Vulgar

Name: Vulgar
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: April 26, 2002
Duration: 87 min
Rating: 5
Cast: Brian O'Halloran, Bryan Johnson

2002

METASCORE

Overwhelming dislike based on 10 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 60 Ratings

See All

2.4

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2.4	Your Score
2.4	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 60 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Vulgar

Now Playing: Vulgar

Movie Details & Credits

Lions Gate Films | Release Date: April 26, 2002 | R

Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Bryan Johnson

Summary: The misadventures of Will, a struggling professional clown, determined to make a living performing at kids' parties. Downtrodden in every respect, Will reinvents himself as Vulgar, the transvestite clown, improving his fortunes with his shock performances at bachelor parties. (Lions Gate Films)

Director: Bryan Johnson

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 87 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Lou Lumenick

To say that Vulgar is not for all tastes might be the understatement of the year. For starters, this black comedy has a male rape scene that makes the one in "Deliverance" seem mild by comparison. Read full review

John Dentino

First-time director Bryan Johnson's failure to resolve the film’s two moods -- psychopathic sexual brutality and light social satire -- proves fatal. Read full review

New Times (L.A.) Andy Klein

The acting tends toward the cartoonish (not in a good way), and the story is built on a series of illogical motivations. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Vulgar doesn't begin to describe it: Try one of the foulest, least funny films ever made under the rubric of black comedy. Read full review

Dennis Harvey

Inexplicably mixing lamer-than-lame "bad taste" comedy with yea worse traumatized-assault-victim histrionics, pic's only entertainment value lies in viewer weighing whether pic is primarily a.) offensive b.) amateurish c.) pathetic or d.) a cry for help. Read full review

Dave Kehr

Too campy to work as straight drama and too violent and sordid to function as comedy, Vulgar is, truly and thankfully, a one-of-a-kind work. Read full review

Edward Guthmann

It's impossible to imagine why Lions Gate, the indie distributor that released "Monster's Ball," would bother with this garbage. Read full review

SEE ALL 10 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

EllenA

Jan 31, 2009

While not the best crime/thriller movie, it certainly deserves a far better rating than most critics gave it. The only obstacles to being a truly great movie are the low budget, and bits of clumsy acting here and there. For the most part, the acting is actually average, though at times it While not the best crime/thriller movie, it certainly deserves a far better rating than most critics gave it. The only obstacles to being a truly great movie are the low budget, and bits of clumsy acting here and there. For the most part, the acting is actually average, though at times it jumps to life with both brutality and real human feeling. It's also worth pointing out, that gritty and disturbing or not, this movie is truly original. The fact of having never seen anything like it actually heightens the suspense. Any possible predictability is thrown off base, and this without resorting to many true plot twists. All said, this is a movie with a tragic hero, a scary villain, and an unusual story with bits of black humor. It is clearly not an attempt at the kind of TRULY vulgar humor of, for example, "Clerks 2", though it seems to be perceived this way by some reviewers. While this movie has it's definite flaws, it's not crap, even if it shows us human ugliness at it's worst.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Leif

Oct 6, 2013

A ragged low-budget dark comedy involving 2 ill-fitting styles of TV satire and sexual violence. Brian O'Halloran takes on the tricky role with fearlessness and impressive range. He holds the films tonal shifts in rhythm and amusing turns by writer-director Bryan Johnson and a talkativeA ragged low-budget dark comedy involving 2 ill-fitting styles of TV satire and sexual violence. Brian O'Halloran takes on the tricky role with fearlessness and impressive range. He holds the films tonal shifts in rhythm and amusing turns by writer-director Bryan Johnson and a talkative Kevin Smith as a TV exec keep the lighter material moving along. Jerry Lewkowitz as the man who assaults and then tries to blackmail O'Hallorn is indeed a scary and effective villain. I don't know if I plan to watch this again even though I own but anybody willing to take the ride it's an involving and oddly effective film.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

StephenC.

May 8, 2008

An insult to amateur filmmaking. I have friends who's college movies were better than this very badly acted and written and directed movie that wants to be "indy" but looks like someone shot it with a camcorder. Didn't find it disturbing because I didn't buy a minute of the An insult to amateur filmmaking. I have friends who's college movies were better than this very badly acted and written and directed movie that wants to be "indy" but looks like someone shot it with a camcorder. Didn't find it disturbing because I didn't buy a minute of the movie. Terrible.… Expand