I love this movie so much

Truly Dreadful Film

Touches You

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

Director and screenwriter Carlos Brooks' feature film debut which he wrote, is inspired by an idea he had. It premiered in the American Spectrum section at the 24th Sundance Film Festival in 2008, was shot on locations in USA and is an American production which was produced by producers Sarah Pillsbury and Midge Sanford. It tells the story about a man with a paraplegic injury he got from an auto accident in the late 1980s named Isaac Knott who lives in New York, USA and who works for a radio company called Pure and Wise. After being informed by his co-worker named Edie about a caller whom has requested to meet him, Isaac begins working on a story about people who wishes to have their body parts amputated so that they can live their lives in a chair like he does. Distinctly and subtly directed by filmmaker Carlos Brooks, this quietly paced fictional tale which is narrated by the main character and mostly from his point of view, draws an understanding portrayal of an American radio host whom during his investigation of people with several forms of a psychiatric condition called Body integrity identity disorder, acquaints a single woman named Fiona who tells him that she specializes in Chinese art and ice cream. While notable for its distinct and atmospheric milieu depictions, reverent cinematography by cinematographer Michael McDonough, production design by production designer Roshelle Berliner and use of sound, colors and light, this character-driven and narrative-driven story about wannabes, pretenders and persons who for some reason think that the only way they can achieve completeness as human beings is by having an arm or a leg surgically removed, self-deception as a means for self-preservation and possibly sickly or irrational pangs of conscience, depicts a singular study of character and contains a great and timely score by composer Mark Mothersbaugh. This densely psychological, naturally humorous, cinematic and philosophically conversational indie from the late 2000s which is set during an autumn in America in the 21st century, where incomplete fictitious characters makes utopian deals with each other and where a man who claims that his ex-girlfriend named Raine broke up with him because he is a person with a disability and who although not believing in hope, hopes that he will walk again someday, finds a pair of effective shoes and a quid pro quo girl who not only has no apprehensions about him being in a wheelchair but also wishes to be in his situation, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, subtle continuity and the involving acting performances by American actor Nick Stahl and American actress Vera Farmiga. A serene, romantic and surreal narrative feature.

Isaac Knott, played by Nick Stahl is a public radio reporter in New York; he's been in a wheelchair since he was 8, result of an accident that killed his parents. He sets out to investigate a case of extreme Body Integrity Identity Disorder(BIID) not knowing what it is or even that it existed; he discovers there's a subculture of this which he's most curious to try to understand. His character is broken hearted because his ex-girlfriend, also paraplegic, dumped him when he suggested they marry. On his quest to understand BIID, he meets Fiona, played by Vera Farmiga, who he finds interesting and not all that repulsive, considering she appears to be afflicted by BIID and in a progressive stage; she is gorgeous after all, and seduces him.He comes across a pair of shoes he's compelled to own, and when he does put them on he magically gains use of his legs, a freak occurrence that only works when he wears them. Up to this point you may feel, as I did, this movie is not going to be one you'll be interested in seeing to the end; I wouldn't blame you, as the subject lends itself to that. However because I really like Vera Farmiga, I stuck it out; can't think another reason one would. The meeting of the two lead characters is not a chance thing; a deep purpose is at play and unfortunately isn't revealed till late in the movie.The connection of the two leads and that purpose I mentioned was well conceived, I have to admit. You'll also learn about another disorder, hysterical paralysis, thanks to the very good writing by writer/director Carlos Brooks in his debut work. If you have the stomach for that sort of thing watch it, you may learn something. There are unavoidable comparisons one can make to the 1996 David Cronenberg's film Crash, but I won't. I also won't be mentioning or recommending this film to my friends; they may think I'm even more twisted than I sound at times, but I'm not. What I am is a movie buff with a broad interest and if you are as well, you may find it interesting.

QUID PRO QUO shows us that no matter how entrenched we are in our world view, there are always people who feel, with equal intensity, the exact opposite. Who would trade mobility for a wheelchair? Meet the characters in this film. QUID PRO QUO examines a psycho-sexual subgroup who feel that they are normal, but "trapped in a walking person's body". We are introduced to a paraplegic radio talk show host who meets a young woman who yearns to be disabled. This part is played by the radiantly crazy Vera Farmiga who rolls over Nick Stahl's staid NPR persona with willful glee. Farmiga injects a recklessly erotic element to this otherwise plodding script. She throws down a little MURDERBALL into this decidedly odd and weird universe, and as to why she is up to all of this? It becomes the strange trick-ending to this odd bit of fantasy. If you liked David Cronenberg's film, CRASH, you might enjoy this movie's nutty vibe.

I'm not gonna summarize what this film's about (cuz if you got this far you probably know---B.I.I.D.) What I will say is that the other posters are right, if you like the work of Cronenberg (especially "Crash" and "Dead Ringers"), but are disappointed with the Canadian filmmaker's more recent mainstream forays, you def. need to check this out.The other reason to see it is Vera Farmiga, an actress who has been working in the shadow of Cate Blanchett for years now, and who here takes on a role that Blanchett wouldn't dare touch.Underrated.