Confessions of a Dangeroud Mind
Rated: R
Runtime: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Directed by: George Clooney
Starring:
Sam Rockwell - Chuck Barris
George Clooney - Jim Byrd
Drew Barrymore - Penny
Julia Roberts - Patricia Watson
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind opens on Chuck Barris looking like a wild man who got transported out of the Neolithic era and into a Los Angeles hotel room. Chuck's life has obviously reached its nadir and he's about one tiny push away from becoming a tragic Hollywood footnote of a suicide. But instead of removing the back of his head, Chuck decides to write the story of his life so that maybe he can see how everything got so fucked up. It's an amazing story not because of the traditional rise and fall due to sex, drugs, and all the delightful biopic-standard excess. It's amazing because in addition to all that, Barris was (or at least he believes he was) a secret agent for the CIA using his job as an ABC producer as a cover. Barris rewinds back to the beginning as we travel through the facts and fictions of his dangerous mind
The film then transports us to where any good biography should begin, Chuckie's childhood where's he trying to get his sister's friend Tuvia to suck his dick by telling her it tastes like strawberries. At this point, you're either in or you're out. Some will probably be too disgusted and turn off the TV immediately. Others will be intrigued and allow their curiosity to keep the film rolling. And others will just start cracking up at the absurdity of the scene and be anxious to see where they hell Clooney is taking us in this movie. I'm in the last category.
After the strawberry-shortcake scene, we're fast-forwarded into Barris' miserable attempts to get the sexing. Where everyone else is getting the master make-out sessions in the theatre, Barris is lucky to go home with a good-night slap to the face. And it's these sad attempts to get laid that will eventually lead Barris to start work in television as he uses his minor executive positions to get laid. Barris manages to get some chick pregnant, but that does not slow him down and before we can figure out what happened to that relationship, Chuck has moved on and is (poorly) banging an assistant named Debbie (Maggie Gyllenhall). It's at this point he runs into Maggie's roommate Penny (Barrymore) and he finally finds someone who's almost as fucking crazy and debauched as he is. At the first meeting, Penny runs through the different ethnicities she's screwed, and at this dialogue, you're either on board with her or you're not. To me, I thought it was a great laugh and I was even more hooked into the film.
Soon after meeting with Penny, Chuck develops his first show idea for The Dating Game. ABC orders a pilot, but ultimately decides not to buy the show. In Chuck's dejection he calls up Tuvia and she rejects him before he can even get his foot in the door. And at Chuck's lowest point, enter Clooney.
Clooney plays Jim Byrd, a CIA operative who wants to hire Chuck as a secret agent. Chuck accepts and we're led to a great little sequence of him training at assassin camp. After he finishes his training, Chuck botches his first kill, although Clooney doesn't let us see exactly what went wrong. Chuck returns home only to find that ABC is interested in his show again. The stage is now set for Chuck's duel life as he gets to create funny shows in one world and kill for the CIA in another. At this height, Chuck can only fall and fall he does.
This film has so many good aspects to it I honestly don't know where to begin. Everyone in this film just does such a great job, but I think the man who deserves the most credit is George Clooney. To me, Clooney hasn't done wrong in the world of film since Three Kings. When I first saw this film in theatres, I couldn't believe that this was Clooney's first directorial effort. The film showcases such confidence and it's just so well constructed. There are some great moments where Clooney will do a short scene in one take and the actors have to rush off screen to do a costume change and be back in a new location in about 15 seconds. Other times, Clooney will play with the foreground and background in such a masterful way that it's hard not to applaud him and Newton Thomas Sigel's masterful camera work. And the editing in this film is nothing short of magnificent. Don't believe me? Check out the scene which wins the award for the most "fuck yous" in under a minute. Clooney's a really solid actor, but I hope he gets behind the camera again sooner rather than later.
A close second in terms of importance is Sam Rockwell. Rockwell is just one of those actors who I just love to watch work and I constantly hope will be recognized by the public at large. The man is extremely talented and if you don't think so after watching this film, then you obviously need to turn off the American Idol and pop in this DVD. In the hands of a less capable actor, Chuck Barris could easily come off like unlikable, sleazy, smarmy, and irresponsible jackass. In Rockwell's hands, the character certainly comes off as a sleazy, smarmy, and irresponsible jackass, but we sympathize and like him nonetheless. Rockwell can be the fun guy at the party or he can be a guy on the verge of executing everyone in the building. And we feel for him either way. Performances like this need to be recognized, folks.
But everyone in this cast is solid. People can make all the stupid fat jokes about Drew Barrymore they want and go jerk off to Calista Flockhart. I say that she's not only attractive, but she's a damn fine actress. Barrymore plays the character with such sweetness and charm that it's hard not to fall in love with her. Clooney also does a solid job as Byrd, although admittedly the role doesn't demand very much of him. Also doing some great work in minor roles are Julia Roberts as a pitch-perfect femme fatale and a surprising performance by Rutger Hauer as a tragic older operative who provides a glimpse of what Barris' life could turn out as if he doesn't get out of the assassin-game as soon as possible.
I just can't stress the greatness Confessions of a Dangerous Mind enough. It was my favorite film of 2002 right behind Chicago, but after watching both on DVD, I think I may even like Confessions a bit more. The film is just so dark while still being humorous at times and also just being a great film to chew on with your friends. I hope that this will be a cult favorite in years to come because it deserves every bit of praise it gets.
Words by
Matt Goldberg
10.7.03