RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Vulgar
Vulgar

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Vulgar (2002)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
23 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:26

Fresh:6

Rotten:20

Average Rating:3.2/10

Consensus: Vulgar more than lives up to its title.

Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins

Genre: Comedies

US Box Office: $0

Synopsis: First-time writer-director Bryan Johnson may be best known as a member of filmmaker Kevin Smith's View Askew universe (he played Steve-Dave in MALLRATS and DOGMA), but those expecting VULGAR to be... First-time writer-director Bryan Johnson may be best known as a member of filmmaker Kevin Smith's View Askew universe (he played Steve-Dave in MALLRATS and DOGMA), but those expecting VULGAR to be another version of CLERKS might be surprised by this off-kilter drama that is best described as Bozo the Clown meets DELIVERANCE. Brian O'Halloran (Dante from CLERKS) plays Will, aka Flappy the Clown, an earnest, downtrodden guy desperately trying to make a living as a clown. Will is a constant target of abuse--from the drunks flinging projectiles on his ratty lawn to his nursing home-bound mother's streams of vitriol. Barely scraping by, Will has an "epiphany" about how to make more money--by hiring himself out for bachelor parties as Vulgar, a clown sporting a bustier and garters. On his first outing, Will instead finds himself in a terrifying situation with the psychotic Ed (Jerry Lewkovitz) and his two inbred sons. After a life-changing violation that Will only reveals to his friend, Syd (Johnson), some luck finally comes his way via a television executive (a cameo from Kevin Smith). However, more trouble awaits the put-upon clown in Johnson's dark, disturbing tale. [More]

Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Brian Christopher, Bryan Johnson, Jerry Lewkowitz

Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Brian Christopher, Bryan Johnson, Jerry Lewkowitz, Ethan Suplee, Matthew Maher, Jason Mewes, David Klein, Kevin Smith

Director: Bryan Johnson

Director: Bryan Johnson
Producer: Monica Hampton
Studio: Lions Gate Films

[See More Credits]

Reviews for Vulgar

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/06/08
Dennis Harvey
Dennis Harvey
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

...an amateurish, unpleasant, and primarily worthless effort...

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
01/31/08
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews

No review available.

comment Comment
08/17/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Fairly inept stuff.

comment Comment
04/02/05
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

A tale of horror and revenge that is nearly perfect in its relentless descent to the depths of one man's tortured soul.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
01/06/03
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

As unseemly as its title suggests.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
12/10/02
Dennis Schwartz
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
10/08/02
Rachel Sanders
Rachel Sanders
Apollo Guide

"Vulgar" is as far away from "Jay and Silent Bob" as you could possibly imagine, so if you are going to watch the film, try and forget there was ever a Jay, a Bob, a Dante, a Holden, a Banky and a woman named Amy, and you might get something a little more

Full Review Source: Moviehole | comment Comment
09/17/02
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

The premise of this film is as audacious as they come.

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
09/04/02
JoBlo
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

It’s the movie equivalent of a sweaty old guy in a rain coat shopping for cheap porn.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
09/01/02
David Cornelius
David Cornelius
eFilmCritic.com

I'm sure there's a teenage boy out there somewhere who's dying for this kind of entertainment.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
08/25/02
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

Imagine John Waters remaking Deliverance starring Bozo the Clown, and that's Vulgar.

Full Review Source: Aisle Seat | comment Comment
08/19/02
Mike McGranaghan
Mike McGranaghan
Aisle Seat

Being unique doesn't necessarily equate to being good, no matter how admirably the filmmakers have gone for broke.

Full Review Source: Movie Poop Shoot | comment Comment
05/17/02
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
Movie Poop Shoot

An ugly, revolting movie.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
05/03/02
Edward Guthmann
Edward Guthmann
San Francisco Chronicle

Imagine Kevin Smith, the blasphemous bad boy of suburban Jersey, if he were stripped of most of his budget and all of his sense of humor. The result might look like Vulgar.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment 1 Comment
05/03/02
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly

Hey everybody, wanna watch a movie in which a guy dressed as a children's party clown gets violently gang-raped? I didn't think so.

Full Review Source: SPLICEDWire | comment Comment
05/02/02
Rob Blackwelder
Rob Blackwelder
SPLICEDWire

An unclassifiably awful study in self- and audience-abuse.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
04/30/02
Mark Holcomb
Mark Holcomb
Village Voice

It's hard to imagine any recent film, independent or otherwise, that makes as much of a mess as this one.

Full Review Source: Newsday | comment Comment
04/26/02
Gene Seymour
Gene Seymour
Newsday

Unspeakable, of course, barely begins to describe the plot and its complications. Vulgar is too optimistic a title.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment Comment
04/26/02
Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News

With cheap camera work, a script that's so awful it makes porn dialogue sound like Shakespeare and scenes that suggest some especially unsavory snuff films, there's no reason to go near this flick in the first place.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
04/26/02
E! Online
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

70% 70% Where the Wild Things Are 03/12
83% 83% Paranormal Activity 03/12
89% 89% Zombieland 03/12
76% 76% The Informant! 03/12
— The Strength of Water 03/12

What’s Hot On RT

Shock! Horror?

Shock! Horror?

Lars von Trier talks Antichrist

Zombieland

Zombieland

Director Ruben Fleischer's favourites

New Avatar action

New Avatar action

Watch an exclusive chase clip from the film

Kids' Book Films

Kids' Book Films

We fly through 10 of the best

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • First Look (Sort Of) at New Nightmare's Freddy Source: ShockTillYouDrop.com
15
  • First Look at Shrek Forever After Source: USA Today
36
  • Woody Harrelson Will Battle Zombies in 3-D Source: Moviehole
20
  • Natalie Portman Says Kat Denning Is in Thor Source: MTV
34
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
10
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
118
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
64
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
176
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
130
  • Total Recall: John Travolta's Best Movies
76
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
75
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
59
  • Critics Consensus: Flee From Ninja Assassin
37
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
32
  • Five Favorite Films With Zombieland Director Ruben Fleischer
18
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
13
  • Total Recall: Children's Book Adaptations
3
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
13
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
9
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
6
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
20
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Vulgar at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Vulgar at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Dressing Wonderland External Link

Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.

Wes Anderson on Fox
Wes Anderson on Fox External Link

The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox

Win Glee DVDs
Win Glee DVDs External Link

We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.

Win tickets to Cold Souls
Win tickets to Cold Souls External Link

Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Win Star Wars prizes External Link

Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser

Win the entire 007 collection
Win the entire 007 collection External Link

Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.

Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more External Link

We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.