Watch Hi, Mom!

Hi, Mom! is a 1970 American comedy-drama film directed by Brian De Palma, starring Robert De Niro, Allen Garfield, and Lara Parker. It is a sequel to De Palma's 1968 film Greetings. The film follows the exploits of Vietnam veteran Jon Rubin (played by De Niro), who returns to New York City and seeks to make a name for himself as a filmmaker. The movie is presented as a series of segments that Jon videotapes for a project called "Be Black, Baby," which aims to show white people what it's like to be black. To do this, Jon hires a group of black actors to act out various scenarios, including interviews with white people on the street and a staged riot at a police station.

As Jon gets deeper into his project, he becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea of creating "living theater" – a form of performance art that blurs the line between reality and fiction. He begins to manipulate his actors and use hidden cameras to capture their reactions to staged situations, including a scene where a woman removes her clothes and tries to seduce one of the actors.

Meanwhile, Jon finds himself drawn to a woman named Jeannie (played by Parker) who lives in his building. Jeannie is an aspiring actress who is also involved in the "Be Black, Baby" project, and Jon becomes infatuated with her. However, their relationship becomes strained when Jeannie discovers Jon's hidden cameras and confronts him about his manipulative behavior.

The film builds to a climactic scene where the "Be Black, Baby" project is finally unveiled to a group of investors. However, the presentation goes awry when the black actors rebel against Jon's direction and stage a violent protest that ends in chaos.

Hi, Mom! is a satirical and provocative film that explores issues of race, identity, and power. De Niro gives a standout performance as Jon Rubin, capturing the character's intense ambition and inner turmoil. Garfield is also notable as the sleazy film producer who hires Jon to shoot pornographic films.

The film is notable for its innovative use of split-screen and documentary-style footage, which give the impression of watching multiple events unfold simultaneously. It also features several surreal sequences, including a dream sequence where Jon imagines himself as a God-like figure presiding over the chaos of the city.

Overall, Hi, Mom! is an ambitious and daring film that defies easy categorization. It is both a comedy and a drama, a satire and a social commentary. Its themes are as relevant today as they were in 1970, and it remains a fascinating and challenging work of art.

Hi, Mom! is a 1970 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 27 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.1.