the audience applauded

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

this film is about a boy who is brought up in isolation with his mother which he was very close to, and his father whom he looked up to but never got the same response in affection as he did with his mother. thus creating an imbalance in the emotional side in Duncan.as children we always emulate our (loving)parents. and as children we learn 95% FROM WHAT WE SEE AS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PARENTS OR ADULT WANTS when they speak. its amazing how that point is never brought up.so when Dun can's mother died so did the emotional security that instinctive feeling of nothing can go wrong.Duncan tries his father but fails to get the response.AND LIKE WE ALWAYS DO AS HUMANS, WHEN WE FAIL WITH THE FAMILY WE TRY TO GET IT FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE, AND IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE FROM AND WHAT PRICE WE PAY, AS LONG AS WE GET THAT EMOTIONAL FIX, THAT SECURITY BLANKET THAT FEELING. DUNCAN'S journey manifested into a homosexual experience because of the refusal of the father. Duncan didn't have a problem with his mother, he churned the affection of his father and if it meant that Duncan would make himself to be like his mother to get it he will. and he did. the end of the movie Duncan gets what he wanted. the affection of his father.

Look around us, you will find many persons from this movie, you will find yourself. When we lose something somebody, we really need a hug a talk,whatever anything. When we are lonely, we also need to pursue something, to release ourselves.It's not about living in the village or big city, it's just different way to show a kind of period in our life. In this movie, the director built a small society for us, and we always follow the kid Dunkan, we become him, from his eyes feel his feeling, look for what we need.No happy thing happened during this movie, there are several happy moments, we can feel them from Dunkan's eyes, but they're killed by the following affairs. It's like in our life there is a period, bad period, we know finally we will walk out, but we have to face it, no other choice, the director showed this period for us, nothing bored, nothing retarded,except swallowing the chicken head, oh, man, it really cannot make me calm down, I know there is something will happen with this chicken, 'cause Dunkan has to give up his relying, but at the last moment, when he do it, I'm still shocked,the actors played so good, so natural. There are so many shitty, commercial movies today, but the Mudge boy, it's impressive, didn't waste my time.

The Mudge Boy tells the story of Duncan Mudge quietly played by Emile Hirsch. While his father struggles to maintain their small farm and hold their fragile relationship together, the boy deals with the loss of his mother whom he loved dearly. After his mother dies, the boy struggles to develop an uneasy alliance with his father and a close friendship with his friend Perry, who himself endures mounting physical abuse at home and a troubling bisexual personality. Unable to bond with teen friends, Duncan develops a deep kinship with his pet chickens. This in turn spurs jeers and harsh ridicule from his peers. The film depicts the unstable friendship of Duncan and Perry as the younger boy is drawn towards and is fascinated with the older boy's sexual promiscuity which results in an unexpected rape. Despite the tragedy the boy and his father deal with, the end result is one of enduring parental love and understanding. A fine film for those seeking a movie with heart. ***

I got to give this film a chance. There's a story told, and it is very strong, I know. It could be seen as gay, stupid, mean. Yes, the movie is extremely mean and that makes it difficult to watch. You have this quiet, interesting kid, and then all the jerks; hanging out drinking beer, having sex. These are the type of relationships Duncan (Emile Hirsch) had never thought about until they arrived.The movie makes a great job in narrating the two sides of the story. Duncan's mom died; the boy is living with his cold, severe father, Edgar (Richard Jenkins). Duncan remains unnoticed all the time; he spends the hours by himself. Sometimes he rides his bicycle, just to get out a little bit, or plays with his chicken. This chicken, together with many of the things (a sweater, a lamp) Duncan has, belonged to his mother: "It was her favorite", he says later when a girl asks about it. Edgar, otherwise, is hiding his pain, but why? He loved his wife but now has a boy to take care of. Maybe Edgar is scared to see Duncan suffering because of his wife's death. Maybe Edgar doesn't even want to take care about Duncan, although he seems to be doing an effort. When they both sat at the table for dinner (prepared by Duncan), the boy asks his father about his day: "It was fine", Edgar answers. Then Duncan asks about the food: "Ok", his father says. After this, Duncan starts talking to himself, asking questions about his day, just because his father hasn't asked him about it. This is the relationship they handle. Eventually, Duncan will start working for his father: "You're strong boy", Edgar says. But is he? The other side shows to us the relationship Duncan creates with the other boys, the ones I couldn't call friends, and the problems he has with them. He wants to get along, we can see. Even more when he meets Perry (Tom Guiry), and starts buying beer and going out at night with elder people. His father is being good about it because he knows that Duncan could use some friendship. But then Duncan is stealing alcohol from his father for them. They all go to a party, and some people start to bother Duncan: "Chicken boy, chicken boy". Perry gets angry and punches them. Duncan can't believe it. He likes Perry, they are probably friends, but does he like Perry in another way? Is Duncan gay? Is this a question we should ask to ourselves? Probably, because Duncan and Perry experience things together. You could know Perry wanted to do it, to try something different, or to teach some sex lessons to Duncan; the boy with no experience (touching his own nipples in his bed). All of these could be.Emile Hirsch is a very good actor. I have seen him in all of his movies, except for "Imaginary Heroes". He trapped me in "The Emperor's Club" and in "The girl Next Door". Great acting jobs, in not great movies. Here he is just great (again), with all of his weird faces. He is weird; also calm and gentle. Many things. Richard Jenkins is superb, in showing what I named "silent emotion". Very interesting how a man can feel very much, but say very little. Tom Guiry is the one that steals the show in the end. He is brave and risky, as no other young actor. He says his lines so strongly that they get to you, just as in "Mystic River".And of course, we can't forget the creator of the whole project; because this is an indie gem. Michael Burke wrote a beautiful and real script. He directed his actors so naturally that everything seemed perfect. His editor also did a hell of a job putting all those still shots together. Very good film-making (I love still shots).When the film ends, we could feel like there is something missing, something unsolved. But anyway: is there anything else to solve?