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Kinnear and Dafoe help make this downward spiral of one man's life a compelling watch. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
A successful TV star during the 1960s, former "Hogan's Heroes" actor Bob Crane (Greg Kinnear) projects a wholesome family-man image, but this front masks his persona as a sex addict who records and photographs his many encounters with women, often with the help of his seedy friend, John Henry Carpenter (Willem Dafoe). This biographical drama reveals how Crane's double life takes its toll on him and his family, and ultimately contributes to his death.
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Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Some Drug Use|Strong Sexuality|Violence)
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Genre: Biography, Drama
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Original Language: English
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Director: Paul Schrader
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Producer: Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Todd Rosken, Pat Dollard, Alicia Allain
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Writer: Michael Gerbosi
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Release Date (Theaters): original
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Box Office (Gross USA): $2.1M
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics
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Production Co: Propaganda Films
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Sound Mix: Surround
Cast & Crew
News & Interviews for Auto Focus
Critic Reviews for Auto Focus
Audience Reviews for Auto Focus
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Watchable, but not recommendable.
flixster f Super Reviewer -
Paul Schrader's "Auto Focus" is shockingly bleak, abrupt, and offers virtually no catharsis. Never before have I seen a movie present such lurid subject matter with such an upbeat tone.
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Never before have I seen a movie present such lurid subject matter with such an upbeat tone -- excluding Todd Solondz's Happiness, that is. Paul Schrader is a man who certainly knows how to capture the darker points of life onscreen. Auto Focus and Affliction, the latter being a personal favorite of mine, are perfect examples of that. Schrader begins by showing us a character that has been a victim of circumstance, and then leads us down a path to despair as they are swallowed by their own sin. In the end, we cannot help but feel pity for them . Though Schrader is indifferent to the lead character, Bob Crane, it is clear that he loathes and holds a deep resentment for the sin that Crane commits. It is exactly that that makes Auto Focus such a good film, not to mention the wonderful performance from Greg Kinnear. There need to be more directors like Paul Schrader out there. Cinema does have a purpose, but, sadly, it is typically used to entertain audiences with either bad jokes, loud action, or both. I, for one, feel that cinema is a perfect way to warn the world of the dangers and temptations that lurk beneath the happy exterior, the dangers that lurk like characters in a David Lynch film. Cinema's number one purpose is for entertainment, yes, and I have no quarrels with that, but take a look at the world we live in. Look at the box office totals between Auto Focus and, say, Transformers. Surprised?
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This movie is the portarit of Bob Crane's degeneration from seemingly wholesome family man into a deplorable, disgusting condition. Because of his dual personas, many never knew the real man. The best aspect of the film may be its tone; the viewer actually feels Crane's decline, and the tone increases in melancholy. I found myself becoming depressed. Secondly, these are some of the best performances you'll see. The leads, Kinnear and Dafoe are stunningly realistic. Dafoe's Carpenter is needy, creepy, and slimy. Kinnear's Crane is charmingly likeable while just as sleazy and completely amoral. Kurt Fuller as Col. Klink is a riot, perfect casting. Its a study of addiction. Like any addict, Crane constantly announced plans to change but never made any effort. If he really meant to in the end, that's probably what got him killed. His obsession ruined his life and career. Director Paul Schrader may have made a faithful adaptation of the source book, but it left me wanting more of some things and less of others. It did have plenty of sleaze. Its a gloomy, unflinching film, and I recommend it to anyone willing to delve into the dark underbelly of success.
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