Hey folks, Harry here... Moriarty sings this movie's praises - until he was told that he wasn't supposed to yet, but I guarantee he will again at a future point because he's really itching to repost his review. I see COADM this Friday morning. Frankly anybody telling anybody that a Charles Kaufman scripted film is a pass... well, excuse me if I just go check on my own. His movies may not be for everyone, but they seem to certainly play great for me! Here's Mindseye...
Hey Harry,
Mindseye here again. I saw "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" tonight, the new Sam Rockwell flick, helmed by George Clooney which is based on the "unauthorized autobiography" of Chuck Barris, game show producer and possible spy (though, by the story's very nature, there is probably no one who can collaborate Barris's claims).
I am sorry to say "it's a clinker", to quote the father in "Christmas Story". It has a few good moments and a couple of giggles but its a pass. Go see "Two Towers" again.
George Clooney may be a one trick pony but you have to love him. His rye humor is always enjoyable and he wreaks of decency. Unfortunately, however, his "Confessions" film is spread thin trying to cover one and half love stories, the life of a television producer and spy networking. His directorial debut has camerawork to nauseate those sitting in the first few rows. Too many angles, too many moves, too many tricks, too many "cool" lighting shots. Clooney has overdone it like a film school student. And the movie's blanched/fluorescent color palette was a poor choice. Better to have played this one straight, I think. As for his acting, Clooney's range is smaller than usual, and inadequate on subtext.
Sam Rockwell has all the talent in the world. (See "Green Mile") But he falls into the Bills Paxton & Pullman/Jeff Bridges/Dennis Quaid league of guys who just cannot carry a movie as the main character. He is fine in his role but somehow, there is just not enough charisma to go around. And if I never see his ass again, it will still have seen it one or twice too many times.
Julia Roberts is superfluous. Someone unknown would have been much more interesting in her cloak and dagger, bad girl role. You just did not need her in this movie and she is no good as the surly, mysterious chick. Julia Roberts is not mysterious. It is the fact that we all feel like we know her that makes her a star. She cannot play against it.
Drew Barrymore, who I find annoying in general, does some good subtle stuff and has some really fine moments.
The end of the movie sputters. When the plot gets around to finding out who a mole in the CIA is, you don't care. This aspect of the plot comes in late, feels incidental and underdeveloped and its resolution falls to the floor with a flop. At the end there is supposed to be some dramatic tension in the Julia/Sam love relationship. But this falls flat too partly because Julia is a poor choice for the role and partly because of inadequate earlier development. There are also totally unexpected and unneeded Chuck Barris childhood flashbacks interjected which are totally out of left field.
Here's rooting for Clooney on his next.
Mindseye
