Being There

Jerzy Kosinski's modern fable gets a terrific translation to the screen due to his tight screenplay, capable direction by Ashby, and a marvelous performance by Sellers, one unlike any other in his career.

Being There finds humor in the way Sellers becomes a blank screen on which people project their expectations. But it also finds value in his simplicity, which might seem like a lot of New Age hokum if not for Sellers' disarmingly quiet performance.

Being There is a highly unusual and an unusually fine film. A faithful but nonetheless imaginative adaptation of Jerzy Kosinski's quirky comic novel, pic marks a significant achievement for director Hal Ashby and represents Peter Sellers' most smashing work since the mid-1960s.

A placid, poignant, well-kept secret of a movie.

Here is a comedy that valiantly defies both gravity and the latest Hollywood fashion.

The director, Hal Ashby, has affected a restrained, understated style to match the subtlety and precision of Sellers's performance. No one seems to know what to do with the allegorical undertone of Jerzy Kosinski's script, but as a whole this 1979 film maintains a fine level of wit, sophistication, and insight.

Sellers's performance—as the innocent neuter figure who rises accidentally to political power on the strength of vacant homilies—is remarkable. But Ashby's direction is marred by the same softness that made The Last Detail and Coming Home so morally bland.

I remember seeing this when it came out in 79. Peter Sellers was a hit with comedies so a serious role was quite a change.

This is a very quirky and quite subtle film. Its a comedy of sorts - definitely a very dry comedy, not a visual, big belly laugh type of a comedy but I enjoyed it for being something a little different. Sellers does well portraying a slightly confused and unsure person, someone is just...well, being there, although he is also seemingly quite knowledgable, someone who it appears knows more than perhaps he realises himself. The plot is, I think its fair to say, somewhat hard to believe but I found it amusing in terms of knowing more, as a viewer, of Chance's situation as depicted at the start of the film, so seeing people misinterpret him was certainly amusing. There is a definite element of social awkwardness present, often in relation to the upper social classes, which I found amusing. I liked this film and I'd recommend it to others, as something a little different. It has a surreal feel about it. I'd also say its a relatively memorable film as well.

Easily the crown jewel in the many-ornamented crown that is Peter Sellers' career, Hal Ashby's "Being There" is one of those incredibly subtle acts of ironical dance-work that honestly puts a lot into perspective for you the viewer. Using the film's severely psychologically disabled protagonist as both a means to confirm and challenge the eccentricities of the American public, it's almost as if this movie is supposed to act as a blistering hot satire, a tender and sensitive drama, and a thematically enriching Rorschach test all in one. It's honestly one of those movies that's too intricate and sophisticated to try and break down. So check it out for yourself. There'll surely be something about the film you won't regret witnessing.

Watching this film again after so long was really interesting. I got much more of the humour in it than I did before when I watched it so long ago. However, I don't understand the ending in any way. Because it ends with an impossibility. And while I get the point is life is the state of mind, there seem to be so many holes in the arguement that they want to present. But that's only because of the ending. Before that, it makes great sense. It's awesome. Of course, someone like him would be regarded as the new president because politics is such a sham anyway. It's theatre. So it's a great film in that regard. But the ending doesn't make sense with everything else that the film presented. So it's great except for the ending. Amusing perhaps but impossible. He isn't a god. He's just a man. So walking on water is a really stupid ending for what is ultimately a really interesting film. I wish it ended more grounded which would make a lot more sense under the circumstances. I don't know what type of ending that would be, but it isn't the one that it ends with in the end.