Confessions of a Dangerous Mind [Blu-ray]

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Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is the directorial debut of George Clooney, based on a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman. Supposedly there was a lack of communication between the two, which led to dissatisfaction on Kaufman's part. Well, at least according to Wikipedia, but that website is often only slightly more accurate in its adherence to reality than Chuck Barris was in his autobiography of the same name. (Was Barris really a CIA hitman who murdered 33 people? Probably not, but who the heck knows?) Whatever the case, the final script is very good. As far as the direction, Clooney is amazing. It's astonishing that this was his first time behind the camera, because he totally knocked it out of the park.The cast of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind are all superb. Heading up the film is Sam Rockwell, who does eerily stunning work capturing the persona & mannerisms of Chuck Barris. He portrays Barris as a veritable con artist, a self-involved, womanizing egotist who eventually descends into paranoia, isolation, and madness. It's an amazing performance. Based on this, I'm genuinely surprised that Rockwell isn't a bigger name. But, of course, in Hollywood talent and fame don't often align with the frequency that they should.The rest of the cast is also noteworthy. Drew Barrymore plays Penny, the long suffering girlfriend of Barris who puts up with his constant lies & cheating. Clooney himself plays Jim Byrd, the icy CIA agent who recruits Barris. Julia Roberts portrays Patricia, a seductive spy who serves as Barris' contact in the field. Now, I am generally not a fan of Roberts' work. However, watching her here, I was actually impressed. It was interesting to see her in a darker, more cynical role than she usually plays. She certainly did fine work with it. Rounding out the cast is the amazing, underrated Rutger Hauer. His character Keeler is a philosophizing veteran hitman who befriends Barris. It's always a pleasure to see Hauer on the screen. Even when cast in a relatively small supporting role such as this, he gives it his all, turning in a charismatic performance.At first, I was genuinely surprised to learn that Confessions of a Dangerous Mind was a box office bomb. I thought it was an amazing film, and so did my girlfriend. But reflecting on it, I quickly realized that the movie is not easily classifiable. It starts off as a comedy, but then transitions into a dark, disturbing look at a rather unlikable man living a double life who gradually experiences a mental breakdown. Is it supposed to be humorous or somber? Well, both. But I think that for many viewers, who like to compartmentalize their entertainment into comfortable, easily absorbed categories, a film such as Confessions of a Dangerous Mind can be a turn off, as it straddles so many genres.I definitely recommend giving this movie a try. It really is an amazing film. Myself, I'm looking forward to watching it again.

This movie, based on the Chuck Barris 'Unauthorized Biography' of the same name, is twisted and compelling. Known to the world as host of "The Gong Show" and producer of other silly game shows, the plot alleges that Chuck led a double life as a CIA hit man. I recall reading the book when it first came out when I was in high school and finding it hugely entertaining though altogether unlikely.When I heard it was being made into a feature film I was ecstatic, as I was always a fan of Barris. Overall this adaptation is quite good, but a good deal more depressing that I would have liked. Even the book, which has been recently re-released, is considerably more upbeat than the film. In his directorial debut, George Clooney acquits himself quite well. The film has an almost film noir feel to it, though I feel it's taken to extremes, for example in Julia Roberts' costumes: they scream 'cold war' so loudly, you might for a moment forget that you aren't watching Rocky and Bullwinkle chase Boris and Julia Roberts hither and yon.The sets and locations are brilliant (for more on this, I highly recommend a viewing with the commentary turned on) and do accurately convey the era. The technical aspects of the film are brilliantly executed. Visual effects (mostly done 'in camera', i.e. not through cuts or editing) are superior. Particularly impressive is the 'rotating set' technique, which is explained in one of the special features. The sound editing is particularly noteworthy as well. The expression of unseen activities and moods through sound in this film is breathtaking, particularly in the pool scene late in the film.Acting here is generally first rate: Sam Rockwell nails the Barris mannerisms, and Clooney is brilliant as the never smiling CIA recruiter. Drew Barrymore does yeoman's work in one of the more complex parts in the movie, and veteran Rutger Hauer is in peak form in a psychologically difficult part. The only performance I was not fond of was that of Julia Roberts, who, through a combination of direction and native acting abilities, came across as cartoonish, and distinctly less believable than the rest of the ensemble.This is a fascinating and disturbing movie, a film that is more a psychological thriller than anything else. The DVD comes with some great extras, including deleted scenes, and an excellent audio commentary. It also comes with a short feature titled "The Real Chuck Barris Documentary", which is a gem and an absolute treasure for fans. Although the film was darker than I would have liked, it was generally well acted and directed, with innovative plot twists worthy of a story of intrigue and espionage.

A very interesting look at the mind of a comic icon and show producer. If the facts of this movie are actually "facts", Mr. Barris was a very interesting and unique human. Based of of his memoir.

Unique style, well acted and always entertaining. I read good reviews about this one and was not disappointed. Very much enjoyed this original, beautifully shot film.

Quick & perfect

Not my Bag! :(

‘Confessions of a Dangerous Mind’ is an ‘autobiographical’ (and notice I put ‘autobiographical’ in quotes!) account of Chuck Barris – the American entertainment guru of his day (and possibly a distant grandfather of our own Simon Cowell, in my opinion), best known for such televisual greats as ‘The Gong Show’ and the ‘Newlyweds Show.’ The reason this film’s authenticity is called into question is because it’s based on Chuck Barris’ own autobiography – and his account of things is sometimes a little open to interpretation.The film definitely tells some true aspects of his life. It shows how he became the brains behind (and sometimes in front of) various primetime gameshows of yesteryear. However, his private life was apparently even crazier than his public life. He was also a hitman for the CIA. Possibly. Anyway, however unlikely this little sideline was it still makes for a damn entertaining film.George Clooney is the director (and extended cameo throughout the film) who brings this wild tale to life. And, if this is an example of his style behind the camera, I think he should do more. The film is deliciously artistic and almost every shot is lovely crafted, utilising some decent little camera tricks to propel the story. Sometimes it may try a little too hard, but, in all, it’s a very impressive piece.As mentioned, Clooney himself appears in front of the cameras well here and there, but it’s Sam Rockwell who carries the film as Barris himself. Rockwell throws himself into every scene, doing everything he can to bring the complicated character to life. You may not like the character he portrays, but, even if the whole ‘hired killer’ side of the story his fake (in real life, as it’s played as very real on screen) Barris must have been one hell of an interesting character to know, let alone try and get inside his head.With Rockwell stealing every scene, it’s sometimes difficult to notice all the other characters trying to catch up with him, but the main exception is Drew Barrymore. You could look at her as ‘just the love interest’ but, in her own way, she’s almost as damaged as Barris himself. There’s probably a film that could be made out of her life story too, but she’s a tragic figure in her own right – it’s just a shame they don’t give us more explanations as to her motivation.Whereas some of Barris’ tales we’ll probably never know the validity for (the CIA does totally deny ever contacting him about anything!) some of the ‘facts’ are blatant lies – check Wikipedia for examples of this! However, whether the whole story or just part of it is true, nearly true or completely false, it really doesn’t matter. It’s got fantastic performances, amazing direction and it’s a deeply dark and enjoyable tale either way.Also, it’s not just Clooney himself who makes an appearance – watch out for some of his mates silently popping up here and there ;o)