🎯 Quick Overview

Trailer

Director: Mark Mann
Genre: Drama
Release year: 2013
Runtime (length): 1h 37min
IMDb rating: 3.9/10 (4.4K votes)
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A

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😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

Three lost souls steal a camera in NYC and prove that finding yourself might just involve a lot of sex, drugs, and standing around awkwardly.

🍿 Generation Um…: Detailed Plot Synopsis

A Day in the Life: Introduction to John, Mia, and Violet

Set against the backdrop of New York City, “Generation Um…” chronicles a single day in the lives of three disconnected individuals: John, Mia, and Violet. John is seemingly adrift, driving the two younger women around the city. Mia and Violet navigate their existence on the fringes, engaging in sex work and grappling with personal issues. The film establishes their routine, moving through various urban environments like bars and streets. Their interactions are often mundane, reflecting a sense of aimlessness and detachment. This initial phase of the film immerses the viewer in their seemingly directionless world.

The Catalyst: A Stolen Camera and Self-Reflection

The narrative takes a turn when John impulsively steals a video camera during a public event. This act becomes a catalyst, as he begins to film himself and, more significantly, Mia and Violet. Equipped with the camera, John starts asking the women questions, prompting them to open up about their pasts, fears, and hopes. This shift introduces a documentary-like element, providing glimpses into the emotional depth and vulnerabilities hidden beneath their hardened exteriors. The camera becomes a tool for introspection and a fragile bridge between them.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

If you plan to watch the movie first, watch here and come back to this section afterward.

See Spoilers and Ending

Confessions and Catharsis (Spoiler Alert)

The latter part of the film heavily features John interviewing Mia and Violet. These candid conversations, often raw and emotional, reveal traumatic childhood experiences and personal struggles that have shaped their present lives. Violet discusses past relationships and her need for connection, while Mia shares a particularly difficult memory involving her parents. Through these on-camera confessions, the characters confront aspects of themselves and their histories. The interviews serve as a form of catharsis, bringing their buried pain to the surface and fostering a tentative sense of understanding and trust between the trio. While their circumstances remain largely unchanged, there’s a subtle shift in their dynamic, hinting at a potential for future connection or self-awareness.

A Glimmer of Hope?

Following the intense interviews and navigating the events of the day, the film returns the characters to a similar state as the beginning, arriving back at an apartment. However, the experience of the day, particularly the vulnerability shared through the camera, has seemingly altered their internal states. The film’s end credits notably feature additional footage that some viewers interpret as more relaxed or even hopeful, showing the characters interacting in a less guarded manner. This suggests that despite their difficult lives and unresolved issues, the day has sparked a moment of genuine human connection and perhaps the faintest possibility of moving forward, though the overall ambiguity of their future remains.

🎬 Cast & Characters

John (Keanu Reeves): A driver and companion to two women living life on the fringe, who documents their day in New York City with a stolen camera.
Violet (Bojana Novakovic): One of John’s two beautiful cohorts living a life immersed in sex, drugs, and indecision.
Mia (Adelaide Clemens): One of John’s two companions navigating a day immersed in sex, drugs, and indecision in New York City.
Charles (Daniel Sunjata): A key supporting character involved in the day’s events experienced by John, Violet, and Mia.
Lily (Sarita Choudhury): A supporting character connected to the lives of John and his companions during their day.

💬 Memorable Quotes

John: “You just get to a point where your disappointment in yourself becomes so much bigger than your parent’s disappointment in you.” – John reflects on his state of life and feelings of failure.
Mia: “Just don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.” – Part of an exchange where Mia provocatively asserts her self-perception, prompting a response from John.
John: “I don’t hate you. I’m just confused.” – John’s response to Mia’s comment about not hating her for being beautiful, reflecting his characteristic emotional distance or apathy.
John: “And what you really are?” – John asks a probing question to one of the girls while filming, aiming to uncover deeper truths about their identities.
Violet: “Men are after power, while girls are after love.” – Violet shares her perspective on fundamental differences she perceives between men and women.

💰Box Office

Budget: $1,700,000
Domestic Gross: N/A
Worldwide Gross: N/A

💥 Generation Um… Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so this movie isn’t your typical Keanu action flick, or really a typical *anything*. I went in expecting something more conventional, and yeah, the first bit felt really slow and kinda confusing. It’s shot rough, the sound isn’t always great, and sometimes literally nothing is happening on screen. But weirdly, that’s what made it work for me after a while. It felt less like a movie and more like I was just hanging out with these three people for a day, seeing their messy, unglamorous reality. I loved the scenes where they started talking into the stolen camera; it felt so raw and vulnerable, like you were getting a peek behind the curtain of people the world usually ignores. It’s definitely not ‘entertaining’ in the blockbuster sense, but it stuck with me because of how real it felt.

Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of independent and art house cinema”
- “Viewers interested in character-driven psychological dramas”
- “Keanu Reeves completists”
- “Films exploring themes of loneliness, aimlessness, and urban life”
Content warnings ⚠:
- “Explicit language”
- “Drug use”
- “Sexual content (including nudity and discussion of sex work)”
- “Mature themes (including trauma and despair)”

Professional Reviews

Indie Film Critic Weekly: “”Generation Um…” is a frustratingly aimless exercise in low-fi drama. What attempts to be a raw look at fringe life in NYC comes across as tedious and pointless. The handheld camera work adds to the discomfort, not the authenticity. Even Keanu Reeves seems lost, delivering a performance as vacant as the film’s plot.
The Arthouse Advocate: “Mark Mann’s “Generation Um…” is not for the impatient, but rewards those willing to sink into its vérité style. This intimate character study captures the quiet desperation and fleeting connections of three individuals adrift in New York. Reeves anchors the film with a subtle, understated performance, allowing his co-stars to shine in moments of raw, unscripted-feeling honesty. A haunting, authentic experience.

Audience Reactions

Viewers praised the movie’s raw, authentic portrayal of marginalized lives in NYC.: Many who enjoyed it appreciated the film’s non-traditional, character-driven approach and felt it offered unexpected depth, while detractors found it incredibly boring and pointless.

Overall Consensus: A highly polarizing art-house drama; praised by some for its raw authenticity and character study, but widely criticized by others as slow, boring, and lacking a discernible plot.

Awards

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🛠️ Behind the Scenes

“Shots of Keanu Reeves that circulated online, appearing to show him stealing a camera and running from paparazzi, were actually staged scenes from this movie and not real candid moments.”

🖥️ How to Watch Generation Um…?

As a niche independent film from 2013, “Generation Um…” may have limited availability on standard streaming services. Check platforms like Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, and Google Play for options to rent or purchase. Availability can vary by region and time, so explore these major digital storefronts for current access.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Generation Um…, you might like these similar films:

Lost in Translation (2003): Shares an atmospheric, character-driven focus on feelings of loneliness and introspection experienced by disconnected individuals in a foreign urban environment.
Midnight Cowboy (1969): Depicts gritty urban life and focuses on characters living on the fringes of society, searching for meaning and human connection in New York City.
My Own Private Idaho (1991): Features Keanu Reeves and explores similar themes of searching for identity, dealing with loneliness, and finding makeshift connections among characters living unconventional lives.
Frances Ha (2012): A modern independent film that focuses on a young woman navigating friendships, career uncertainty, and life in New York City with a raw, character-study approach.

🛒 Generation Um… Related Products

Generation Um… [Blu-ray]: Own the provocative indie film starring Keanu Reeves in stunning high definition. Features include the full movie presentation.
Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Instant Camera: Capture your own raw, unfiltered moments. This easy-to-use instant camera brings a tactile, in-the-moment feel to photography.
Humans of New York: A bestselling book capturing the diverse, often raw, and deeply human stories of people living in New York City through powerful photographs and brief interviews.
Keanu Reeves ‘Whoa’ T-Shirt: Show your appreciation for the iconic actor with a casual t-shirt featuring his famous catchphrase.

🎧 Soundtrack

Generation Um… features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

“My Song” – performed by Riliwan Salam Ril Good, Philip Gomes Rated PG, & Brandon Smith B-Smith

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

What is Generation Um… about?

“Generation Um…” is a drama film following three individuals, John, Mia, and Violet, over a single day in New York City. It explores their lives on the fringe, filled with sex, drugs, and indecision, and features John using a stolen camera to document and prompt confessions from the two women.

Is Generation Um… a good movie?

Critical and audience reception for “Generation Um…” is highly polarized. It holds a very low aggregate user rating (around 3.9/10). Many viewers found it boring, plotless, and difficult to watch, while others praised it as a realistic, subtle, and deeply psychological art house film exploring loneliness and human connection.

Who is in the cast of Generation Um…?

The main cast of “Generation Um…” includes Keanu Reeves as John, Bojana Novakovic as Violet, and Adelaide Clemens as Mia. The film primarily focuses on the interactions between these three characters.

What is Keanu Reeves’ role in Generation Um…?

Keanu Reeves plays John, a driver for Mia and Violet. His character is central to the film’s structure, particularly after he steals a camera and begins documenting their lives and facilitating their personal confessions.

Where can I watch Generation Um…?

“Generation Um…” is available for rent or purchase on various digital platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Vudu, and Google Play. Availability may vary depending on your location.

🔥 Bonus Content

“Generation Um…” Premiere BTS with Keanu Reeves, Bojana Novakovic, Adelaide Clemens

Ever wondered what it’s like behind the scenes at a movie premiere? Take a quick peek at the red carpet buzz for ‘Generation Um…’ with Keanu Reeves and the cast – getting a glimpse of the event feels pretty cool!

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