“Choke” is a crude, satirical and explicit comedy that is surely to entertain followers of Chuck Palahniuk, as well as audience newly introduced to his work.
Long awaited film adaptation of the novel, “Choke” made its debut to select theaters on September 26. The movie is author, Chuck Palahniuk’s second novel to big screen adaptation, following the widely acclaimed and successful “Fight Club.”
But unlike “Fight Club,” “Choke” shines a whole new light on personal dysfunction and psychiatric evaluation.
Director and script writer, Clark Gregg does an amazing job in illustrating the story of Victor Mancini (played by Sam Rockwell), an arrogantly charming sex addict who had dropped out of medical school to dedicate his life to supporting his sickly mother, Ida (Angelica Huston). His mother suffers from dementia due to years of substance abuse. The story is told in a partway narrative and first person account of Victor himself. Victor’s day job is working as a tour guide, or “historical interpreter” (as he states) in a colonial recreation theme park, along with his best friend and fellow sex addict, Denny (Brad William Henke). Both Victor and Denny attend group sessions, though Victor rather regresses from group therapy as he keeps feeding into his sexual hunger by having sex with multiple women for instant self-gratification and brief bliss.
Though Victor has a job, it isn’t quite enough to support his mother’s costly private care. He turns to being a con artist, staging “choke” scenes in different restaurants. Victor purposely seeks the “good Samaritan” to aid him, particularly the person who looks the wealthiest and most financially stable. Victor exploits the person’s act of heroism and creates a bond with them in hopes that they will continually send him money for his difficult life.
Over time, the bills for his mother become increasingly difficult to pay and her mind is deteriorating at an alarming rate. She doesn’t recognize Victor anymore and hadn’t in a while. Every time he visits, he takes a completely new identity and does not bother trying to convince his mother otherwise. In an attempt to rekindle her memory, he has Denny present himself as Victor. His mother opens to Denny, (assuming he is Victor) and speaks of Victor’s past and who his father may be. Now Victor races to find the truth of his paternal identity before his mother dies. Victor’s mother’s doctor, Paige Marshall (Kelly Macdonald) offers help to Victor in his search for his father as well as offers an experimental procedure that could potentially save his mother.
Aside from minor differences and the novel’s original ending swapped with a “Hollywood”, “Choke” is a bittersweet movie worth watching. There are also flashbacks throughout the movie, of Victor’s past, which do help in telling the story, but they could’ve been done a bit more subtle. This is a film to not be overlooked. But because of its limited viewing to select theaters and its significantly lower budget and appeal to the general public than “Fight Club,” it may ultimately prove to be a greatly underrated movie.
