A group of Los Angeles teenagers meet every day at their local diner hangout to discus their latest misadventures with their miserable lives.

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Serpentijn from Belgium
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When I rented this film, I was not aware that it was hard to get. I thought it hadn't released in the cinema in Belgium because it was too dark and had simple ended up in a dim corner of the rental place. I didn't have too high expectations. Afterwards I checked for user comments here and felt people were being a bit too harsh. It is true that impact is a little bit lost sometimes because it's hard to relate with the characters. It's hard to admit for anyone that they've asked out a 'friend' sometimes just for accompaniment and self-gratification like the characters seem to do in this film. But I'm a 100 % sure that everyone has done it at least once in their life. This film is hard to watch cause it takes this very aspect of relationships and puts in under a magnifying glass. I even had to interrupt watching it, cause the brutality was making me nervous. I think the film is good in the way that it had it's desired effect. It's not your cup of tea if you want to watch something entertaining, something fun with your friends. Acting is very interesting. Because it mainly plays in the same room and the film is in black and white attention is focused on the words, and even more on the gestures and facial expressions of the characters. It's worth watching if you want to watch something that's not main stream. I hope I've helped constructing the right expectations for this film.

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Costigan_Corleone_Bickle from Canada
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This unseen, micro-budget ensemble piece has been swept under the rug, partially for justifiable reasons. Apparently, there was a dispute involving rights to the film between the director and some of the actors. Although it was filmed before Titanic (1997), its limited release took place four years later. The movie shows a side of Mr. DiCaprio that he didn't want people to see, and to this day he says that he's embarrassed about the whole thing.

I can understand where he's coming from, but I do think he's underestimating his work here. The dialogue in the film is almost entirely improvised, and his performance is the sharpest and most full-bodied out of everyone. That's not to say the rest of the acting isn't phenomenal. It is. This is one hell of a movie.

The story revolves around four male friends (Leonardo DiCaprio, a squeaky-voiced Tobey Maguire, Scott Bloom and Kevin Connolly). The four buddies have a tradition of meeting up at a crummy diner (Don's Plum) every week, and they're all supposed to bring a girl with them. Once there, they discuss the mishaps of their lives and exchange vulgar but humorous anecdotes.

Maguire's character brings an attractive girl named Juliet (Meadow Sisto), who he met at an acid jazz club. Scott Bloom's character, an introspective bisexual, brings a woman he has been sleeping with (Jenny Lewis), and Connolly's character brings a hippie hitchhiker. DiCaprio doesn't luck out with the ladies on this particular night, and struts into the diner alone. When his friends ask him why he doesn't have a date, he says that he had a great situation with two bisexual girls, but it didn't work out.

"In other words you were beating off," Jeremy (Kevin Connolly) says.

The group consists of middle-class kids in their twenties, and they don't seem to care much about tact or manners. They discuss masturbation, drugs, and personal experiences in a shameless amount of detail. The editing is frequent and jumpy, and the film is shot in hazy black-and-white. For a large portion of the film, it seems as if we'll just be listening to these people talking about whatever comes to mind.

That's fine by us. The movie has an enigmatic sense of voyeurism to it. The sheer reality of the dialogue feels too powerful to merely be acting. These young adults aren't just spewing out offensive tirades, however. They're making subtle and often very insightful statements about themselves, and sometimes even about humanity as a whole.

Things get consistently more interesting. Derek (DiCaprio) is somewhat of a punk, and at one point he begins laughing loudly at an overweight woman who walks by. Jeremy's date doesn't seem to approve, so she tells him that he doesn't have the right to talk about another person that way. He begins viciously cursing her out until she runs out of the restaurant in tears. He excuses himself by saying "it's just the way I am". He continues his verbally aggressive assaults for the entire film, insulting friends and strangers alike with merciless incessancy. The group discusses what they have and haven't done, and what traits about each other are most unappealing. They exchange flirtatious glances, and a lesbian friend of Jenny Lewis' character arrives onto the scene.

The dialogue remains lively and real, and there are fantastic cut-scenes where the characters talk to themselves in the reflection of a grimy restroom mirror. These are some of the most touching and utterly human moments in the entire film. They don't only recite dark proclamations. They make silly faces, they sing and they scold themselves for trivial screw-ups.

The film switches tone consistently, exploring almost every emotion in the human spectrum. Towards the conclusion, there is a heavy overtone of darkness. Derek becomes very somber and very distant, and we learn that his father committed suicide as a result of constant conflict with his mom. He leaves the table, and one of the girls goes to try and comfort him. He becomes violent and mean, and in one scene DiCaprio manages to sum up the character's inner struggle without being obvious or blatant. His spite towards women has turned him into a bully, and he sees them as objects rather than people.

There's an explosion of violence followed by a forgiving embrace. That moment in itself is a crushing piece of humanity on film. We're not watching characters hug. We're seeing two men make amends, and it's beautiful. In the end, the group walks away smiling and laughing. Don's Plum isn't the trivial piece of garbage that it's made out to be. It's about the ultimate lack of meaning that exists in a group like these people. Almost everything that can happen to them happens on this night, and none of it amounts to anything. It's about failed relationships, unfilled voids and the brutal truth of modern-day youths. It's vulgar, the structure is practically nonexistent, but the content is as honest as films get.

This story struck a chord with me. Being a huge fan of Leonardo DiCaprio's work, I was astonished to see him top himself with this deep, enraged and captivating piece of acting. He's got a look about him and a way of delivering lines that's undoubtedly special, and I still stand by the belief that he is one of the greatest actors to ever grace the screen.

Many people may be offended by this film, and many more might not want to provide the patience it requires. However, I'm not afraid to admit that it's a personal favorite. If you can get your hands on it, give it a chance. You may be as taken aback by its reality as I was.

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gen_bj from Australia
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If you like naturalistic films, then this film is for you. If you are mesmerised by smoke rising from your cigarette, then this film is for you. Hell, if you appreciate independent film, then there is no point in excluding this one.

Headed by a talented young cast including some of the most famous male actors of Generation X, do not expect the typical mindless American mash that fills up the majority of the shelving space in our video stores. Notably, Leonardo Di Caprio and Tobey Maguire accomplish creating characters that are polar to the characters the audience has come so use to seeing them play. These are in no way the finest performances of the cast so far, but the characters are sharp, interesting and well executed.

Don's Plum contains a hypnotic plot that is completely absent of seen-before action sequences and predictable twists. It is a simple story of a group of friends, the issues that they have had, are having and will have in time to come. The themes brought up throughout the film are relevant to every posse - homosexuality, comradeship, loyalty, ethics, morals, tolerance etc. Most importantly, the viewer is encouraged to arrive at a point of self reflection, as the characters so frequently do in the toilet mirror throughout the film.

Shot in black and white, the emotion of the actors is intensified almost dissolving the other physical elements of the film into insignificance. The acting is unconstrained, even impulsive at times, blurring the line between the character and the actor playing them. The use of sound and music is cleverly executed, with silence and the effect it can have when arriving upon a group of people, playing a major role. The other elements in the film are nowhere near a breakthrough, but are overall appropriate.

If you want to feel motivated to stay in touch with friends or if a favourite of yours is in the cast, get off the couch and watch it. Even if these don't apply to you, there is no harm in checking it out to roast some appreciation of the cast and crew's efforts in a unblemished independent film.

Don't press stop as soon as the credits appear...

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dancingmufun_sama from United States, Wisconsin
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This movie isn't the most incredible thing in the world, but it's really entertaining to witness just how insane Leonardo DiCaprio and Toby Maguire are. I am a HUGE Jenny Lewis fan, so I was super excited to watch her, and she has a fairly large role (one that includes making out with Leo).

If you want to watch it just for Amber Benson, I'm sorry to say she only appears for about 3 minutes, so don't bother.

Check it out if you have a thing for black and white movies about people dealing with their "issues", or if you care to see Leonardo act like an idiot in fake hillbilly teeth.

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shambolism from Australia
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Don's Plum. The first time I heard the name, and about the controversy surrounding it, especially with DiCaprio and Macguire, I thought it was a gay romance. On watching it however, I found it to be an interesting, insightful and sometimes confusing bit of film making. Some of the characters are very well portrayed, with their own quirks, and it was the first movie I'd where Leo actually acts. His character, Derek, is not a cute, romantic, retarded guy. He's an annoying, selfish try-hard that seeks attention from the group by whatever means necessary. Ian, Toby's character, is fantastic. He's like a kid with ADD, and for all we know, he does. He's a pacifist, a non-conformer and he's slightly out of it. Macguire does an awesome job with Ian, and it was nice to see a different character from him, other than a wishy-washy pussy-whipped wimp like in Pleasantville or Cider House Rules, or a try-hard super-hero like in Spiderman. The female stars by far outshine their male counterparts. Jenny Lewis is amazing as the dope-addicted Sarah. She brings out a real sense of pathos, though her script needed some work. Amber Benson role as Amy is small, and the only reason Amy is there is to show how much of an arsehole Derek is. The movie is a good sample of what can happen with experimental film. The idea works very well and the small soliloquies in the bathroom are just great. The editing is a bit choppy in some places, and the sound mix could be better, but overall I was very satisfied with the end product. Why Leo and Toby wanted the distribution of the Plum to be suppressed is beyond me.

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Richard van Santen (erichie@xs4all.nl) from Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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SPOILERS AHEAD

I completely missed the discussion about this movie being 'banned' from the theaters in the US. I don't think it's a big loss though. There's just too many Big Topics in this movie to be dealt with in 96 minutes. At least for this director and/or his team of writers. Stories and confessions that are supposed to have a lot of impact, just fall flat. And before you know it there was another member of the cast sharing a terrible secret. In the end I just went: 'Oh dear, so your father killed himself. Bad luck, bro...'

The acting was interesting though. I've never been a Leo fan and that didn't change after seeing Don's Plum. But I thoroughly enjoyed Toby Maguire as a total wacko. Meadow Sisto was very convincing too, although her character was rather dull.

The gimmick with the bathroom mirrors worked well in the beginning. But the novelty wore off rather quickly and it soon turned into nothing more than that: a gimmick. And of course it matters a lot who's in front of the mirror. Some of the performances (like the 'Okay, so I was abused!' scene or the 'hurt hippie' sequence) were just pathetic.

I'd say see it if you're a fan of one or more of the cast members. But don't go out of your way to get hold of it. It's just not a good movie.

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TyTanner from Australia
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Remarkably, but at the same time not surprisingly, my critique is just the thirteenth review on IMDb of Don's Plum.

Shot in six days but over a span of two years, this black and white low-budget drama has been the subject of litigation in America.

Briefly summarised, actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, stars in this film along with an ensemble cast, sought to prevent the film's release by claiming it wasn't intended to be viewed as a big-screen movie, rather it was done as a favour for a friend for an acting exercise.

Two law-suits later, one by the producer David Stutman and the other by John Schindler (who both claimed DiCaprio and Maguire intentionally interfered with the distribution of the movie) and this film can not be shown commercially in the US or Canada, but it was released everywhere else.

So it's fair enough why such a movie has little recognition.

But it is also puzzling why there aren't more evaluations of this title considering in this day and age you can download movies with the press of a button, and also because the movie features two of Hollywood's highest-grossing actors of all time.

Independently filmed in the mid-90s but not released until 2001 (because of the law-suits), Don's Plum is a hidden gem. Shot in a similar fashion to that of Swingers (starring Vince Vaughn, 1996), Don's Plum has a type of raw energy that needs to be seen in order to be appreciated.

Shot almost exclusively in a Los Angeles diner (no prizes for guessing the name of the diner), you could be pardoned for thinking this black and white 90-minute feature might fail to keep you engrossed in the story-line.

But you should think twice, because captivated you will be.

Centred around a group of four twenty-something-year-old friends who attempt to lure girls to join them down at Don's Plum each Saturday night, the dialogue, topics of conversation, raw passion and events that arise over coffee and fries are authentic and vivid portrayals of the human condition.

Each character has a unique personality and all execute classic performances of obnoxious, smart aleck, attention-seeking, but sensitive, vulnerable and innocent youths shouldering issues and struggles which make life and our subsequent social behaviour so fascinating to watch and scrutinise.

The other minor characters whom come and go during the duration of the film add further depth and potency, as does the retro-style soundtrack.

Throughout the film, we witness cuts to the diverse but comparable characters' retreats to the diner's bathroom where each initiates conversation amongst themselves in the mirror, reflecting (pun intended) on their own plights, qualities and thoughts about what is going on.

This offers not only a break from the continuous conversation and bantering around the table, but an insight in to the characters' own lives too.

Dialogue (largely improvised) with obscene language about sex, masturbation, drugs and family problems amongst a group of juveniles is surprisingly and extremely compelling and perceptive; a great credit to each of the characters.

It would be my recommendation for you to find a copy of this film to view just how good some independent and low-budget features can be.

It may even be beneficial that this film has little acknowledgement as that means only the people willing to search for this feature will have the privilege of witnessing its quality.

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majajelepoime from Serbia and Montenegro
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I've just seen this movie and I figured out that I missed a lot cause I didn't watch it earlier. Movie is fantastic. I can't believe this is an movie made in U.S. Actually, this movie is a pure piece of art. It is so realistic and brutal and made with kind of "fake documentary" camera that it will just blow your mind. Black and white technique gives more reality looking of this story. I don't know why this movie is banned in U.S. and Canada but if you are looking for pure drama and excellent acting, this is movie on the list you must see. Brilliant acting of Leonardo and all of the others. I've never hear for name of this director but I am sure that he is such a big artist. I warm recommend Don's Plum to everyone who is over 15 years and who makes different between "art and soap". I like it.

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plury from L.A.
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Rather dull film overall. It was a stretch to turn this short shot in 1996 into a feature length film, but still interesting to see some of Hollywood's hot young stars improvising in low budget cinema before they were the mega stars that they are today (notably leo pre titanic and toby pre spiderman).

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Leila Cherradi from Belgium
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Though I didn't like every single minute, especially the beginning, the actors were outstanding with authenticity. And the exposed themes were wonderful! It is the opposite of what we usually get from America. But it is a true art movie. I could see myself having those kind of conversations when I was young. It is really good, but unflattering. And if the story of stopping this movie is true, that is very very very sad. But the joy is, for someone who seeks the truth, nothing can stop it, no dollars, no fame, no lawyers, no anything.

I am very interested in Leo DiCaprio's journey as he represents many many aspects of the contemporary human being mental struggles. And I wish he reads these things here sometimes, or on Youtube too, and if he does, I wish to tell him : boy, nothing's better than the truth. You are good without all the appearance efforts. Would you let us see you as you really are?

teenager|diner|low budget film|saturday night|talking to one's self in a mirror|mirror|men's bathroom|fight|after hours club|female producer|film producer|aspiring actor|male g spot|g spot|sex|cruelty|masturbation|reference to nirvana|overweight female|african american|black american|mechanic|smashing a jeep with a baseball bat|baseball bat|jeep|female hitchhiker|hitchhiker|waitress|cabaret|slang|improvisation|abuse|french fries|coffee|ensemble cast|friend|nudity|los angeles california|group of friends|friendship|two word title|vegetarian|male nudity|lesbian kiss|bisexual|independent film|

AKAs Titles:


Certifications:
Australia:MA / Germany:12 / Netherlands:16 / Spain:13