not for kids
Adults-only sex comedy is shocking but shallow.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this extremely mature comedy based on a novel by the author of Fight Club isn't for kids in any way. Every scene includes or deals with sex, nudity, sexual situations, and sexual acts. There's extensive nudity, and a few scenes depict sexual activity in unflinchingly graphic fashion. There's also drinking and lots of strong language (including "f--k" and "s--t"), and while the film ultimately has a message of redemption, the lead-up to that moment is filled with rough, raw content and images.
- Families can talk about the nature of extreme satirical comedy. Is this movie intended to be over the top? How can you tell? What messages is it sending about sex and relationships? This movie was adapted from a novel by the author of Fight Club; what do this movie and Fight Club have in common? Families can also discuss the challenges of caring for an aging parent, as well as why people engage in compulsive behaviors.
The good stuff
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Messages: The lead character is a schemer and scammer who fakes choking in restaurants so that the people who rescue him might help him financially and emotionally. Extensive depiction and discussion of sex addiction; extensive depiction of an elderly patient in the throes of Alzheimer's disease; extensive discussion of religious imagery and concepts, including a character's belief that his mother had him generated from the DNA found in a bizarre religious artifact. A character's mother, in his youth, abducted him from a series of foster homes. Extensive discussion of religious imagery and themes.
What to watch for
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Violence: Scuffling and some fist-fighting. A consensual rape fantasy includes a woman being held at knifepoint.
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Sex: Constant discussion and depiction of sex and sex addiction, with graphic images and depictions on screen. Characters engage in compulsive sexual behavior with a variety of partners; there's extensive and near-constant nudity. Discussion of molestation, fetishes, sex toys, sex acts, masturbation, and more. Several scenes are set at a strip club; many others take place at a 12-step meeting for sex addicts. Two characters ineptly enact a consensual rape fantasy.
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Language: Constant strong language including "damn," "hell," "f--k," "s--t," "bitch," "ass," "dick," "boned," "hooker," and more.
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Consumerism: A few brands visible, including Tab and Hostess Sno-Balls.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: Characters drink beer, wine, and hard liquor. Characters hang out in bars and smoke. A doctor says that a character's Alzheimer's may be exacerbated by years of substance abuse.
Fan Reviews provided by
4
Get to the point by indierapfan
I'll be back in a couple hours to write a review, but when looking her for a choke review, ignore anyone who mentions fight club. Though Choke is based on a novel by the same author, half of the success of an adaptation is based on the ability of the director to embrace the mindset and convey the message of the author, and the actors' abilities to embody their character. I've read Choke, along with all of palahniuk's novels, and have very high expectations for this movie. I can tell you one thing though; I'm not going to walk into that theater expecting to see fight club, and if anyone says in their review "this is a crappy movie because I liked fight club and I didn't like this", discount them completely. This is about a guy who works a ****** job and attends sexual addiction workshops to get action. And there's a screwed up mother-son relationship thrown in there. Add a little dementia and some social commentary, and you have a palahniuk novel and what sounds like a good movie.
5
Fun If You Know It by DIII
As an avid reader of Chuck Palahniuk, I have read the novel Choke twice. I enjoyed the movie thoroughly and look forward to seeing it again. It has a few moments that will have you rolling if you are into this kind of humor. For many seeing it on a whim, it may be not add up to what you expect, but I suggest everyone, reader or not, gives this movie a try.
4
well for me at least by nblouie
I will tell you this Ive read lullaby, fight club, haunted, but not choke i can never find time to read any more so i went to see the movie. it was very vulgar but it was funny, i laughed. overall if you take anything personal or feel uncomfortable when a sex scene pops up which is like every 7 to ten min maybe sooner..................then don't see it, its more for people with a sense of humor.....well overall don't say i didn't warn you either his books are known for being bizarre in twisted in some ways
4
Surprisingly good by TraceMace
After reading the book, I saw a lot of potential for this movie to blow a lot of central premises of the book, or miss a lot of jokes. I went to go see it, and was pleasantly surprised at the number of jokes they had kept in, and laughed a lot during the movie.
It's not a movie that everyone will like. People might be offended, people might not enjoy it, but there are some people (like myself) who couldn't get enough of it. Yes, it's a touchy subject in the movie. Yes, a lot of the jokes are offensive, crude, and all together rude, but really, that's what makes the movie good.
I'm not going to go and say how the movie changed my life or anything, but it was good enough that I would recommend going.
3
Wait for Netflix or Cable by melonline
Not as good as Fight Club. Funny parts, but as a whole, eh.
4
Choke doesn't Choke by jbryan1
This is a good movie, but far from a great adaptations. Hard core fans of the book will have to drop all preconcieved notions before they enter the theather. This isn't Fight Club, but that doesn't make it bad. Gregg is able to weave a fine ambiguous line between darkly humorous and deeply sad. It works and the performances are great.
5
read the book first! by vanusempty
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I have long been a fan of Chuck Palahniuk's books, so I was really excited to see that another one was being adapted to film. Went to see it with my husband on opening day, and there were only two other people in the theater. Kind of disappointing, but we were at a matinee show, so maybe that had something to do with it. I loved the actor's renditions of the characters, and thought the direct did a very good job working with Chuck to make the movie like the book. I have had a couple friends who have seen it that hadn't read the book that they thought it was kinda "meh". So I would definitely recommend reading the book before you go!
5
Amazing =] by herestogoodbye
If you're a Chuck fan, it's a must see.
Just remember it's a low budget indie film. Don't expect big budget hollywood, cause thats not what it is.
Though it is amazing =]
4
A great effort by candidecoating
The story comes across and will please those who have read the book. Sam Rockwell has *one* moment in the film where he really grabs the Edward Norton totally empty monotone sound of the narrator. I drove 150 miles to see it and was not dissapointed.
3
Choke by JDB728
I wouldn't call it a great movie, but it is an original way to tell this type of story. I wasn't expecting too much, but I was expecting it to be a bit funnier than it ended up being. Instead, it ended up reminding me of Matchstick Men, with some crude humor.
I will say to its credit that it was entertaining, and had a nice twist in it. There was also some high quality acting. Kelly Macdonald was impressive as Paige Marshall, Sam Rockwell was very believable as the stressed out sex addict Victor Mancini, and Anjelica Huston was as good as it gets as Ida J. Mancini.
I think the most impressive thing about the movie is that the Director/Screenplay Writer Clark Gregg also acted in the movie in the supporting role of Lord High Charlie. I most liked this since it seems that anytime a Director acts in the movie, they're either the leading role, or just have a quick cameo, this is the first time I've seen a good movie where a director did this.
Thanks for reading.