Eraserhead is a movie about an awkward man named Henry who reconnects with his lost lover Mary over a lovely dinner of small chickens. They’re the same as the big chickens except for small. After finding out the shocking news that Mary has given birth to Henry’s child, the two get hitched and strap in for the slow steady life of a settled family. The baby soon causes turmoil in the young couple’s life and Henry must learn what fatherhood truly means in the depths of the sleepless nights and constant screaming. There’s some other stuff that happens but honestly I don’t know what any of it means.

Eraserhead is one of those movies that I want to like more than I do. The whole time I’m watching it I’m sitting there thinking to myself “Yes! This is so unique and thought-provoking. I’m so glad art like this exists! …how much longer is left of this movie? I found myself checking the runtime at several points hoping it was almost over only to realize only 15 minutes had passed by. However, to this movie’s credit, it truly is a spectacle. Many have likened this movie to what experiencing a nightmare or a strange dream feels like. Time moves awkwardly slow, a low hum and sharp static hang over most of the scenes, and even the mere movements of the characters feel so off. If you are going into this movie expecting to understand it or get the message, you may be disappointed to find that there may not even be one. Though despite Lynches ethereal style of movie making I still feel like I caught themes of the stress of marriage and fatherhood, dealing with overbearing prudish in-laws, and the horror that is whatever newborns simply are. As a father of a small baby myself, I felt an attachment to the small creature that they attempted to pass off as a premature child, and the sheer fragility of an infant felt close to home for me. This movie pulled off the exact feat it was going for. It made me feel something. Even if that something was an eerie, stilted, boring, nervous feeling, at least its something. I said a lot of negative things but in reality I actually do find value and even enjoyment in this movie in a weird kind of way.

Score 7/10