Confessions of a Dangerous Mind

Stranded in development-hell for four years, Charlie Kaufman’s adaptation of Chuck Barris’ twisted memoir, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, finally found a home in the passions of actor George Clooney and his business partner, director Steven Soderbergh. No one wanted to see this film get made more than Clooney, who ultimately decided to take directorial responsibilities into his own hands. But surly the turned director recruited help from his Hollywood friends, like Julia Roberts, in order for the film to receive proper funding. If Soderbergh had assumed directing duties then perhaps Kaufman’s screenplay would’ve made for an interesting film, as opposed to the unfocused mess it has become in the hands of Mr. Clooney.

Even with some of the film-industry’s most talented professionals on board, including cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel (who shot Three Kings), Clooney still cannot make the story of Gong Show host Chuck Barris seem interesting – not in the least. Barris (played by Sam Rockwell, the film’s sole savior) claims to have worked for the CIA as a hit man and used his career in television as a cover. While the thought of Barris hurting anyone is absurd, watching a faithful adaptation of his book is worse. It’s quite the disappointment that Kaufman did not add some of his trademark quirks to the screenplay, as he did when adapting Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief. If anything, his script is plain and surprisingly stale.

Clooney attempts to compensate for the screenplay’s lack of insanity by constantly offering wild shots. Some of his techniques are interesting, such as a split-screen where a character from one frame walks into the other frame, but mostly you just want the camera to hold still and stop sliding down a dolly track every ten-seconds. Having worked with such talented directors as the Coen brothers, Soderbergh, and Terrence Malick, Clooney should have learned that telling the story is more important than showing-off with fancy camera tricks; especially when the tricks are anything but fancy.

If this was the hottest script in Hollywood, as Clooney and the film's producers claim, then why did it take this long to get made? Answer: because it isn’t that good. Actresses like Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts are wasted in thankless roles, both playing Barris’ lovers, even though they’re far too beautiful to get involved with Rockwell in geek-mode. Cameos by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon are amusing during their ten-seconds (literally) duration. The game show footage is also worthwhile, but otherwise, this confession offers nothing of interest. -Shaun Sages

GRADE: C-

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