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Movies / On DVD / Primer
Primer

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Primer (2004)

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Reviews Counted:8

Fresh:6

Rotten:2

Average Rating:6.2/10

Consensus: Dense, obtuse, but stimulating, Primer is a film for viewers ready for a cerebral challenge.

Runtime: 80 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: Former engineer Shane Carruth announces himself as a force to watch with PRIMER, his first film. Carruth wrote, directed, edited, produced, photographed, scored, and stars in the film, which won... Former engineer Shane Carruth announces himself as a force to watch with PRIMER, his first film. Carruth wrote, directed, edited, produced, photographed, scored, and stars in the film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. He plays Aaron, who, with his business partner and best friend, Abe (David Sullivan), experiments with a device that seems to have more power than they could ever have imagined. Playing with batteries, refrigeration, and other techniques and materials in Aaron's garage, they discover that their machine just might have the ability to move back in time. Originally dealing with Weebles figures and wristwatches, Aaron and Abe are soon considering making a box large enough to transport a human being--with remarkable results. An indie hit, PRIMER was made for about $7,000. Carruth shot the film with a purposefully grainy look, as if it were made in the 1970s. The retro feel works well with the futuristic elements of the story, which lead Abe and Aaron to question reality, truth, and their own physical and mental being. Because he learned about film on his own without going to film school or making any previous shorts, Carruth brings a freshness to the genre that is invigorating, with unexpected plot twists and complex narratives that invite multiple viewings. PRIMER is an unusual, unique, challenging, and thoroughly entertaining movie. [More]

Starring: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Anand Upadbyaya, Casey Gooden

Starring: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan, Anand Upadbyaya, Casey Gooden, Carrie Crawford, Jay Butler, John Carruth, Samantha Thomson

Director: Shane Carruth

Director: Shane Carruth
Screenwriter: Shane Carruth
Producer: Shane Carruth
Composer: Shane Carruth
Studio: ThinkFilm

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Reviews for Primer

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1 - 8 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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This film imagines its viewers to be smart, possessed of a decent attention span and game for a challenge. It doesn’t happen all that often.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Jessica Winter
Jessica Winter
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Not recommended for entry-level time-travel theorists, but experienced ‘chrononauts’ will meet themselves scratching their heads in amused puzzlement as they emerge from an earlier screening.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
08/19/05
Empire Magazine
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One of the most wilfully obscure sci-fi movies ever made, Primer will either blow your mind or drive you out of it.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
08/09/05
Matthew Leyland
Matthew Leyland
BBC
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It is maddening, fascinating and completely successful.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/29/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
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Incredibly confusing but oddly compelling.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
10/22/04
Carina Chocano
Carina Chocano
Los Angeles Times
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An ingenious first film made on a budget of about $7,000 by a former engineer and self-taught filmmaker about the perils of ingenuity.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
10/07/04
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
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Despite its shortcomings, Primer remains watchable thanks to Carruth's dense and intriguing filmmaking.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
09/29/04
Dennis Harvey
Dennis Harvey
Variety
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Essentially, it's the story of weekend scientists who build a time machine in a suburban garage. But this nearly gets lost in a miasma of technical jargon and scientific conjecture.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
01/27/04
Kirk Honeycutt
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
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1 - 8 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Primer

March 16, 2005: Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival 2005
A 70-mm French comedy by Jacques Tati will open my 7th annual Overlooked Film Festival this April, and a Bollywood musical starring "the most beautiful woman in the... More...

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