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It's not everyday you get to see a film about a hairy girl and man raised as an ape falling in love and living in the jungle, but it's just what you might expect from Charlie Kaufman, best known for writing the screenplay for "Being John Malkovich."
I’m simplifying, of course, the plot of Kaufman's latest script, "Human Nature" is much more convoluted. Directed by French music video director Michel Gondry, the comedy asks the question; What would man choose if he had a choice, to be in nature or civilization? You'll have to watch the film to get the answer.
At 12-years-old Lila (Patricia Arquette) discovers that she is plagued by a hormonal condition that causes hair to sprout all over her body. We're not talking fine, blond hairs, but instead long, coarse, ape-like hair, which her mother tells her will curse the rest of her life. Told out of sequence, the story follows Lila as she struggles to come to terms with her ungainly hair. At first she shaves it then she embraces it, running into the woods and writing a series of "I am woman, hear me roar"-type books. However, the longing for love causes Lila to emerge from the wilderness and try to tame her wild side.
Nathan (Tim Robbins), a 30-plus virgin with a penchant for table manners, is at first the perfect boyfriend, but his fear of nature and anything without rules spells inevitable chaos for the pair. The couple's disagreement regarding nature vs. civilization is embodied in the character of Puff (Rhys Ifans), a wild man raised as an ape the couple happen upon while hiking in the woods. Nathan at once wants to try use him as a lab rat, literally, shocking him into civilization. Lila, disagrees, but true to her new role as Nathan's subservient girlfriend, she keeps quiet.
It's not rocket science to guess what happens, but the script's tongue-in-cheek attitude makes it fun to watch all the same. While "Human Nature" isn't as brilliant or engrossing as "Being John Malkovich," it's still refreshing story telling -- nicely punctured with a surprise musical number straight out of "Snow White."
Arquette does a great job with the role, and she gets extra kudos for her boldness, strolling through much of the picture wearing nothing but faux hair pieces on much of her body. Likewise, Ifans steals the movie once his story is brought in, giving an over-the-top performance which gives the film most of its laughs.
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