Choke is an adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's novel about Victor Mancini (Sam Rockwell) who works as a historical re-enactor to pay for his mothers (Angelica Huston)constant care payments. He is also a sex addict who goes to self help meeting with very little success. But probably the most peculiar thing Victor Mancini does is when he goes into restaurants and makes himself choke so that he can get close to the people who save him. At his mother's facility he meets a young doctor (Paige Marshall) who he sees as more than just a random sexual conquest.Choke could almost be called a sex comedy if Victor was such a sad character. You get to see how his mother screwed him up so that he his the flawed adult that he is today. The film continually cuts to flashbacks that give you insight into why he's so messed up. The story, while intriguing at first, is a big letdown as the movie progresses. I never read the novel so I have no idea how faithful the film is to its source material, even though I can't imagine reading a novel that read like this movie. The acting is average with most characters being a long list of parodies from the movie stereotype handbook. The best friend, his girlfriend, the mother. The only really interesting character besides Victor is Dr. Marshall.
Overall I think I goty my hopes to high for Choke. It read like it was going to be a weird masterpiece but ended up being more sad than anything, but trying to be lighthearted all at the same time. Choke doesn't get the balance and fails. It's still and interesting film, just not a masterpiece. Unless a cult emerges (which is always possible) Choke will probably be forgotten in the next five years.
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