Needs rewatch...

somehow i think von trier's title is not only a description of the despicable, terrible, and unwatchable characters in the movie, but also a tongue-in-cheek stab at his own abilities. so...good for you guy, you got an extra 25 points for knowing you suck.

I felt irritated by the cinematography and the unnecessary vulgarity as a dogmafilm. Okay, that is what it is, but as a film without a plot that cought me, it went on my nerves in stead of inspiring my view or spicing it up. Having said that, it certainly is an important and - I admit - deservedly popular film, exploring limitations and based on an exciting idea. But that's Trier in a nutshell, right? This one wasn't my kinda film, and I won't succumb to Trier-ass-licking in spite of my faculty!

Fight Club for idiots: Rebellious group, enig- and charismatic leader, a plan that goes too far. I love Trier as much as the next guy (maybe even more), but the movie fails at arguing why idiocy is worthwhile. An example: Suddenly the leader decides on having group sex. Now, I love pornography as much as the next guy (maybe even more), but what purpose is served? The Idiots feels like a bi-product of a failed social experiment, which in some ways, it is. And there's no reason for it being Dogma.

For me - the best movie of Lars von Trier

Although uncomfortable to watch and not at all likeable.the film is memorable and thought provoking.

von Trier pushes buttons and for the most part succeeds in balancing provocativeness, insight and black humour. The dogme style helps the film in a lot of places, though at times the amateurishness of the filmmaking seems forced and undermines the naturalistic style. I kind of feel bad for enjoying it as much as I did, but that uneasy feeling is part of the charm.

Lars Von Trier's dark comedy presages Sacha Baron Cohen's later transgressive works, but with a tragic, poignant edge that puts it in its own class. The episodes of the titular "idiots" feigning mental disability in public are often amusing, but the story takes a dark turn in the final third, leading to a final scene which is both poignant and remarkably tense. There are some odd "interview" scenes that don't quite work, and the film meanders a bit, but it remains an intriguing, compelling work.

"A satirical and raw look at a group of people that yearn to find their 'inner idiot' as a psychological release by acting like animals and idiots even in public."

A film that's bound to push buttons, from the subject matter or the sexual content or the Dogme 95 style. But the movie is more thought-provoking than provocative in the usual sense. Von Trier isn't offering easy answers. Nor should he. The performers are quite good. The film is spiced with moments of humor and ends on a surprisingly touching note. Outside of the self-consciously shabby aesthetic my main complaint is he really didn't explore the implications of the sexuality of the group.

What is in many respects the most difficult film in the Golden Heart Trilogy. The Idiots is a slow building tragedy that may be the most collectively shared nightmare of Von Trier's work. The dissolution of the spaz commune builds in ways that are uniquely tragic in a classic Von Trier fashion.

The final scene rightly receives the bulk of the applause. It's too bad that the rest of the movie is such a mind-numbing exercise in pointless provocation. Presumably some believe the film to be about freedom, but freedom to do whatever you want (such as acting like a disabled person or participating in an orgy) is not freedom at all, but rather bondage to one's own passions. Von Trier never establishes what this rebellion is about, removing any potential the idea might have had.

It's a vulgar, brutal observation of modern society, with everything that is hypocrite about its people.

Outstanding acting, just amazingly good. It's so real to watch. The direction and filming style just smacks of realism - especially the engrossing final scene. The story is intriguing and engaging but it felt like it doesn't fully explore its own ideas and never reaches any sort of conclusion. Thats not a big negative though, it makes it more like a glimpse into their world that we then leave rather than a story with a beginning and end.