{{Short description|2005 American film by Van Fischer}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox film | name = Neo Ned | image = NeoNedDVDArtwork1.jpg | alt = | caption = Original DVD Artwork | director = Van Fischer | producer = {{Unbulleted list|David E. Allen|Mark Borman|Valerie McCaffrey}} | writer = Tim Boughn | starring = {{Unbulleted list|Jeremy Renner|Gabrielle Union|Sally Kirkland|Eddie Kaye Thomas|Ethan Suplee|Michael Cavanaugh|Michael Shamus Wiles|Richard Riehle|Giuseppe Andrews|Joanne Baron|Robert Peters|Steve Railsback|Cary Elwes|}} | music = {{Unbulleted list|Manish Raval|Tom Wolfe}} | cinematography = Chris Manley | editing = Bipasha Shom | studio = {{ubl|David E. Allen|Blue Raven Films|Mark Borman}} | distributor = {{ubl|Kismet Entainment Group|CodeBlack Entertainment|Vivendi Entertainment}} | released = {{Film date|2005|04|22}} | runtime = 97 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = }}

'''''Neo Ned''''' is a 2005 American film starring Jeremy Renner, Gabrielle Union, Sally Kirkland, Cary Elwes, Eddie Kaye Thomas, and Ethan Suplee. It was written by Tim Boughn and directed by Van Fischer.<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|title=Neo Ned|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/325670/Neo-Ned/overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071120050317/http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/325670/Neo-Ned/overview|url-status=dead|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=The New York Times|author=Josh Ralske|date=2007|archive-date=2007-11-20}}</ref>

==Synopsis== The film stars Jeremy Renner as Ned Nelson, a white power skinhead who ends up in a mental institution where he meets Rachael (Gabrielle Union), a black woman claiming to be the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler. The unlikely couple's hookup leads them down a shocking road to recovery.

==Cast== * Jeremy Renner as Edward "Ned" Nelson * Gabrielle Union as Rachael * Sally Kirkland as Shelly Nelson * Cary Elwes as Dr. Magnuson * Eddie Kaye Thomas as Joey * Ethan Suplee as Orderly Johnny * Giuseppe Andrews as Josh * Steve Railsback as Mr. Day * Richard Riehle as Officer Roy Pendleton * Michael Shamus Wiles as Lou "Luke" Nelson / Ned's Dad * Anthony Morgann as Social Worker

==Reception== Mark Olsen gave the film 3.5 out of five in his ''Los Angeles Times'' review, where he wrote, "It's a little rough around the edges, to be sure, but with such strong lead performances there is something irresistible in the film's audaciously straight-faced portrayal of such an unlikely relationship."<ref name=RT>{{cite web |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/neo_ned/ |title=Neo Ned article on Rotten Tomatoes |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=5 July 2012}}</ref> ''Variety'' reviewer John Anderson also reviewed the film favorably, writing, "Neo Ned may be ludicrous on paper, but it has what fans of independent film are looking for -- atmosphere, humanity and just a dash of fantastic drama."<ref name=RT/> ''Film Threat'' writer Mark Bell gave the film 4.5 out of 5, writing, "Never boring, never pretentious, never preachy, Neo Ned could find its place alongside some of the great independent romance films of all time, if enough people are able to catch a glimpse of it."<ref name=RT/>

The film's treatment of its subject matter and tone was criticized, with Jasmyne Keimig writing that "The disgust over Neo Ned is rightfully deserved. The movie carelessly throws around the n-word and other acts of violence for humor"<ref name=Keimig>{{cite web |url=https://www.thestranger.com/slog/2020/10/09/46734643/neo-ned-is-unstreamable |title=Neo Ned Is Unstreamable |last=Keimig |first=Jasmyne |date=October 9, 2020 |publisher=The Stranger |access-date=December 26, 2021}}</ref> and ''L.A. Weekly'' writer Matthew Duersten stating, "The problem lies in the film's inability to decide whether such loaded images are funny in a Farrelly Brothers/Dave Chapelle {{sic}} kind of way or if they mean something deeper."<ref name=RT/>

Gabrielle Union expressed dissatisfaction with her performance in this film over Twitter.<ref name=Keimig/>

==Awards== To date, the film has won 10 film awards, out of 10 total nominations.

===2005=== ;Slamdance Film Festival *Best Narrative Feature

===2006=== ;Ashland Independent Film Festival *Best Feature Film ;Newport Beach Film Festival *Outstanding Achievement in Directing, Van Fischer ;Palm Beach International Film Festival *Best Actor, Jeremy Renner *Best Actress, Gabrielle Union *Best Director, Van Fischer *Best Feature

;San Diego Film Festival<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdff.org/awardwinners.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703150152/http://www.sdff.org/awardwinners.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2007-07-03|title=san diego film festival 2007: award winners|date=2007-07-03|access-date=2019-09-23}}</ref>

*Best Screenplay - Tim Boughn *Audience Award - Best Narrative Feature ;Sarasota Film Festival *Best Narrative Feature

==Film release== After three years of festival screenings (from 2005's Tribeca Film Festival premiere to 2008's Suppository Films Reelblack Festival), the film premiered on Starz on August 19, 2008. It was picked up for distribution by CodeBlack Entertainment, which released the film on DVD on December 2, 2008.

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == *{{IMDb title|0364556|Neo Ned}}

Category:American independent films Category:Films about race and ethnicity Category:2005 films Category:Films about racism in the United States Category:Films about interracial romance Category:2005 English-language films Category:Skinhead films Category:2000s gang films Category:2005 independent films Category:2005 American films Category:English-language independent films Category:English-language crime films