Thanks for the memories!

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Good Dick is an off-beat romantic dramedy about a strange relationship developing between a video store clerk and a reclusive girl who comes by every day to rent softcore porn movies. It's probably a case of intentional irony that the title of the film makes it so you'd be embarrassed to rent it from a video store. It's a nice cynical touch that fits the movie, but I think it does it more harm then good, because it may turn many potential viewers away from what is actually a pretty good movie.It's far from perfect, and suffers from some of the same amateurish flaws shared by many independent films - most notably, the awful overbearing music that disrupts far too many scenes, and some poor editing every now and then, but putting those aside it's an effective, touching movie, and very much not the sex comedy you might expect (though there are some very funny moments). Marianna Palka and Jason Ritter (John's son) deliver very realistic characters with a very awkward and naturalistic delivery. The supporting cast supplies a more solid ground to keep the whole thing from being too messy - most notably veteran actor Charles Durning in a very brief but very beautiful scene, and most surprisingly Tom Arnold (yes, that's right) in a very powerful performance - he was actually so good I hardly recognized him. Overall, an excellent little indie picture that's highly recommended, as long as you don't expect comedy and you don't expect sex or nudity (hint: there aren't any).

My only reason for this writing is to say that I'm pretty sure the very important "learning something everyday is knowledge, letting go of something wisdom" quote is a Zen proverb and not Emerson. I do believe this idea is key in everyone's life. Even abuse cases. Everybody had to know there was some deep problem with the girl, what with the dark rings under the eyes and all, but which problem this time? Bullying, the Holocaust, locked in the step parents closet for 5 years? Art is always trying to identify human conditions and I do appreciate that, but when it's toe curlingly familiar, well, it's just familiar. That said, the girl did let go in the end, I think, so we all can learn a little from this movie.

This movie is great, except that she should have been having permanent pleasure like the o, like all the time she is walking, eating looking, she is having o... (illegal word on this site) and she does not move but she dances, somewhat like in the Indian dances, she dances in ecstasy her hands up in the air somewhat like in the flamenco dance. her hands move like enchanted birds and that way she should dance to the store and back,all the time,like a musical with fast trans music. And so she should be dancing towards the video store taking the porn, dancing back home and then totally constantly flying away after having a tiny little blow.So that would be a great movie. Why doesn't he (the main character) understand that her life is perfect?yeah she might die of not eating but in fact she has won already, she has permanent o. Yes, she has won already, I mean my fictitious character. Does anyone share my opinion of this movie?please send me a message. I hope this site give notifiers.

From reading other reviews, I can see that this movie seems to be kind of polarizing. Some think it's mediocre and clichéd while others really like it. I have to say I feel the latter. This sort of reminded me of Garden State in a way, but to be honest I think I enjoyed this more, maybe because it seemed honest yet effortlessly so. I enjoyed Garden State, but after watching Good Dick it just seems a bit self-conscious and contrived in comparison. Both movies deal with characters who are emotionally cut-off or numb in some way, but this movie deals more with intimacy, I think, while (Zach Braff's character) Andrew Largeman's redemption stems from coming to terms with his guilt surrounding his mother. The title is deceptive, as neither of the main characters equates sex with intimacy. We don't even find out the names of the main characters, nor do we find out why the Woman has built up an emotional wall to keep others out. So how do these two strangers come together? The Man gradually pushes his way into the Woman's life, sleeping on her couch, then in her bed, washing her hair, cooking her dinner, and yes, putting up with her coldness and meanness. Is this intimacy? Watch it and decide for yourself. I personally found this film engaging, painfully and awkwardly funny, yet emotionally honest at the same time.