Episode 54 — The Odd Life of Timothy Green

[admin 330]

Tim Heidecker joins us for what turns out to be a serious discussion about The Odd Life of Timothy Green. We talk about Timothy’s relationship with Baby Mila Kunis, the Titanic portrait drawing scene, and Common sizing up kids to be on a soccer team. Jason teared up once again, Tim genuinely likes the movie for what it is, and Paul & June didn't enjoy it. Be sure to get your tickets for a special Valentine’s Day episode of How Did This Get Made? LIVE Feb. 13th at Largo!

[pokey_valentine 115]

Great episode! I could've listened to another hour of it.

[Lukas Holmes 2287]

Great episode! I could've listened to another hour of it.

 

Seriously, they really did a great job on this one. Very even handed and some great conversation. I found the video of the kids being upset at the ending, very upsetting myself.

[jeffdacock 64]

I thought this fort in the forest looked like something a serial killer from a Morgan Freeman Thriller would have built.

 

And I completely agree with your thoughts about Flight. Disappointing. If you want to see a good film about an alcoholic watch Barfly instead.

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

I thought this fort in the forrest looked like something a serial killer from a Morgan Freeman Thriller would have built.

 

 

I imagine that that's also the kind of person that uses Stamps.com. Anyone else find it ironic that entering "Bomb" on a mailing web site gets you a DISCOUNT and a no-risk trial?

 

Seriously, that sounds like a service for serial killers and kidnappers. If you're that concerned about avoiding confrontation at the post office and you're putting packages in mailboxes in the middle of the night, you're PROBABLY dealing in body parts, ransom notes, drugs, or other materials that will get you the exact opposite of a "no-risk" trial. WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!?!?

[seanotron 2307]

I found the video of the kids being upset at the ending, very upsetting myself.

 

Honestly, I felt like that video demonstrated far worse parenting than this movie.

[pbnews 93]

Jason's voice sounded a little different during that clip at 29:40... It's OK, buddy -- it's just a movie!

[therealMATTLOXLEY 135]

like pete holmes says "what are you.. the best!?" haha this was such a good episode there is no better feeling than laughing at crying children... great job!

[klemjohansen 748]

I have a hard time imagining Zappa telling his kids this story and as a coda saying "and you know, one day that story will become a movie that will eventually become fodder for the HDIGM follow-up to Anaconda. Goodnight, kids."

 

 

EditL: I might track this movie down just for the pencil factory montage.

[DanielSwinney 130]

Ebert liked it. ***1/2

[Hot - Slunch 772]

I saw this movie on a plane a few months back. I wasn't even listening to it because I had my ipod, but I watched and hated it. I wish they would've torn it apart a lot more but it's understandable that they didn't, since 2/4 people enjoyed it.

 

I mean there were genuinely fucked up moments in this movie, like the dodgeball scene... There was horrendous parenting and just terrible people populating this world. Maybe these people shouldn't have kids if they are that awful? They really needed a practice, magical kid to learn how to not be assholes?

 

What the hell was going on with the kid saving the factory? Dude, you came from a tree and you're actively supporting deforestation to make pencils.

 

I'm all for the original ideas and weirdness, but it just felt imbalanced. It got dark while trying to keep a fairy tale facade. I've forgotten most of it, but I did not enjoy a second of it.

[KatieOfPluto 6]

It seemed like the movie was trying to make the ending about how Timothy 'touched' all these people's lives and gave them each a reminder of it through his distribution of leaves, but we never actually see anyone have a change of heart! The sister gets shown up at the soccer game and the music recital, but we never see her come around to liking Tomothy or enjoying his unique style. We see the dad get yelled at, but we never see him become proud of his son or 'start over' by embracing Timothy as a new son. Having a comeuppance doesn't mean they've had character development. And the other people he gives leaves to never had a problem with him in the first place (Joni, the gay florist, etc).

 

And I would argue the parents never become better parents. If they had, why didn't we ever see them apply the lessons they learned? If the point was that they put too much pressure on him to be good at soccer, why didn't we see a scene where they cheer him on without pressure to score the goal? If one of their problems was that they didn't trust Joni, why didn't they have a scene of them welcoming her into their home?

 

The movie just ASSUMES that we think that people have changed, without showing us any sort of change.

 

Also, it was like the movie couldn't decide whether the parents' flaw was that they were helicopter parents who were overly controlling of Timothy (the dodgeball game, soccer, the music recital) or if they were overly ABSENT from his life. For example, he falls into a pool and appears to be drowning (he wasn't, but if he were a normal kid he would be) and they don't notice at all. He keeps running off to see Joni, but they never seem to notice until he comes back or they see the two together.

 

Also, to end this rant, why was Joni's first thought when she jumped into the pool to take off his socks instead of bringing him back to the surface so he doesn't die?

[Cabbagehead 61]

Interesting ep today, really enjoyed it guys.

[Peter_Awesome 28]

I'm so glad that Stamps.com is totally illegal!

[PlanBFromOuterSpace 3138]

 

And the other people he gives leaves to never had a problem with him in the first place (Joni, the gay florist, etc).

 

 

They never had a problem him, but maybe HE had a problem with the florist being gay, and that was his way of saying "I forgive you for your alternative lifestyle. It's not natural, like me, a hybrid of plant and man that comes from nature itself (the most natural thing there is!), but we can't all be perfect". Everybody just assumes that the kid loves everybody, but he's got to have some serious identity issues going on himself and is probably one hateful son of a bitch behind closed doors. However, I've never seen the film in it's entirety or the scene in question, so there's a 50% chance that I'm 100% wrong.

[boognish00 48]

Just so Jason knows, Frank Zappa was never "tweaked out". The man never did drugs, only drank beer and fucked girls. So Tim was right, Timothy Green probably had it's roots in a drunken bed-time story

[wyldride 285]

"What's wrong with the love interest of a 10 year old being 15?" - George Lucas

[JacobCrites 4977]

Easily a top 5 episode. As much as I love the exasperating energy of most HDTGM episodes, I hope this leads to a trend of more frequent "serious" discussions of the films' failings and merits.

 

Also, I nearly spat out my morning coffee upon hearing "Permanently unavail: Cemetery."

[Wien 401]

This is the podcast equivelant of "A very special episode..." from those old sitcoms.

 

Good stuff.

[JustinL 216]

I cry at everything. I bawled in Kung Fu Panda 2. This movie couldn't squeeze a single tear out of me. It never invites you in. It yells at you to feel something for its characters and it's completely unjustified.

 

Also, they wanted him to have a sense of humor like Uncle Bubbles, but other than one "Why'd the chicken cross the road?" joke he only ever had that sense of humor with Uncle Bubbles.

 

I'll say one positive thing: I genuinely liked the "Lowrider" scene. I hated that it was just brushed aside in the podcast. While the setup was ridiculous, that was the only time in the film I thought the parents actually went, "Yeah, you know what? I'm an asshole. Fuck me. BUP-BUP-BUP-BUP BUP BUP BUP! BUP-BUP-BUP BUP BUP!"

[heavenstoetsy 17]

This may be the first HDTGM movie I've actually seen. ...And I loved it. It's a beautifully shot movie, the actors are all great, and the emotional scenes pack a wallop. Genuinely could not believe that they chose it for the podcast.

 

But the episode was a lot of fun, if a lot milder than most episodes. But then my favorite episodes are when the movies are so terrible the hosts are genuinely baffled.

[Shannon 2953]

As soon as I saw the trailer for this movie I knew I would never ever watch it. I hate blatant emotional manipulation in movies, which is also why I will never watch anything that has anything to do with Nicholas Sparks ever again. After my boyfriend ranting about this movie after seeing it at work, and this podcast I know I totally can't watch it because it WILL get me to cry and then I'll just be angry that I allowed it. But damn it I'm so curious...

 

Also if anyone wanted to watch the video of the sad kids...

 

 

Oh those poor babies.

[Cabbagehead 61]

Poor kids..

[angrykirby 3]

Timothy Green is Clearly Satan come to earth to give these parents all of their dreams and then take them away from Them Or give them a literal translation of what they want, that isn't what they actually want, much like the Character Wishmaster from the godawful wishmaster movies (who may also be satan Im not sure I half watched them on cable) For example the winning goal but for the wrong team and that they Get their dream son only for him to Die. Oh Yeah He also Emerges from the ground after making the rain shoot back into the sky. The parents sort of got what they dreamed of but I believe the devil now owns their souls.

 

Who was this movie for?! It seems fairly grounded in reality except the leaf boy. If it's more for adults then whys everyone so quick to be ok with the crazy things in this movie and if its more for kids Why is their talk of adoption politics and pencil factories. Also Why did no body bring up that this movie is in slo motion half the time. Every single time the friend girl comes on screen the movie goes into slow motion for the first hour. I feel like this movie had 20 montages. Oh and What about when the parents said that They wouldnt take him to a doctor because shots hurt and medicine tastes bad?! This is a legitimate Reason to avoid hospitals?! These Stupid People Should never be given kids.

 

Oh and No One from the adoption ever checks to see if any of this crap is true like What if these two assholes made up this whole story about their son that grew from a box?! They should be in a mental facility not given a child. And they were too lazy to fill in the boxes on their adoption forms? like this isn't a survey about if you liked a new brand of gummy worms it's about trying to gain custody over another human being. You can't bother to write a few sentences in a box Youre probably Not going to be the best parent This form is pretty important.

 

ALSO THE DAD DIDNT SING LOW RIDER CORRECTLY seriously there's What maybe 6 lines in that song and he sang two of them out of order and skipped ahead God damnit.

 

Another poster said this movie didnt earn the emotions it was trying to get and I completely agree There is a really nice scene Where Timothy and friend ride a bike until she drops him off in the middle of nowhere but the scene doesn't work because we haven't spent enough time with Timothy to feel like He earned that scene. The movie is too focused on the parents and I think It might have been alot better if we spent the time following Tim more.

 

And then That town hall meeting Jesus Christ What a Cluster Fuck Theirs an argument over Pencil Credit but it seems either way the company is stealing the idea from whoever came up with it. Also at the beginning when the kid breaks into their house no one grabs a weapon? They never really question him after they initially are told he's from the box. What if he had run away from home and you have just convinced yourselves that he came from a Box? They really should have done a little bit more to make sure they hadnt kidnapped a child. Oh by the way they live on a giant fucking farm yet they are not farmers and have no animals What the fuck is that about?

 

Oh yeah and also How about the whole CGI leafs thing? Sometimes the leafs are CGI but fucking WHY? How goddamned hard is it to glue a few leafs to a kids legs.

[Jjussfhkjv 27]

i wish that the episodes were longer than the movies they talk about cause i could listen to hours of this