Just perfect...

Beautiful, moving film.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The condition portrayed in the movie is a real one and a rare one - BIID - Body Integrity Identity Disorder - a disorder in which otherwise healthy individuals feel that they are meant to be disabled, each in a very specific way.The main character's difficulties in dealing with this deep desire and disclosing this to his wife are difficulties that real people with BIID also face. I haven't seen many movies with a BIID theme, but compared to "Quid Pro Quo" which may be a more entertaining movie, this movie is more true to the reality of BIID.For me it was definitely a drama, not a comedy - that's not to say there is no humor. Feeling that the true you is arm-less and not achieving this arm-less state means continuing to live a lie and trying to work through this without devastating those close to you is the stuff of drama, not comedy. Despite the good acting and important content, I can see how this is not a movie for everyone. If you have an interest in BIID, I would definitely recommend it.

I don't know how this thing got classified as a comedy. It has several eccentric characters, but the pace (slow and deliberate) and energy level (low most of the way) don't suit comedy. Rather, "Armless" invites us to slow down and try to understand John, the protagonist, and his strange desire, and after a while, it starts looking credible. John's mother would mess any kid up, big-time, and his desire to be able to lose his fear by taking pain and loss is noble, even if his plan for getting there is bizarre. Other people's ways of handling fear and stress aren't to be recommended, either: two characters cope by popping pills, and a third has retreated into self-absorption, largely out of greed. Some parallels drawn between John and the doctor who tries to dissuade him show that other people have John's issues do. So the madman starts looking sane in an insane world. It's an absorbing movie, but I still don't think it qualifies as a good one. I wouldn't recommend it to any friend I wanted to keep. PGH

I can understand how this movie may not be for everyone. It's dark and quiet with comedy more in the silence than the dialogue. It has a very personal and secretive tone, and I would recommend watching it alone rather than in a group. Odd, soft-spoken, and questionably allegorical, the best way to enjoy this movie is to connect personally with the characters and try to understand their positions. You don't have to want to cut off your arms to understand John, you just have to know what it's like to want something desperately, feel outcast and misunderstood, or to be so comfortable in your own security that it makes you want to break free. It shows, from both sides, lies we tell ourselves and others in order to fit in. This movie is tragic in its humanity, hilarious in its tragedy, and ultimately true. Good actors, interesting plot, and it gives viewers something to think about. It's definitely worth watching on the off chance it will be for you.

OK, not a horrible movie, not a fantastic movie but certainly not a waste of time as some have said. I watched this movie having read the three previous reviews: two bad and one good. So I did not expect much. But I am glad that I stuck it out. Independent films give writers and directors the chance to explore topics that would never make it in the mainstream, and that is what this movie is all about. Quirky characters with interesting real dialog. Very unusual plot idea. A very touching conclusion that was the definition of true love for me. I find it to be a quiet little movie that explored a lot of human flaws and issues in a very short period of time. The doctor's assistant is my favorite character, along with the completely self-absorbed mother.