Customer Reviews

The Civilization of Maxwell Bright

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I picked this DVD largely for very shallow reasons.....the cover picture. I like Patrick Warburton from his Seinfeld appearances and was curious about his attractive co-star. The first fifteen minutes, however, left me wondering about the wisdom of my choice and that of Mr. Warburton. In amateurish, hand-held porno-grade video, our man Patrick (alias Maxwell Bright), completely naked for all to see, is depicted having a profane, physically violent altercation with his similarly (un)attired girlfriend on a public street. Bystanders, police, and the audience are all left gaping at the spectacle, while Pat/Max, spouting some seriously politically-incorrect epithets at everyone involved, is finally silenced by his disgusted, hoe-swinging girlfriend. As my wife eyed me from across the room, contemplating what punishment I should face for picking this train wreck, we both considered pushing the STOP button on the DVD player and calling it a night. I am glad we didn't.

What emerged over the next hour and a half was a plausible portrayal of the conversion of wildman Maxwell into a peaceful, sensitive human being. Step one is his seemingly foolish idea of "buying" a young, compliant mail-order Asian bride. Ideally, one who will provide all the services that he has been denied by the selfish, manipulative (his words, not mine) American women with whom he has suffered over the years. His needs are shallow and predictable, much like the juvenile dreams of a spoiled college boy: a live-in maid/prostitute who will service him physically and appreciatively, cook and serve meals, and then clean up afterwards....the Cro Magnon man's dream come true.

What he gets is exactly what he wanted, and a whole lot more, in the person of lovely Mai Tang (played to perfection by Marie Matiko). Watching her gradually win his respect, trust, and love is both entertaining and moving, but most importantly, at all times plausible. This requires exceptional writing/dialog and equally exceptional acting on the parts of the lead characters and the splendid supporting cast. Eric Roberts is a standout in this regard, delivering (in my opinion) his finest performance since Runaway Train.

I strongly recommend this movie to all adults who will appreciate a low budget, high quality production with unique dialog, ideas, performances, and a surprising warmpth of spirit and character. Granted, the first few minutes are harsh, but necessary to the overall plot. This is one of the best independent OR high-budget studio films I have seen in years. Give it a try.

The Civilization of Maxwell Bright has the grainy appearance of low budget filming and a story that seems tailor made for Lifetime Television or late night Cinemax. So it's only natural to think that the bare bones production probably produced an unimpressive movie. And yet, I found this movie to be engaging and powerful.

The story does not break familiar ground. All the clichés under the sun are here. An over-aggressive type A American man thinks the cure to his woman problems will be a submissive Asian woman. The Maxwell character will remind you of dozens of disgruntled controlling men portrayed in many movies. They don't hide from the cliches; in fact they embrace them. All sorts of taboos are touched upon here: sex, religion, and displays of polical incorrectness that will make you laugh and cringe from one moment to the next.

But the way the story unfolds feels so real that I have a hard time not believing that this is based on true events. I know nothing of the background regarding this movie or where this story originated from. The credits list one writer director, which is a formula that rarely yields top-notch work. All I can tell you is that it is very easy to find surface level imperfections in this movie but once you go beneath the surface it is one of the most beautifully moving stories I have seen told on film in years.

The acting in this movie is very well done, and the casting ranges from effective to incredible. This is a rare case in that I cannot comment on this DVD transfer. Most of my movie watching is done with DVDs, but in this case I saw this movie elsewhere. I hope that Image did a good job in producing this disk because this movie deserves it.

It's difficult to discuss this movie without giving away plot details best observed with fresh eyes. Similarly, it's difficult to think of this story and not get a little philosophical about life and all of the baggage that stops us from truly living it. This movie has caused this very skeptical person to set aside his analysis and really try to understand the story for what it is. And what it is is a story that takes our faults and makes them funny and painful, ugly and beautiful all at once.

This movie is highly recommended. I may literally buy extra copies to give as gifts this year.

See this for yourself and I hope this story resonates with you like it did within me.

Enjoy.

This is a very affecting film. Patrick Warburton is almost type cast as the loud mouth bigoted Maxwell Bright, a bully and oaf of the highest order. He orders a wife from China through a friend. His new wife is everything any man could hope for in a partner. Yet he bullies and mistreats her in demeaning and unnecessary ways [which can be expected of the character]. However, unforseen changes in fortune do civilize Max, indeed. This is not a perfect film, but it will surprise you. There are some maudlin touches [a love song near the end--completely unneeded], and a good supporting cast. Marie Matiko is fine, if not completely convincing, as the mail order bride who seems to know both too little and too much English for her part; but her acting skills and ability to reach a viewer emotionally are apparent. Simon Callow is appropriately weird but forceful as the marriage broker.

This is a fine movie, with a surprising end. Max's character makes it a little difficult to sit through it to the end--but it's worth it. Favorite lines in the movie- Q: "Do you deliver caskets?" A: "We do now."

This movie is one of the most powerful presentations of behaviors that we take for granted that could use some examination. Some scenes are harsh and amateurish, but that doesn't reduce the power of the movie. The gambling scene is unforgettable - it made my skin crawl. Give it to a young "turk" you know, or an old one who still acts that way.

Of course I'm watching Sundance again, after going back to start a school year.
It is too late to be up, but I am glad I stayed to watch a powerful movie.
This movie speaks to me. It says so much about my own difficulties dealing with cancer, with the dance with Death, about things I've gathered in, and not been able to fully express. (And this will contain spoilers, not ones worse than the other reviews here, just ones that I need to say to describe the experience I'm feeling.So just stop if this bothers you)

The first part of the movie introduces a foolish person named Maxwell, he's really, really very hard to take and played by Patrick Warburton I read here (hope that's right) -whom I associate with Seinfeld-as Elaine's bedside sparring partner. He's filmed in such a way for a bit I wondered if I'd wandered into a reality TV show. Because he plays total jerks really well. The camera work has some of that reality show feel. He's just such a yuck. I wanted to stop watching. But it was raw enough I didn't. He's a misogynistic loser. I'd say played to every stereotype but it's funny about that-I was also thinking of someone I know dying right now that's so similar, it kind of got to me. He decides to get an Asian bride. Yeah, for all the men out there that are hung up on that. He's going to be "serviced" and be the guy with a slave. I guess I'd want one too if I got to be married to Mai Tang played by Marie Matiko. What a character she unfolds. She enters his life. I can't imagine what she must feel connected to someone this stormily and systematically destroying any shred of goodness in himself. He then finds out he's dying. And turns to obliterate anyone who has ever shown him a kindness.

And he's just utterly furious. Everyone is in his raging path. He's so blown over the hand he's been dealt. He rages at her, at everything, knocks the head off her Buddha as she's meditating. Distrusts her. Hauls her to some Christian charismatic meeting as he decides he needs "to get right with God." The way that's fitted into the movie almost is humorous.

And here as far as I'm concerned the movie begins.

This rather insane looking religious leader tells him, as he shoves her at him to get her saved (Maxwell is just the poster kid for being an very big jerk),shoves her at this man to be saved over I guess saving perhaps his own clearly vicious lost self. But instead charismatic seerer guy tells Maxwell she is holy, good, a woman of God. Tells him labels and names do not matter. Tells him to follow her, tells him he sees inside of her goodness and recognizes her as a light.

So Maxwell embraces this somehow. He converts himself to Buddhism, he tells his wife, asks to learn her Book of the Dead. He wants this. He is sensing what she brings to him, her love, his trust grows.....he is finding in himself the capacity i think to understand. She tends, cares, caresses him. She reads to him, helps him to understand his passage from this life. She comforts and helps him find his Buddha, his better self. I cried through a lot of this because it was so intimate. She explains that her role is to help him do this and that together they are to help one another in the life journey. He has brain cancer, such pain, suffering that she helps to ease. She functions as someone helping him travel into the state between incarnations. The text they quote is among the most comforting I've ever known spoken.
It's looking at ending a life so beautifully. You are preparing for this all of your life, she tells him.

It spoke into my thoughts. My fears, angers, difficulties. She recites the prayers, she is there to help him find himself because he really was so lost. And he transitions.


Why would you want to watch? I'm going to send it to my father. He's always struggled mightily with a fear of death as his mother did. He's in terrible pain, time grows shorter. There is so much to this. In this lifetime he has such awful, awful regrets for behaviors, angers, fallen-ness.Maxwell too. This seems to me to be of help. Positive, soothing.

You might not hear this. It might not feel like your belief system. But for me it was as close as I've gotten in a long while to how I feel about death, living. There are tons of things I didn't like about the movie because who wants to deal with someone dying you don't like anyway, but, that she sees this man there,her husband, accepts him unconditionally, loves him, helps him face something so important with such dignity. It is an offering.

I'd watch. And consider reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead (The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between) or listen to The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Book and Audio-CD Set) (Book & CD)

I bought this movie on the blind recommendation of a blogger acquaintance, since it wasn't available for rental. At first, I didn't know what to think as I was expecting a typical romantic comedy with an arranged marriage twist. The first few minutes unfold like a crazy episode of Californication, with a naked Patrick Walburton running from his equally nude girlfriend, fighting in the streets over their sex life. I thought my husband would laugh at some of the crass, mancentric humor, sure it would hold his interest. But quickly, I learned that behind the grainy, reality show footage were complicated characters and an unconventional, surprising plot. The story left me moved to tears, the acting genuine and flawless, the plot humbling. There were moments where I wished Eric Roberts wasn't in such a stereotypical southern accent character role, but he gives a perfomance that touches deep in the heart. Patrick Walburton is a revelation as well, and I was surprised at the extent of his character's beligerance and ignorance and anger, and the acceptance and dignity he found through his wife's love, and embracing Buddhism. Despite some less believable plot twists, or over the top moments, I enjoyed the movie and the story very much, and I'm glad I bought it so I can watch it whenever I'm struggling with how to live or how to help someone I love die. I can understand why it's such a sleeper, as it is very hard to categorize, and very realistic in its depiction of one possible ending from cancer, but I highly recommend renting or buying it, and sharing it with your friends.

Keeping it short. Ever see a film that stays with you for days as you sort out it out on various levels? This is such a movie.

It's rough and gritty at times (like right out the gate :) BUT hang in there. Yes, a smaller budget flick and some quirky camera work.

Found it to be a story of high spirituality. And never would believed it would go that way from the first 45 minutes. Probably the best film I've seen in a year or 3. Fine acting abounds and huge thankful kudos to the writer and director. A Gem.

I have always been a huge Patrick Warburton fan, but when I first started this film, I was taken aback. The character he portrays (Maxwell) is a rude, bigoted, misogynistic brute who is absolutely NOT the kind of person you want to spend time with. When he orders a bride, realizing that's the ONLY way he's going to have someone in his life, it sets in motion a chain of events that cause an amazing and beautiful transformation in him and everyone around him.

It's an incredibly touching portrayal of how love can truly change someone for the better. I was in tears by the end because it's so moving.

Yes, he's naked in the first 15 minutes of the film (not that this is necessarily a bad thing, I say), as is his female costar. And yes, the "quality" of the film is more along the lines of one done on hand held cameras. But seriously, look past that if you want to see an amazing movie that will change the way you view life.

I had a very difficult time sitting through most of this movie. Max Bright's character is so abusive, abrasive and bigoted that between the profanity and his views, I almost turned the DVD player off. At times I think that message was a bit over the top. However, it evolved into a film with a beautiful, touching message that had me crying at the end. That message, and Marie Makito's character, are what have stayed with me long after the movie ended. I recommend this movie, but be prepared to sit through a lot of profanity and very offensive behavior by the main character to get to the beautiful message it imparts.

That doesn't look like True Love to me. This is a really freaky movie that looks it was shot on the days' off from the actors real jobs. The cast includes John Glover, Simon Callow, Jennifer Tilly and Eric Roberts in small roles. I watched it because I love Puddy. I think the sets and costumes were intentionally designed to be hideous to be true to the characters' backgrounds and that self-regarding mysticism by Asian tourist guides is deservedly disdained ("Bardo.") I enjoyed it but it is definitely visually/ aesthetically gross and the entire movie is obviously intended to be an uncomfortable experience. The main characters end up bald-headed by the end of the movie. And Marie Matiko, Nicole Bilderback and Mrs. John Cho from Sorority Boys look like sisters.