Ceticultsot Beautiful, moving film.

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The_Void Tales of Ordinary Madness is the first film to be based on a book by Charles Bukowski and focuses on the story of one man as he descends into a life of loose women and alcohol. I have not read the book that this is based on so I don't know how it compares to the source material; but as a movie, it's very good and I was surprised to find that the writer himself did not approve of the film. The plot is fairly straight forward in the way that it focuses on just a single character; but the film changes often and this odyssey is a long way from a commercial movie and thus is not for all tastes. Our central character is Charles Serking; a writer who also happens to be an alcoholic. He goes out looking for booze and women and finds both inside a seedy Hollywood. The story really starts when Charles meets a prostitute with a penchant for cutting herself named Cass. He brings her home to meet his ex-wife and have sex; but it's not long before he begins on a downward spiral of depression and turns to the drink for comfort.This film presents a completely downtrodden view of the world and director Marco Ferreri completely succeeds in creating a dirty and sleazy atmosphere for everything to take place in. There's plenty of full frontal nudity and sex in the film and it's all portrayed as being very dirty and thus is not erotic at all. The style of the film is excellently matched by a stunning performance from Ben Gazzara in the lead role. The actor fits into this role amazingly well and always convinces as the central character. The film doesn't hold back when it comes to showing things such as nudity either, although it's all done in such a 'matter of fact' way that sometimes the film is not even shocking. The female lead is taken by the stunning Ornella Muti, who is a real beauty and convinces alongside Gazzara. The film feels too smart to not have a point, and while the substance comes from the central character and his plight; there's not really a defining point to the film. Overall, Tales of Ordinary Madness is a film that is well worth seeking for the cult fanatic and I can recommend it.

rlcsljo Although not done by David, it would do him proud! Who would have thought the land of oranges and sunshine could produce such an interesting parade of weird and pathetic characters. The juxtaposition of these "lost angels" lives with the pristine, sunlight beaches just makes us all the more sympathetic. All is not well in the land of dreams and this film puts its glaring spotlight on it. This film could have easily have been five ordinary films. Ornella Muti perfectly does Ingrid Bergman and Isabella Rosilini as the object of desire on the outside and the bucket of worms on the inside. There is no real "supporting" cast: They are the movie!

dgerio Yes, this would never be a blockbuster... yes, it is weird, depressive and sad... Ornella Muti IS (as one of Bukowski's best known texts) the most beautiful girl in the world! And if you liked Titanic or Pretty Woman you'll probably hate it. But if you wanna try to have an open mind and realize that life is NOT beautiful, you should try and take a look.

Mattydee74 Marco Ferreri is a challenging film artist. His films are powered by aninsistent, intense focus on the passions of flesh - the human responseto, need for, and meditation on our bodily bounds and desires. In hisother films he's explored the excesses which bind our mortality fromhunger to sex to suicide. Here he zeroes in on the texts of the poetCharles Bukowski, whose poetic life of booze and sexual conquest has himteetering on the brink of annihilation but remaining firmly in the realm of fierce, soulful expression. The main character in Tales of OrdinaryMadness is a poet whose relationships with women range from theinfantile to the sadomasochistic while he continues to binge on a dietof alcohol. What he doesn't expect is to fall in love. Being a poeticfilm (that is based around symbols and evocative imagery rather thanplot) this is a beautiful, estranged experience. Its a fascinatingglimpse of America from the outside. Vividly powered by Ben Gazzara'sperformance as the outsider poet in the shadows of society, this is afilm to be explored with a roving eye. Its a film where the sex scenesare not choreographed and sensual but brutal and unflinching in theirapproach to the passions of flesh. Its a rough film but one which takesus into the dark corners of love.