pegged up with some of the best independent British movies made in this decade.

I found out after the premier that Craig chose to film this movie in his home town, using locations that he grew up in, such as his school and local hangouts. This explained the deep level of authenticity the film exudes at pretty much every turn.

As expected, Craig's performance is outstanding, as is Emile's. The juxtaposition of Dean (Emile), a flamboyant and worldly American, pitched against introverted and quiet Jim (Craig), and dropped into a quite Welsh town, works brilliantly and constantly engages you through the 'Wannabe' storyline.

The other characters in the film develop quickly and you immediately gain an affinity to them. Some of them are only on screen for seconds, but you instantly gauge their purpose and they influence your thinking.

The best way I can describe this film is to think: Dead Man's Shoes meets Fight Club.

'Craig Roberts blackened comedy debut roils with a seamy Lynchian menace'

[Weirdling_Wolf · 8/10 · 1 January 2022]

This darkly surrealistic, flint-edged, small town-set coming-of-rage drama finds a desperately isolated 17yr old Jim (Craig Roberts) struggling to amuse himself, cruelly abandoned by his best friend for pastimes greener, frequently bullied, ignored by the girl of his dreams, and barely tolerated by disinterested parents, increasingly oppressed by his existential malaise in this small, provincial Welsh town, Jim finds meagre solace in his beloved dog, and obsessively frequent visits to the faintly ominous flea-pit cinema, his ever deepening despond seemingly leavened by the sudden arrival of an enigmatic American misfit Dean (Emile Hirsch), a quixotic figure oozing retrograde beatnik cool, Jim is profoundly beguiled by movie star-handsome Dean's dynamic alpha mystique, but as Jim's popularity increases, mentored by the not altogether altruistic Dean, Jim uncomfortably realises that his newfound social saviour might have far blacker ulterior motives behind his increasingly bizarre actions! The auspicious directing debut by talented actor Craig Roberts has a fascinatingly oblique nature, both uproariously hilarious, and witheringly cruel, 'Just Jim' is never ordinary, with searingly acerbic flashes of Hal Hartley, and Todd Solondz, Robert's lively, off-centred drama is not only fiendishly witty, but roils with a seamy Lynchian menace, ominously suggesting that something truly malign waxes most wickedly beneath the prosaic, humdrum, pebble-dashed veneer of this somnolent Welsh town.