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.
Primer (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:113
Fresh:81
Rotten:32
Average Rating:6.5/10
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
Reviews for Primer
Its analog-egghead approach may be the freshest thing the genre has seen since 2001.
My experience watching Primer “just once” felt incomplete, thus so should my recommendation.
Definitely this is a demanding and puzzling film that does a lot with its miniscule budget.
In the last act Carruth seems to be wandering in search of a way out of his box and enters the space warp of sci-fi breakdown.
...Primer remains baffling virtually from start to finish - which is a shame, really, given that this does seem to be a really cool premise for a movie...
Despite its shortcomings, Primer remains watchable thanks to Carruth's dense and intriguing filmmaking.
May be the most intellectually demanding motion picture of the year. Some will find their mind satiated. Others will leave angry. In one way or another, all will be baffled.
Primer is perfect Sundance material, its bland, anonymous actors and competent, Sprint-commercial mise-en-scène masked in the guise of independence.
'By avoiding cheesy revelations and typical characters arcs, Carruth has created a small but intelligent film bursting at the seams with ideas.'
Some audiences may resent a film in which we can’t feel superior to anyone, but there’s enough material here to keep you stuck at the water cooler for months.
Betrays its potential for greatness by sacrificing riveting storytelling for unbelievable obtuseness
We are left with a fascinating, well-played story that dissolves in the end -- a pity, really, since it has so much potential up to that point.
Nothing in this film inspires audiences to go back and study its twisting turning events. Instead it inspires plenty of head scratching and maybe a little irritation.
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.
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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