Learn English – Can someone explain this joke about the Primer movie

jokes

There is a question on the Science Fiction & Fantasy SE:

This request comes from a friend of mine…

She has not seen the movie, but only heard somebody describe it to her. Can anybody help my friend by identifying the story?

One of the comments is:

please note: identifying the movie may lead to your friend watching the movie, which may lead to your friend trying to figure out the movie, which is the opposite of helping.

Is it kind of a pun? Why is helping the friend identify the movie the opposite of helping? "Identifying the movie may lead to your friend watching the movie" seems very logical to me, it is exactly what she wants, isn't it?

I haven't watched this Primer, if it is important.

Best Answer

Wikipedia says of this movie that

Primer is of note for its extremely low budget, experimental plot structure, philosophical implications, and complex technical dialogue, which Carruth [the writer, producer, director and lead actor], a college graduate with a degree in mathematics and a former engineer, chose not to simplify for the sake of the audience.

The joke is that "trying to figure out" so complex a movie may not be helpful but harmful to the questioner's friend—as we say of difficult mental challenges, it may make her head explode! :)

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