The Brown Bunny

Plot

Professional motorcycle racer Bud Clay heads from New Hampshire to California to race again. Along the way he meets various needy women who provide him with the cure to his own loneliness, but only a certain woman from his past will truly satisfy him.

Release Year: 2003

Rating: 5.0/10 (8,054 voted)

Critic's Score: 51/100

Director:
Vincent Gallo

Stars: Vincent Gallo, Chloë Sevigny, Cheryl Tiegs

Storyline
It's the story of one man. His name's Bud Clay, and he races motorcycles. He rides in the 250cc Formula II class of road racing. Around and around he goes, repeating laps over and over until the race is over. The story begins with Bud racing in New Hampshire. His next race is in California in five days, and so his cross-country journey begins. Every day, Bud is haunted by the same memories of the last time he saw his true love. He will do anything to make those memories disappear, and every day he tries to find a new love, making outrageous requests of women to come with him on his trip and then leaving them behind after they've agreed. He can't replace Daisy, the only woman he's ever loved and the only woman he will ever love, but every day he tries

Cast:

Vincent Gallo
–

Bud Clay

Chloë Sevigny
–

Daisy

(as Chloe Sevigny)

Cheryl Tiegs
–

Lilly

Elizabeth Blake
–

Rose

Anna Vareschi
–

Violet

Mary Morasky
–

Mrs. Lemon

Release Date: 14 November 2003

Filming Locations: Best Western Inn – 6141 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $10,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $50,601
(USA)
(29 August 2004)
(3 Screens)

Gross: $365,734
(USA)
(5 December 2004)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min
 |
Canada: 90 min
(Toronto International Film Festival)
 |
France: 119 min
(Cannes Film Festival)

Did You Know?

Trivia:

The opening scene of Gallo driving was originally almost 20 minutes of him just driving until it was cut down because it was too long.

Goofs:

Errors in geography:
When driving through St. Louis, it shows him crossing the Mississippi River from Illinois to Missouri via the Poplar Street Bridge. Soon after, he's shown driving on Hwy 40 through Saint Louis, but in the opposite direction. He's actually traveling back towards the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.

Quotes:

[first lines]

[Bud walks up to a young woman, working behind the counter in a gas station store]

Bud Clay:
Hi.

Violet:
Hello… Did you just come from the race track?

Bud Clay:
Mmhm.

Violet:
Did you win?

Bud Clay:
No.

Violet:
Oh.

Bud Clay:
How much is this?

Violet:
$2… Will you be racing again?
[…]

User Review

HAUNTING!

Rating:


I saw The Brown Bunny today at 12:20 at the Chelsea Cinemas in
Manhattan. There were about ten other people in the audience.

When the film ended and the lights abruptly came back on, nobody moved.

I think we were somewhat dazed. I cannot discuss this film in terms of
liking or disliking it, because those feelings just do not even apply.
I was left haunted by the filmmaker's ability to bring me into his world
of despair, regret, and loneliness. There was not a lot of dialogue yet
the actor was able to still give “Bud” a truthful inner life. I am not
a hip young person. I am a 57 year old retired schoolteacher.

Vincent Gallo brought to the screen some universal emotions, which exist
regardless of one's personal life experiences. I applaud his efforts
and I am glad I saw his film.