just watch it!

an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The characters are superbly believable, which is why it's all the more frustrating that I really didn't like this film, and I'm not sure where the script writer was trying to take it. Disturbingly, the LA Times bills it as "Joyful, romantic and genuinely sexy!". If you find this film romantic and sexy, much less joyful, I suggest you lay off the dating scene for a while.Here are some assumptions the film's script writer seems to make: 1) Normal women don't watch porn, much less rough porn. If she rents pornographic DVDs, she's up for it, or perhaps messed up, or both. We're really not sure.2) Single women are lonely. They don't want to be spending so much time on their own. They're waiting on you to bust into their apartments under false pretenses and have you force yourself on them. They may say no, get lost or shut up, but they want you, really.3) Any single woman who doesn't throw herself at the first enterprising jock who comes her way must have a history of abuse. She's messed up. After all, what's not to love about your lies, your stalking, your arrogance and refusal to take no for an answer, your poor conversational skills and your 8ish inch schlong? The supporting cast provided some comic relief to the uncomfortable plot. I can't think of one performance that was off or didn't ring true. The situation itself is entirely believable - an abuse victim may well be a fan of porn, and have rape fantasies in which she's a victim no more. She may find it hard to cut ties to her abuser and stand on her own feet. She's very likely to find it hard to form close and intimate relationships with others. She may also unconsciously seek out similarly abusive relationships and use them as a crutch - it's what she knows. That's fine - what I found uncomfortable about this film is the way it is packaged up and sold to us as viewers. This is NOT a love story. We could do without the happy music at the end - the aggressive male protagonist shows no character growth throughout this film whatsoever.I'm intrigued enough that I'd love to hear what Palka was thinking. Perhaps it was intended as cautionary rather than as a happy romantic tale, and some subtle nuances were lost. Reading some of the comments on IMDb though, I'm not surprised that it's apparently missed its mark. "Where do you find a man like that, one so patient and loving and willing to take her with all her flaws?". Puhleeze. This guy is so wrapped up in himself, he doesn't care a whit for who she is, as long as he can get his leg over, one way or another. Where can you find such a man, indeed? Having spent several years on the internet dating scene prior to meeting my husband, I can tell you that such dubious characters are not in short supply.

I really liked this movie.On a technical level it's not often I see a movie where characters this flawed, messed up and unlikeable are played so well. Bravo! This is not just another lame "two misfits meet, discover twoo wuv, and live happily ever after" type movie.Nor is it yet another "likable ordinary people triumph over adversity in a heartwarming tale about the profound goodness of the human spirit" movie.I liked the way it illustrated the truth that sometimes two people who are on quite different journeys will meet, and affect one another in some way, maybe one of them will learn something, and that's really about all you can hope for. But it's not a tale of two star-crossed lovers, and was never meant to be.I don't think we're supposed to like lying, manipulative, creepy stalker ex-druggie dude. I don't think we're meant to see his utterly selfish attempts to pick on a clearly vulnerable woman hoping to get laid (and at the same get a free roof over his head) sympathetically as though this behaviour is actually some OH SO ROMANTIC determination to do something special with this poor girl - although a surprising number of people seem to have viewed it that way? No, the guy is not very likable. Yes, he exhibits an ugly attitude of "You need me!" and "there must be something wrong with you if you won't have sex with me." Yes, the girl is traumatised and seriously damaged. No, there probably isn't much hope for them having a lovely life together. That's the point of this movie, I think. It's a glimpse into a horrible, bleak place. It succeeds in that.

I just watched this movie a 2nd time and once again I really liked it. My rant here is going to be for people who obviously didn't get the movie at all. I read one review where they say "characters are bleak and underdeveloped with no explanation for how or why they are the way they are". What? It is so abundantly transparent (SPOILER ALERT) that the main female character was sexually abused as a child. There are so many scenes to corroborate this HUGE element of the film. How did people not get this? I just have to stop and read the positive reviews because it really does get me vexed when people who clearly do not have a morsel of understanding review a film negatively due to their lack of comprehension. I say rent "Heroes" if you don't feel like delving slightly deeper than the surface. I apologize for the rant. Here is the positive: Well written, well acted with some really beautiful shots. As soon as you begin to follow the main female character's story, it does give you an uneasy feeling, which I believe is obviously intentional due to the harsh subject matter. However, that feeling quickly subsides with an innocence and a relentless devotion that the main male character embodies. Balanced with harsh themes juxtaposed with genuine, substantial love. Nice. That said, I didn't think that the film was a "10" necessarily, but I felt compelled to neutralize some of unfair negative reviews. Oh well, "sue me... Twice!"

From reading other reviews, I can see that this movie seems to be kind of polarizing. Some think it's mediocre and clichéd while others really like it. I have to say I feel the latter. This sort of reminded me of Garden State in a way, but to be honest I think I enjoyed this more, maybe because it seemed honest yet effortlessly so. I enjoyed Garden State, but after watching Good Dick it just seems a bit self-conscious and contrived in comparison. Both movies deal with characters who are emotionally cut-off or numb in some way, but this movie deals more with intimacy, I think, while (Zach Braff's character) Andrew Largeman's redemption stems from coming to terms with his guilt surrounding his mother. The title is deceptive, as neither of the main characters equates sex with intimacy. We don't even find out the names of the main characters, nor do we find out why the Woman has built up an emotional wall to keep others out. So how do these two strangers come together? The Man gradually pushes his way into the Woman's life, sleeping on her couch, then in her bed, washing her hair, cooking her dinner, and yes, putting up with her coldness and meanness. Is this intimacy? Watch it and decide for yourself. I personally found this film engaging, painfully and awkwardly funny, yet emotionally honest at the same time.