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Choke

Choke

2008
Comedy, Drama
1h 32m
A sex addict pays for his mother's hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death.

Directed by:

Clark Gregg

Screenwriter:

Clark Gregg, Chuck Palahniuk

Starring:

Bijou Phillips, Anjelica Huston, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Sam Rockwell, Clark Gregg, Kelly Macdonald, Heather Burns, Paz de la Huerta, Brad William Henke, Matt Gerald, Kathryn Alexander, Gillian Jacobs

Genres:

Comedy, Drama

Country:

USA

Language:

English
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Choke

2008
Comedy, Drama
1h 32m
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Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 40% from 1160 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

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pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 30 Jan 2009
2
21st
Gregg obviously didn't understand the book that he read. You know, assuming he even read it. I read this a few years ago and have to say it's a really unfaithful adaptation. Things that made the book good, like the choking and the sex addiction, were just thrown in as these personality quirks instead of being the driving force of the narrative. This movie should've been DARK, not light and bland. The editing is so awful too. This is why you don't get sitcom stars to direct movies, people.
Rated 30 Jan 2009
paxtonPaxton
Rated 24 Apr 2015
69
60th
Even though Barthalen is correct in his assessment of the film, I enjoyed the movie more, but couldn't pass up that rating. Do you get it? Cause it's a movie about sex. Jokes always go down smoother with an explanation...Based on tiers though, his 69 is more damning than mine. We have much to discuss... Brad William Henke wears a Mastodon shirt. That warrants a 75 rating on its own!
Rated 24 Apr 2015
tripleshTripleSH
Rated 26 Jan 2010
41
26th
A Chuck Palahniuk story stripped of everything that makes it a Chuck Palahniuk story makes it a story about next to nothing. This is like if you watched Fight Club without any of Ed Norton's narration or any pieces of dialogue that run over twenty words.
Rated 26 Jan 2010
guy-piranhaguy piranha
Rated 10 Jul 2024
70
69th
Something something fight club.
Rated 10 Jul 2024
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 02 Sep 2023
78
56th
Obviously shares a lot of thematic resonances with FIGHT CLUB and while it lacks the visceral charge of Fincher’s eye, this is interesting to consider in tandem, though like the earlier film, its philosophical musings while superficially appealing don’t add up to much in the light of day. At its best giving a terrific cast of actors the challenge of playing near-impossible characters, with Rockwell and Huston standing out as the most bizarre parent-child coupling since Huston’s own THE GRIFTERS!
Rated 02 Sep 2023
terrymacterrymac
Rated 07 Nov 2022
55
25th
I read the book ages ago, but watching this didn’t really ring any bells for me. I’m sure I found the book funnier or weirder or darker or something. This was all a bit bland, but was enlivened by a fine cast. Rockwell seems to be good in everything. Wouldn’t rush to recommend this.
Rated 07 Nov 2022
nobambanobamba
Rated 28 May 2020
50
46th
Definitely could see the similarities to Fight Club: the main character attends a support group he doesn't really care for, he has some primal desire that needs to be filled, and his grip with reality is tenuous resulting in a revelation in the final act. Some of the sex scenes feel like total filler. Rockwell did well, Huston was okay, and Macdonald was a pleasant surprise. Fav scene: Rockwell pretending to choke only to realize his only audience is a blind man.
Rated 28 May 2020
sirstuckeySirStuckey
Rated 07 Aug 2011
85
87th
Call me crazy, but I like this Palahniuk adaptation more than Fight Club. Maybe it's the fact that Sam Rockwell is the lead and I am a huge fan, or maybe it's the completely out there plot that doesn't try to shove social commentary down my throat. The book was better, but since I read it afterwards it didn't make me blindly rage all over the film.
Rated 07 Aug 2011
ricozyricozy
Rated 27 Jul 2011
30
10th
ancak bu kadar sikko bir kitap uyarlamasi yapilabilirdi. onu da sagolsun Clark Gregg yapmis. kendisinin kitabi okudugundan supheliyim.
Rated 27 Jul 2011
markjpMArkjp
Rated 13 Feb 2011
65
46th
The rather nihilistic and bleak milieu of the book is somewhat lost in this adaption. Instead Gregg focuses more on the comedic elements of the story thus leaving less space for Victors existentialistic troubles and the mystery of his childhood that is so well told in the book. Anywho: I waited for nine years for the next adaptation of one of Palahniuk's books, so maybe my expectations were unrealistically high.
Rated 13 Feb 2011
realmacgyverRealMacgyver
Rated 14 Jun 2010
80
79th
Feels like the TV show Hung in tone. Another good performance from Rockwell, but not for people who are squemish about sex
Rated 14 Jun 2010
recklessmessrecklessmess
Rated 05 Apr 2010
76
61st
Although not completely faithful to the book, the movie stands on its own, and has a couple of twists that keep you interested.
Rated 05 Apr 2010
barthalenBarthalen
Rated 03 Feb 2010
69
51st
A bit lighter than I expected, considering the sometimes twisted source material. Rockwell is great in the lead, but the story is just.. kinda there. It's not a bad movie, but we move from scene to scene without really being drawn in at any point.
Rated 03 Feb 2010
ephedrinephedrin
Rated 28 Dec 2009
50
43rd
I am a Chuck Palahniuk fan and I have read many books of him. Production quality is very low. Not like Fight Club. But have interesting music.
Rated 28 Dec 2009
luna6ixLuna6ix
Rated 19 Dec 2009
88
95th
the second in what i hope is a bunch of palahniuk adaptations (that's not to say accurate) that shine so brightly i wait until the credits are over just to squeeze out every last drop. i really enjoyed this movie, it was simply a great story.
Rated 19 Dec 2009
kavuKavu
Rated 11 Mar 2009
38
16th
A horrible adaptation and not too shabby as a standalone movie either. Gregg doesn't have a clue. Rockwell and Huston are good though.
Rated 11 Mar 2009
ytadelYtadel
Rated 22 Feb 2009
2
14th
Dirty, sure, but way too light and fluffy and conventional for its own source material. I like Sam Rockwell, and there's golden nuggets of cynicism and dark comedy interspersed throughout, but compared to Fight Club it's a goddamn Friends episode. The childhood flashback scenes are no good.
Rated 22 Feb 2009
jarmannJarmann
Rated 12 Feb 2009
50
16th
Maybe it works as a comedy, but it does not even come close to what the book is all about.
Rated 12 Feb 2009
mentaculusMentaculus
Rated 08 Dec 2008
60
34th
There's something much to be desired about Choke's execution. Maybe it's because the casting is flawless, but the story, in the end, seems to have gone nowhere. Could have been sweeter, could have been raunchier, could have been funnier, etc.
Rated 08 Dec 2008
mlightle3mlightle3
Rated 21 Oct 2008
75
38th
Unfortunately not a flawless adaptation, and I feel it messes too much with Paige Marshall as a character. Rockwell is fantastic, as is Brad William Henke as Denny. But very little time is spent discussing Victor's depth and issues, and by the time the climax rolls around, I'm not convinced we know him well enough to justify the ending. Anyway, still better than a lot of the shit I've seen this year.
Rated 21 Oct 2008
jebJeb
Rated 13 Oct 2008
77
61st
Well-executed and features a good role from Rockwell. Very sexy also.
Rated 13 Oct 2008
skenkereSkenkere
Rated 11 Sep 2008
54
32nd
It was good, but only a little. I was kind of offput for a large portion of it, because it's one thing to suspend disbelief, but another to try and swallow the shit that this script was dishing out. But near the end, it all gets explained in a satisfying manner. One thing that surprised me was how light this was - its a comedy through and through, barely a dark one, although punctuated with some serious moments. One problem is that it's allovertheplace with lots of threads that go nowhere.
Rated 11 Sep 2008
oplarsoplars
Rated 16 Nov 2024
65
30th
Too extreme, vulgar and distasteful for my taste.
Rated 16 Nov 2024
shewasSheWas
Rated 28 Jul 2023
63
58th
Great writer, horrible adaptation
Rated 28 Jul 2023
gsbgsb
Rated 24 Dec 2020
60
23rd
So apparently, I watched it. Despite reading the novel and liking Sam Rockwell, I barely remember it
Rated 24 Dec 2020
amazedemonamazedemon
Rated 12 Mar 2020
62
31st
Choke is the weirdest RomCom that I've seen. The premise of choking to get other people to bond with you and give you money is both bizarre and unbelievable. The film cycles between subplots; sex addiction, colonial recreation job/ friendship, sick mother; not really doing much with the first two. Rockwell is good, and the final twist fits into the film's vibe, but overall the film dragged and just didn't do anything for me.
Rated 12 Mar 2020
tzobatzoba
Rated 28 Aug 2015
40
19th
it's not good as Palahnuik's novel
Rated 28 Aug 2015
michaelsmichaels
Rated 13 Jul 2015
50
25th
Disappointingly light and fluffy adaptation.
Rated 13 Jul 2015
jessforrestjessforrest
Rated 12 Nov 2013
55
37th
I had such low expectations that I ended up kind of enjoying it. Sam Rockwell was great, but I didn't really agree with the rest of the casting. It's a shame that it took until the last couple of scenes to pick up, but it definitely doesn't have anything on the book.
Rated 12 Nov 2013
josh_forrestJosh Forrest
Rated 05 Nov 2013
30
24th
Shite isn't the right word, but it's the first word that comes to mind.
Rated 05 Nov 2013
bcfilmsbcfilms
Rated 13 Jul 2013
75
15th
Not sure why I didn't like this. Maybe it was because, even though I've not read either book, Fight Club's film adaptation was so good, that my expectations for this one were set unreasonably high.
Rated 13 Jul 2013
ag0stomesmerAg0stoMesmer
Rated 06 Apr 2013
4
91st
Came out a bit Charlie Kaufman-lite. Despite that faint-praise, It was a good little black comedy.
Rated 06 Apr 2013
danastevensdanastevens
Rated 30 Nov 2012
30
6th
I walked out of Choke feeling hustled, which is appropriate enough, I guess, for a movie that's a portrait of a compulsive hustler.
Rated 30 Nov 2012
begoniabolbegoniabol
Rated 20 Sep 2012
54
45th
Didn't think too much of this. Feels like it's all over the place plus didn't completely get the story. Many points to Rockwell who is beyond sexy and gets naked many times (not completely though but gives a good image) and see him 'having sex'.
Rated 20 Sep 2012
mccorpseMcCorpse
Rated 03 Sep 2012
25
3rd
this movie sucked monkey nuts. It literally went nowhere and was boring as hell. The only redeemable quality is that it had that blonde chick from community show her tits. there is also a few plot twists but they are plot twists in a boring movie. Not worth your time!
Rated 03 Sep 2012
glmglm
Rated 14 May 2012
57
24th
56.625
Rated 14 May 2012
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 20 Apr 2012
48
13th
Going in to this having read the book (which was fantastic) and loving Rockwell probably led to unrealistically high expectations, especially for an actor-turned-first-time-director. I'll quote Pickpocket on what, to me, was the essential problem with the movie: "Things that made the book good, like the choking and the sex addiction, were just thrown in as these personality quirks instead of being the driving force of the narrative."
Rated 20 Apr 2012
myfavchordsmyfavchords
Rated 19 Dec 2011
73
37th
Sam Rockwell gives an interesting performance in this film. This is a quirky piece of work that is not for the easily offended. I would give the film a small recommendation
Rated 19 Dec 2011
umuttoumutto
Rated 07 Nov 2011
51
19th
The book rocks, movie sucks. Yes I'm being cliche but I was expecting something similar seeing possibilities on fight club. And no mimicing the book was not successful, and the ending was different in a very bad way...
Rated 07 Nov 2011
closedmouthclosedmouth
Rated 27 Aug 2011
70
41st
Good acting, bland directing.
Rated 27 Aug 2011
grapeGrape
Rated 17 Jul 2011
80
70th
15 Juliol 2011 - Hi ha moments que m'han semblat brillants i d'altres, menys aquests, en què fluixeja. Rockwell em sembla remarcablement esmolat. De nou la qüestió de l'adaptació de la novel·la. He tret moltes ganes de llegir Palahniuk i em semblen peces més cinematogrpafiques que literaries, em sobta que siguin inicialment escrites. Tinc curiositat per esbrinar la seva manera d'escriure, estudiar-ne la proximitat al cinema. Certament, final punyent i astutament poc artificiós.
Rated 17 Jul 2011
stradivariusStradivarius
Rated 06 Apr 2011
65
28th
Most of the humor falls flat
Rated 06 Apr 2011
frederikaFrederikA
Rated 11 Feb 2011
75
77th
Compared to Fight Club (which is unfair to do to most movies) it's satire/social comments feels less poignant and the plot more light, but Rockwell (among others) gives a great and engaging performance and the absurd comedy plays out wonderfully. In the 3rd act though, it looses its breath and the ending along with some clichéd twist are a bit of a let-down. Still, PSI was waaay off on this one (40).
Rated 11 Feb 2011
bowfingerbowfinger
Rated 19 Jan 2011
60
53rd
i cant help but compare this to the book, and to fight club's movie. Calling it a light, mediocre, yet a faithful, adaptation doesn't really define it, but that's the first thing that comes to mind.
Rated 19 Jan 2011
beautyblissBeautyBliss
Rated 09 Jan 2011
80
61st
Interesting, well done, and has something to say.
Rated 09 Jan 2011
blackbassetblackbasset
Rated 09 Dec 2010
90
90th
i dont think it used all it's potential - all different parts of the story deserved a deeper exploration, i think... there could've been more on each topic, but still a really neat movie.
Rated 09 Dec 2010
trash_puppetTrash Puppet
Rated 09 Nov 2010
4
16th
Meh.
Rated 09 Nov 2010
slantmagSlantMag
Rated 17 Oct 2010
15
21st
"Choke makes its source material's everything-but-the-kitchen-sink absurdism broader, less expressive and cheaply reductive." - Bill Weber
Rated 17 Oct 2010
bunkenBunken
Rated 22 Sep 2010
40
24th
Read the brilliant novel instead!
Rated 22 Sep 2010
johnsandwichJohnSandwich
Rated 08 Aug 2010
52
27th
Disappointing
Rated 08 Aug 2010
derekstarDerekstar
Rated 02 Aug 2010
50
27th
This is the thing. It's not that good. After a while I just didn't give a shit. There's a twist at the end, but the twist is stupid.
Rated 02 Aug 2010
venturaventura
Rated 11 Jul 2010
65
48th
Pretty unbelievable storyline, but it's OK.
Rated 11 Jul 2010
chemical404chemical404
Rated 06 Apr 2010
50
38th
Rockwell rocks! I didn't particularly like the book, the movie left me pretty much indifferent. There are a few funny scenes, lots of sex, but it doesn't leave much to think about.
Rated 06 Apr 2010
bizortbizort
Rated 12 Jan 2010
45
21st
This story works much better as a novel. Just not as engaging as a film and comes across as disjointed
Rated 12 Jan 2010
dandaodowndandaodown
Rated 24 Dec 2009
75
47th
great, hilarious, smart, ridiculous
Rated 24 Dec 2009
jbeaverjbeaver
Rated 22 Dec 2009
50
1st
Thought the movie was pretty bad. I enjoyed reading the book. But the movie fell way short.
Rated 22 Dec 2009
laikalaika
Rated 20 Dec 2009
59
22nd
I'm glad this movie was made but in the end it was an experiment that was not successful. The 'message' was far too fluffy to sustain an entire film.
Rated 20 Dec 2009
tegotetabtegotetab
Rated 01 Dec 2009
65
35th
The story is there, and Rockwell has the potential to nail this lead. Somehow, though, this plays out like a TV movie or sitcom. There is absolutely nothing interesting about the direction, the lighting is flushed and artificial looking. The moments that could really make this film hit hard are brought down by the complete lack of style, and over all lack of cinematic rhythm.
Rated 01 Dec 2009
imtiredImTired
Rated 03 Nov 2009
85
50th
Funny, sexy, unique, and kind of touching. Overall very enjoyable.
Rated 03 Nov 2009
luckyjordnluckyjordn
Rated 02 Nov 2009
26
4th
Not funny. Not believable. Not a good film adaptation of the book.
Rated 02 Nov 2009
cruelclowncruelclown
Rated 25 Oct 2009
75
62nd
Not bad at all, the usual Palahniuk craziness works this time and Rockwell's and Huston's performances are rock solid.
Rated 25 Oct 2009
victorfreezevictorfreeze
Rated 01 Sep 2009
82
61st
The Book was a lot better... but the film is still pretty good
Rated 01 Sep 2009
gursuGursu
Rated 25 Aug 2009
1
20th
Not horrible. It has decent craftsmanship and acting, but the story is a bit too flat to be too entertaining. Bit of a waste of time. Nothing remotely like Fight Club, the earlier Palahniuk adaptation.
Rated 25 Aug 2009
meatMeat
Rated 18 Aug 2009
80
58th
Apparently a lot of people who read the book didn't like the film. I didn't read the book but watched the film. The film was good, much lighter in tone then the other adaptions of Chuckle's work to the big screen.
Rated 18 Aug 2009
siminsimin
Rated 17 Aug 2009
55
16th
in comparison to the book, there was nothing genius in that movie. really dissappointed. also the ending was terrible.
Rated 17 Aug 2009
pigletPiglet
Rated 22 Jul 2009
65
41st
Rockwell is one of my favourite actors, and I think you need to be to appreciate this. The lovestory is kind of good though, and has a little twist.
Rated 22 Jul 2009
foxforcefivefoxforcefive
Rated 19 Jul 2009
85
31st
Made me love Sam Rockwell. It's a very witty and surprisingly heartfelt movie. It really makes you think about how your personal perception of yourself can be drastically different than how the world sees you.
Rated 19 Jul 2009
teftef
Rated 24 Jun 2009
80
54th
On its own it's even charming. Should have been more psychotic though.
Rated 24 Jun 2009
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 06 Jun 2009
41
39th
watchable
Rated 06 Jun 2009
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 18 May 2009
60
62nd
Amusing.
Rated 18 May 2009
gor41gor41
Rated 03 May 2009
68
24th
Uneven comedy drama with a quirky charm. Rockwell is perfectly cast in the lead and most of the humour works but Macdonald struggles to convince. Brave attempt.
Rated 03 May 2009
sweinbergs.weinberg
Rated 22 Apr 2009
80
70th
"A light/dark, sick/sincere, weird/warm sex comedy that succeeds because of its constant contradictions, and not despite them."
Rated 22 Apr 2009
kmcneilKMcNeil
Rated 13 Apr 2009
5
43rd
Strong performances from Huston and - in particular - Rockwell, but it definitely feels way too light, humane and fluffy in a Palahniuk context. Unfortunately.
Rated 13 Apr 2009
miss_jesusmiss jesus
Rated 26 Mar 2009
66
60th
Well-written, sexy, and laugh-out-loud funny in a few places. The big surprises at the end made much of the film seem a bit of a waste, but I suppose that's how life goes too. Rockwell amazes, as usual.
Rated 26 Mar 2009
jennhoneyjennhoney
Rated 16 Mar 2009
76
36th
This movie really plays like a quirky romantic comedy but, I would imagine the subject matter alienates the usual romcom fan. What I really enjoyed was Victor's (Rockwell) interaction with all the other characters. [Tuesday,Tuesday, Tuesday Two Video Store Deal 3.11.09]
Rated 16 Mar 2009
mohkoMohko
Rated 12 Mar 2009
40
27th
Everything I liked about the book has been left out. No more funny rants or anecdotes. Left is only a crappy movie with bad directing.
Rated 12 Mar 2009
lebarLebar
Rated 09 Mar 2009
70
28th
rape scene.....LOL !!!
Rated 09 Mar 2009
skiewulfyskiewulfy
Rated 03 Mar 2009
45
41st
It Choke did one thing right, it managed an negative portrayal of sex addiction. While on the wrong end of the spectrum, it seemed to rely on low brow sexual punchlines for every attempt at humor.
Rated 03 Mar 2009
zealot185Zealot185
Rated 02 Mar 2009
12
2nd
Failed to hook me with its unlikable characters and pedantic dialogue. Gave up at the 30 minute mark.
Rated 02 Mar 2009
parcalihamparcaliham
Rated 25 Feb 2009
80
64th
25 Subat 09, 22:44. & kitabi okumadigimi soylemeliyim. Fakat filmi tek basina dusunursek, gercekten begendim. orjinal olay orgusu ve hikaye. saglam bir kara komedi.
Rated 25 Feb 2009
leshiileshii
Rated 16 Feb 2009
64
42nd
A massive letdown from an excellent book. Sam Rockwell is a good choice for the role but the role is all wrong. It plays out like a romantic comedy more than a black comedy and in the end, the story suffers. Brad William Henke is a good Denny, too.
Rated 16 Feb 2009
lennyneroLennyNero
Rated 14 Feb 2009
65
50th
Good cast, but the movie isn't as good as the novel. It needed to be much much darker.
Rated 14 Feb 2009
jokerxggJokerXgg
Rated 11 Feb 2009
20
12th
Terrible adaptation of such a brilliant book. Truly disappointed by this film seeing as the writers seem to forget every important detail about the book.
Rated 11 Feb 2009
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 30 Jan 2009
73
36th
I really enjoyed it as a comedy that's willing to push some boundaries, but it doesn't really go far beyond that.
Rated 30 Jan 2009
supergloosupergloo
Rated 28 Jan 2009
7
38th
Hardly perfect but it did keep me interested and it did make me laugh which is more than a lot of movies do nowadays.
Rated 28 Jan 2009
willxcorewillxcore
Rated 30 Dec 2008
77
45th
A passion project for Clark Greg although a bigger budget would have allowed him to better capture the spirit of the book. This plays more like a romantic comedy of sorts and is entertaining enough. The book however, as usual, is much better.
Rated 30 Dec 2008
teknicolorteknicolor
Rated 04 Oct 2008
82
80th
Another well-executed Palaniuk adaptation. Rockwell was a GREAT choice. The movie would have somehow been less without him.
Rated 04 Oct 2008
neil_millerNeil Miller
Rated 01 Oct 2008
85
86th
One of the funniest movies of the year. A really devious, fun, sexy experience.
Rated 01 Oct 2008
chouinardChouinard
Rated 28 Sep 2008
95
99th
I'm a biased Palahniuk fan, so I probably liked it more than others will. I had read the book years ago and completely forgot some of the twists. I can highly recommend this movie but I know it is not going to be for everyone.
Rated 28 Sep 2008
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 27 Sep 2008
2
13th
The end was kind of cool because of Reckoner.
Rated 27 Sep 2008
cinematicespCinematicESP
Rated 20 Sep 2008
91
90th
I loved it! Can't go wrong with Sam Rockwell. Much less raunchy and outrageous than the previews make it out to be. There's a lot more to it. The humor is amazing. Quite moving.
Rated 20 Sep 2008
weirdyodaweirdyoda
Rated 19 Sep 2008
84
73rd
Well executed Clark Gregg. Joel Grey as an addict rapist is some of the most inspired casting I've seen in a long time.
Rated 19 Sep 2008

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