Every once in a while in cinema, there are films that provide unique insights and a quest for grace and meaning, despite their rough ages. This is evident in the new adaptation of the Chuck Palahniuk novel, “Choke.” “Choke” is about Victor Mancini (Sam Rockwell), a sex addict, who intentionally chokes himself in order to con money out of wealthy people to pay for the care of his dying and near-senile mother, Ida (Anjelica Huston). Victor’s day job as a historical interpreter at a historical theme park is shared with his fellow recovering sex addict friend, Denny (Brad William Henke). Victor is undergoing an identity crisis that stems from his rocky relationship with Ida and feelings for his mother’s doctor, Paige Marshall (Kelly Macdonald), who he can never seem to casually sleep with because of those feelings. The film takes some odd twists and turns, and through it all Victor is able to examine who he is as a person and whether he needs or wants to change.
Cinematically, the film is reasonably impressive, especially because it is written and directed by low-level actor Clark Gregg. Rather than going for more of the cinematic artistry of the other Palahniuk adaptation, “Fight Club,” Gregg uses a far more straightforward, comedic approach. While this doesn’t work all the time, the film is very effective at being funny, perverse and heartfelt at different points. What really makes “Choke” excellent are the writing and performances. The anchor of the film is Rockwell’s performance. Once again, he shows that he has a true knack for playing unique characters with a decent amount of complexity. The other supporters, Huston and Henke, are absolutely hilarious, shocking and sweet at the same time; they both genuinely add to the story. In this film, Macdonald proves that she is a rising star to watch for in the coming years.
Gregg takes a less direct approach , employing more of the spirit of the Palahniuk novel than a word-for-word adaptation. This allows him to make a darkly humorous film without some of Palahniuk’s darker, more nihilistic conclusions. Some enthusiasts of the novel may protest, but this approach is a strength and is successful.
This film is not for everybody. It is definitely sexual in nature and has content that may be considered offensive. Near the beginning of the film, it presents the dirty mind of a sex addict who can’t help but want sex all the time. But as the film proceeds, viewers see a fundamental change in the protagonist. Instead of continuing in this addiction, Victor truly sees how his problem affects other people and he tries to change. He also realizes that his feelings for Paige force him to want to share sex the way that it is intended in a relationship between two people, and that is an encouraging and thought-provoking struggle. It is a good meditation on the consequences of sex, relationships, family, and what really matters in this world outside physical intimacy.
