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Three drug-addled punk rock misfits are looking for a drummer. They approach Dries, a well known writer. His problem is that he can t play the drums, which appeals to the band's punk sensibility. Fascinated by these dysfunctional characters, Dries joins the group, but his arrival awakens the personal disputes and family feuds latent in the band. A shocking, hardcore, blood-spattered depiction of small time rock musicians losing the plot rather than living the dream.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A few days ago I watched Ex Drummer, a film made in Belgium about a punk band called the Feminists. I guess you'd call it a very black comedy. (I bet you didn't think they made films in Belgium, or that anyone in Belgium has a sense of humour? Go on admit it, I know you were thinking it.) All the members of the band are disabled in some way, one is losing his hearing, one has a speech impediment and one has an injured arm that he can't bend. They ask a famous writer to join as their drummer, as his disability would be the fact that he can't play the drums; strangely he agrees. To a large extent they also all have pretty unpleasant personalities that become less controlled as times goes by; I don't think I'd want to be friends with any of them. The story revolves around the group wanting to enter a battle of the bands competition. There's quite a range of other characters that they interact with as the film progresses and some strange backwards and upside down arty filmmaking bits in it at times too; I'm not sure these make a lot of sense (I'm probably missing the point of them entirely) but they do add to the film's general weirdness, as do the interviews with some of the dead characters. Some of the scenes are quite graphic and unpleasant and there're quite a few secondary plots contained in the general arc of the main storey line; actually there were probably a few too many, but then again I'm a man so I don't multitask very well. It has subtitles in English for the non Flemish speakers amongst us which aren't too bad, although the frequent references to kisser for mouth looks somewhat strange and rather reduces the effect of some of the dialogue. So is it worth a watch? If you have an interest in hardcore punk or the lifestyles of people that you probably wouldn't want to interact with for real, then the answer is likely to be yes. It also feels quite a unique film; it didn't really remind me of any others as I was watching it. It is funny in places but not in a pleasant way. The music that's featured in the film is a pretty good representation of the sort that I personally feel killed off punk in the 80s, not exactly commercial but it fits the vibe of the film well. You might want a shower after watching it though.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
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5 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
One of the darkest and funniest films I've seen
8 Oct 2009
Amazon Verified Purchase
EX DRUMMER is one of the most twisted pictures I've seen in a long time. It's certainly a lot crazier and far more offensive than most would expect. The film is about a small group of physically handicapped punk rockers who recruit an acclaimed writer to be their drummer in their band, with the hope of getting good enough to play a show at the battle of the bands. The writer, however, begins to maniacally take over the band and begins to mentally turn them against each other. Certainly one of the most disturbing films to come out of Europe in recent memory, EX DRUMMER has the tone and ferocious violence of IRREVERSIBLE, the dark humor of MAN BITES DOG, the themes of HARD CORE LOGO, and the feel of TRAINSPOTTING. In addition, the film also has a rather unnerving sense of in-your-face viciousness that you rarely see in films these days. One of the intents of EX DRUMMER appears to be to offend as many people as possible. The film doesn't hold back on the brutality in the least. It's fearless, uncompromising, and in-your-face. It has a rather gritty and ugly style that makes it unwatchable for most audiences, I fear. Most normal people who will see it will be disgusted by it, if they can even finish it. The ending is particularly shocking in it's graphic gore. The film also contains unsimulated sex, so definitely be wary if you're seriously considering watching this. Despite it's horrific content and offensive material, the film also has an emotional core to it believe it or not. I think that's the most impressive thing about it. It takes the time to get involved in some serious exposition that not only left me stunned and heartbroken, but also shaken to the core. The film is merely impossible to forget, and I'm recommending it for the mere fact that it's one of the most effective films you will ever see that depicts these sorts of demented human beings. I cannot say that you will enjoy watching it, but it's going to have an effect and if you are looking for a film that is challenging, emotional, shocking, and humorous in equal measure, this is your film. It's just like watching TRAINSPOTTING for the first time, all over again.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Not as it seems
11 Jun 2010
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ex Drummer is a dark view of humanity as seen through a small group of punk rockers with their ironic name and their dismal lifestyles. On the surface it appears to be a straight forward look into the workings, albeit dysfunctional, of a punk band trying to get it together to play at a concert. They need a drummer and so enters the man in black. At this point the film begins to act on metaphors that inform the viewer about what is happening. The writer who masquerades as the drummer may also be an angel. The lead singer who has the cryptic tattoo 'God is D Evil' may be Lucifer. His appearance (while in his bloody apartment) finds him living on the ceiling upside down. And throughout the film the drummer speaks in metaphors and changes the course of the band, their friends and families lives. This film is gritty raw and uncomprimising in its views on people and society. The juxtapositions between the drummer's life and the band's help keep this film solid and engaging. The 'making of' feature is darkly brilliant and refreshing.
Not for the faint of heart
24 Oct 2011
Format:DVD
The dialog in the film is so quick-witted sometimes I could barely keep up with the subtitles. It's dark and nihilistic and spares nothing in its onslaught. It's offensive, very funny at times, punk and truly bizarre. There's a subtle structural game going on as well that's all but lost amidst the barrage of hate and humor. Based on the semi-autobiographical cult novel by controversial Belgian writer Herman Brusselmans, Ex Drummer tells the story of Dries, a famous writer living the good life with his beautiful wife in their beautiful apartment, who is approached one day by three losers who want him to join their band as the drummer. He accepts the invitation as an opportunity for source material. As the film unfolds Dries is sometimes seen as reporting on the events that he experiences and at other times he seems to be inventing them. It's not important to the film one way or the other and appears to be just one of innumerable filmic techniques employed by the director of this punk stew.
Each member of the band must have a handicap. The singer has a lisp and lives on the ceiling of his apartment. The lisp was lost on me as I don't speak the language, but it is apparently so bad it's reached the level of a handicap. The bass player has a debilitating mother complex, keeps his father in a straight jacket strapped to a bed in his attic, and he's got a stiff right arm. The guitar player is deaf and addicted to crack. The drummer's handicap is that he can't play drums ... but he's writing the story so he lies about it.
The band is only going to play one gig, a battle of the bands, and then breakup. There isn't much of a story to follow. We're simply treated to the machinations of this motley crew as they prepare for the concert and their lives crumble around them. The soundtrack is magnificent and the acting is all spot on. If you like punk, you should like this.
Each member of the band must have a handicap. The singer has a lisp and lives on the ceiling of his apartment. The lisp was lost on me as I don't speak the language, but it is apparently so bad it's reached the level of a handicap. The bass player has a debilitating mother complex, keeps his father in a straight jacket strapped to a bed in his attic, and he's got a stiff right arm. The guitar player is deaf and addicted to crack. The drummer's handicap is that he can't play drums ... but he's writing the story so he lies about it.
The band is only going to play one gig, a battle of the bands, and then breakup. There isn't much of a story to follow. We're simply treated to the machinations of this motley crew as they prepare for the concert and their lives crumble around them. The soundtrack is magnificent and the acting is all spot on. If you like punk, you should like this.
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