By Eric Hillis, TheMovieWaffler.com
originally published: 05/26/2018
‘Punk’s not dead, it just smells that way!” So goes the old joke at the expense of that short-lived but impactful cultural movement that captured the imaginations of teenagers in the New York and London of 1977. Fifteen minutes into John Cameron Mitchell’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s short story we begin to get a whiff as pungent as the rotting corpse of Sid Vicious. This, folks, is a stinker!
Mitchell takes us back to the British capital in the summer of ‘77, one of those culturally pivotal years, much like 1963, when change is in the air and rubbish lies in the streets. Enn (Alex Sharp) is a snotty-nosed punk who hangs out with his obnoxious mates, penning a punk fanzine, attending sweaty gigs in basements, and of course, attempting and failing to get laid.
Enn’s luck changes when he finds himself at a party in a large squat that houses a mysterious tribe of latex garbed aliens, whom the lads dismiss as being from California due to their propensity for yoga and strange mantra warbling. One of the aliens, Zan, takes the form of a teenage girl (Elle Fanning), and wouldn’t you know, grubby little Enn is immediately smitten. Zan runs away from her fellow aliens and begins to explore Earth, or at least the town of Croydon, with the obliging Enn.
Mitchell came to prominence in the ‘90s with his stage musical and subsequent film, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and HTTTGAP plays largely like a musical that someone has edited out all the song and dance numbers. Characters often line up as though they’re about to break into a choreographed routine, and an embracing of the inherent campness of the musical genre would have made the cloying tweeness of Mitchell’s film somewhat more bearable.
Like a Monty Python skit that’s far too worried about ensuring the audience gets the joke, Mitchell’s take on Gaiman’s story goes out of its way to be odd, but in the most cynical and manufactured of fashion. “Isn’t this all just absolutely crazy?” the film practically screams in our ears at intervals. Err, no actually - it’s rather dull. Despite its barrage of color and microwavable weirdness, it’s a boil-in-the-bag cult movie with a cardboard aftertaste.
Mitchell’s cult clout has enabled him to rope in Hollywood stars of the magnitude of Fanning and Nicole Kidman, who delivers arguably the most embarrassing performance of her career as an aging punk queen - I’m not sure how you can be an aging punk in 1977, when the movement is barely a year old, but let’s not quibble. Elsewhere Ruth Wilson plays a rubberclad alien with an expression on her face that suggests she wants to bludgeon her agent.
Period recreation isn’t exactly HTTTGAP’s saving grace either, with very middle class actors unconvincing as working class oiks and the film taking place in an urban London so underpopulated it resembles the set of The Omega Man (in reality, the streets of 1977 London probably had more in common with Soylent Green).
What’s most irritating about Mitchell’s film is how it arrogantly expects us to embrace and root for its teenage male protagonist, simply because he’s a bit misunderstood and dopey eyed. Fanning’s innocent extra terrestrial is another example of the tired ‘born sexy yesterday’ trope, an Encino Man who’s willing to indulge in snogging and hand jobs. Were the teenage girls of ‘70s London so off-putting that an alien is the better option for a young man looking for love and a fumble?
How To Talk To Girls At Parties - 1 star out of 5
Directed by: John Cameron Mitchell; Starring: Alex Sharp, Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Ruth Wilson
About the author:
Eric Hillis is a film critic living in Sligo, Ireland who runs the website
TheMovieWaffler.com
Atonement
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Teaneck International Film Festival - Teaneck Cinemas
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Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 12:00pm
Teaneck International Film Festival - Temple Emeth
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EVENT PREVIEWS
Teaneck International Film Festival names first recipient of Sandi Klein Creative Woman in Film Award
(TEANECK, NJ) -- The Teaneck International Film Festival (TIFF) has named filmmaker Luchina Fisher the first recipient of the Sandi Klein Creative Woman in Film Award, a new annual honor celebrating an exceptional woman whose work reflects the creativity, curiosity, integrity and commitment to social impact that defined Klein's life and her nearly two decades with the festival. The award includes a $1,000 grant. Fisher will receive the inaugural award at the TIFF screening of her film, The Dads, on Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 2:30 pm at Teaneck Cinemas (503 Cedar Lane).
"Directors' Commentary" to have NJ Premiere at SModcastle Film Festival
(ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- After its world premiere at Dances With Films LA (DWFLA), one of the nation's leading indie film festivals, Directors' Commentary will have its New Jersey Premiere at SModcastle Film Festival, hosted by filmmaker Kevin Smith. The film will screen on Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 12:00pm.
Teaneck International Film Festival Names Katie Camosy Recipient of 2026 Emerging Filmmaker Activist Award for "Gaslit"
(TEANECK, NJ) -- The Teaneck International Film Festival (TIFF) and The Puffin Foundation have selected director Katie Camosy as the recipient of the 2nd Annual Emerging Filmmaker Activist Award for her documentary Gaslit. The award includes a $5,000 cash prize and trophy and recognizes emerging filmmakers whose work embodies TIFF's guiding theme, "Activism: Making Change."
James R. Halsey Foundation Student Film Showcase to Take Place November 12th
(TRENTON, NJ) -- The James R. Halsey Foundation of the Arts (JRH), a 501c3 non-profit agency dedicated to providing quality arts education and mentoring to youth in the City of Trenton and greater New Jersey area presents the 2026 Student Film Showcase. Taking place on November 12th at the New Jersey State Museum Auditorium from 5:00pm - 8:00pm, this event features three films, written, directed, and produced by students, as well as a documentary focused on raising awareness on men's mental health, featuring authentic student voices and professional interviews.
Count Basie Center for the Arts to Celebrate Centennial with an immersive re-enactment of its opening night
(RED BANK, NJ) -- Count Basie Center for the Arts will cap its Centennial Celebration with an immersive re-enactment of its opening night on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 6:00pm. Patrons can expect an immersive theatrical presentation from the moment they approach the venue – from 'stars' of the era arriving in classic cars, Gatsby-esque fashion and flair, an authentic speakeasy experience with custom, era-specific cocktails and mocktails, 1920s hot jazz and more.
Learn about producing films with "Producing 101: From Script to Set with The Gig Media"
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Interested in filmmaking? You can learn how to produce a film like a pro at "Producing 101: From Script to Set with The Gig Media" on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at Miraley Studios in Jersey City.
The Clairidge hosts Indie Film Showcase on November 21st
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- On Saturday, November 21, 2026, The Clairidge hosts a film showcase featuring three indie films - Wedding Night, Lady in the Mirror, and End of the Line: Brotherhood. Dive into three epic tales, one screen, and endless vibes at The Official Film Showcase. Showtime is 1:30pm.
