A sex-addicted con-man pays for his mother's hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death.
Acting
Sam Rockwell weaponizes charm and desperation equally.
Writing
Palahniuk's voice survives adaptation shockingly intact.
Direction
Clark Gregg balances gross-out and genuine pathos.
Director
Clark Gregg
Sam Rockwell
Victor Mancini
Anjelica Huston
Ida J. Mancini
Kelly Macdonald
Paige Marshall
Brad William Henke
Denny
Clark Gregg
Lord High Charlie
Bijou Phillips
Ursula
Gillian Jacobs
Cherry Daiquiri / Beth
Jonah Bobo
Young Victor
Paz de la Huerta
Nico
Viola Harris
Eva Muller
Joel Grey
Phil
Heather Burns
Internet Date / Gwen
Matt Gerald
Detective Ryan
David Fonteno
Edwin
Kate Blumberg
Edwin's Wife
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Clark Gregg wrote the screenplay while acting in The West Wing; he kept his character's colonial outfit from the film. Palahniuk reportedly approved of the adaptation after hating Fight Club's ending changes.
This bombed hard ($4M worldwide) but became a cult Palahniuk curio. It captures pre-recession desperation—hustling for healthcare, performing trauma for cash—that feels more relevant now than 2008.
US
