A man raised as an ape, anmed only Puff (Ifans) is discovered, and naturally attracts the interest of scientists. But they bring with them their own problems which are all at once modern and primal - yes, it's the love triangle. Soon, Puff is also entangled.
by Adam Smith |
Published on
Release Date:
01 Jan 2001
Running Time:
0 minutes
Certificate:
15
Original Title:
Human Nature
Occasioanlly it takes a bit of time and effort for creative types to get a feel for one another's work, and here's a perfect example. Audiences would have to wait another three years for the pairing of uberscribe Charlie Kaufman and director Gondry to really begin to click (on Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind), but this rum comedy aims for the quirky playfulness that delighted some and irritated others in Being John Malkovich and Adaptation.
Rhys Ifans is the man brought up as an ape who attracts the attention of Tim Robbins and Patricia Arquette, forming a love triangle with a simian slant. Sadly Human Nature simply delivers oddness for oddness' sake, and is a great deal less clever than it thinks it is.
Maybe there is something of an art to collaborative artists changing gears. Like a slippery stepping stone, this will be regarded as an uneven miss on Kaufman's CV between the lofty praise of Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine. Which is a pity, given the talent involved.
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