Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

George Clooney

Writers (WGA):

Chuck Barris (book)
Charlie Kaufman (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 January 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Some things are better left top secret

Plot:

An adaptation of the cult memoir of game show impresario Chuck Barris, in which he purports to have been a CIA hitman.

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Double Life | Television Producer | Pitch Meeting | Scrabble

Awards:

7 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Dick Clark	...	Himself
Sam Rockwell	...	Chuck Barris
Michelle Sweeney	...	J. Sweeney
Drew Barrymore	...	Penny
Chelsea Ceci	...	Tuvia, Age 8
Michael Cera	...	Chuck, Age 8 and 11 (as Michael Céra)
Aimee Rose Ambroziak	...	Chuck's Date #1
Isabelle Blais	...	Chuck's Date #2
Melissa Carter	...	Chuck's Date #3
Jennifer Hall	...	Georgia
Ilona Elkin	...	Georgia's Girlfriend
Sean Tucker	...	Barfly
Jaye P. Morgan	...	Herself
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Debbie
David Julian Hirsh	...	Freddie Cannon (as David Hirsh)
Jerry Weintraub	...	Larry Goldberg
George Clooney	...	Jim Byrd
Frank Fontaine	...	ABC Executive
Rachelle Lefevre	...	Tuvia, Age 25
Gene Patton	...	Himself (as Gene Gene Patton)
Robert John Burke	...	Instructor Jenks
Daniel Zacapa	...	Renda
Emilio Rivera	...	Benitez
Carlos Carrasco	...	Brazioni
Barbara Bacci	...	Woman in Veil
Janet Lane	...	Blonde Bachelorette
Shaun Balbar	...	Beanpole Bachelor
Jeff Lefebvre	...	Frizzy Hair Bachelor
Michael Filipowich	...	Handsome Bachelor
Samantha Kaine	...	Black Bachelorette (as Samantha Banton)
Christian Paul	...	Black Bachelor
Jim Lange	...	Himself
Kristen Wilson	...	Loretta
Steve Adams	...	Dating Game Director
Maria Bertrand	...	Stud Bachelorette
J. Todd Anderson	...	Stud Bachelor (as John Todd Anderson)
Brad Pitt	...	Brad, Bachelor #1
Matt Damon	...	Matt, Bachelor #2
Murray Langston	...	Actual Unknown Comic
Marlida Ferreira	...	Woman in Pub
Julia Roberts	...	Patricia Watson
Jérôme Tiberghien	...	Englishman
Michael Ensign	...	Simon Oliver
Martin Kevan	...	Chuck's Father
Claudia Besso	...	Chuck's Mother
Isabelle Juneau	...	Amana Girl
Nathalie Morin	...	Bachelorette Winner
Tony Zanca	...	Bachelor Winner
Sergei Priselkov	...	Shaving Man
Rutger Hauer	...	Keeler
Norman Roy	...	Colbert
Marlene Fisher	...	Casting Executive Woman
Richard Kind	...	Casting Executive Man
Suyun Kim	...	Asian Folksinger #1
Shu Lan Noma	...	Asian Folksinger #2 (as Shulan Noma)
Andre Minicozzi	...	Gong Show Band
Richard Beaudet	...	Gong Show Band
Ron Di Lauro	...	Gong Show Band
Peter N. Wilson	...	Gong Show Band
Bruce Pepper	...	Gong Show Band
Francois St-Pierre	...	Gong Show Band
Cheryl Murphy	...	Little Person
Krista Allen	...	Pretty Woman
George Randolph	...	Gene Gene
Pascale Devigne	...	Critic (as Pascale De Vigne)
Carlo Berardinucci	...	Waiter
Tanya Anthony	...	Prostitute
Andrée-Anne Quesnel	...	Gong Show Model
Keshav Patel	...	Elvis Singer
James Urbaniak	...	Rod Flexner
Leslie Cottle	...	L.A. Bar Woman
Dino Tosques	...	L.A. Bartender
Joe Cobden	...	Unknown Comic
Ethan Thomas C. Dempster	...	Chuck, Age 3
Tommy Hinkley	...	Hambone Man
Bill Corday	...	Justice of the Peace
Chuck Barris	...	Himself - Present Day
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Claire Brosseau	...	Office Worker (uncredited)
Vikki Carr	...	Singer (uncredited)
Veronica Chanel	...	(uncredited)
Olga Chrzanowska	...	Bachelorette (uncredited)
Sally Clelford	...	Bachelorette in Blue (uncredited)
Darcy Donavan	...	Playmate (uncredited)
Joey Elias	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Bob Eubanks	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jamie Farr	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Akiva Goldsman	...	Playboy Party Guest (uncredited)
Benoit Guerin	...	Jim Byrd Lookalike (uncredited)
Dale Hayes	...	NBC clerk (uncredited)
Mariah Inger	...	Principal (uncredited)
Arte Johnson	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Krista Morin	...	Bachelorette in Yellow (uncredited)
Mike Paterson	...	Employee #3 (uncredited)
Conrad Pla	...	Large Man (uncredited)
Robert Reynolds	...	Board room personel (uncredited)
Anna Silk	...	Headset Woman (uncredited)
Sarah Smyth	...	Tina (uncredited)
Linda Tomassone	...	Monica (uncredited)
Malcolm Travis	...	Berlin Contestant #1 (uncredited)
Alicia Westelman	...	Employee (uncredited)
Jennifer Rae Westley	...	Roommate (uncredited)
Brian D. Wright	...	Gong Show Technician (uncredited)

Directed by
George Clooney

Writing credits (WGA)
Chuck Barris		(book)
Charlie Kaufman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Amy Minda Cohen	....	associate producer
Stephen Evans	....	executive producer
Jonathan Gordon	....	executive producer
Gym Hinderer	....	associate producer
Andrew Lazar	....	producer
Rand Ravich	....	executive producer
Far Shariat	....	co-executive producer
Steven Soderbergh	....	executive producer
Jeffrey Sudzin	....	co-producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alex Wurman

Cinematography by
Newton Thomas Sigel

Film Editing by
Stephen Mirrione

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
James D. Bissell

Art Direction by
Isabelle Guay		(supervising art director)
Nicolas Lepage
Jean-Pierre Paquet

Set Decoration by
Louis Dandonneau
Anne Galéa
Robert Greenfield

Costume Design by
Renée April

Makeup Department
Steven E. Anderson	....	makeup artist: Los Angeles
Anita Brabec	....	makeup artist
Barbara Cantu	....	hair stylist
Julie Casault	....	assistant makeup artist: extras
Bonnie Clevering	....	hair stylist: Julia Roberts
Richard Dean	....	makeup artist: Julia Roberts
Jean-Jacques Dion	....	hair stylist
Stephan Dupuis	....	makeup department head
Réjean Forget	....	key hair stylist
Kimberly Greene	....	makeup artist: Drew Barrymore
Martin Lapointe	....	hair stylist: extras
Félix Larivière	....	hair stylist
Christine Larocque	....	wig maker
Catherine Lavoie	....	assistant makeup artist: extras
Kay Majerus	....	additional hair stylist
Cat'ania McCoy-Howze	....	makeup artist
Julie Mignot	....	assistant makeup artist: extras
Barbara Olvera	....	hair stylist: Drew Barrymore
Denis Parent	....	hair stylist
Angel Radefeld	....	body makeup artist
Cécile Rigault	....	assistant makeup artist
Waldo Sanchez	....	hair stylist: Sam Rockwell & George Clooney
Micheline Trépanier	....	key makeup artist
Nathalie Trépanier	....	assistant makeup artist: head of extras department

Production Management
Pearl A. Lucero	....	production supervisor
Gilles Perreault	....	unit manager
Josette Perrotta	....	unit production manager
Jeffrey Sudzin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anne Alloucherie	....	second assistant director
Melissa V. Barnes	....	second assistant director: U.S. and Mexico
Fabrice Barrilliet	....	third assistant director
Simon Dugas	....	assistant director
Agnieszka Kroskowska	....	second second assistant director (as Agnieszka Poninska)
Marisol 'Ari' Oyola	....	dga trainee: Los Angeles
Kenneth Roth	....	second second assistant director
David J. Webb	....	first assistant director

Art Department
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist
Serge Archambault	....	head scenic artist
Charles-André Bertrand	....	props buyer
Michel Brochu	....	construction supervisor
Gae S. Buckley	....	art director: Los Angeles
Fabrice Callegher	....	assistant property master
Real Capuano	....	scenic technician
Simon Chamberland	....	property master
Stephen Craig	....	scenic painter
Louis Dandonneau	....	set dresser
Fannie Duguay-Lefebvre	....	set designer
Marcel Pierre Dussol	....	props
Rusty Gray	....	set dresser (as Rusty Schmidt)
Jonathan R. Hodges	....	property master: USA
Courtney Jackson	....	assistant property master
Alexandre Juneau	....	set dresser
Jean-François Kelahear	....	stand-by scenic painter
Michael Kocurek	....	carpenter
Helene Lamarre	....	art coordinator
Jim Landis	....	set dresser
Étienne Lapointe-Proulx	....	property master
Étienne Lapointe-Proulx	....	property master: Canada, USA, Mexico (as Etienne Proulx)
Félix Larivière	....	set designer
Jean-Pierre Lavoie	....	set designer
Carl Lessard	....	graphic designer
Josée Létourneau	....	assistant head scenic
Nathalie Lortie	....	set designer
Russell Moore	....	set designer
Nashon Petrushkin	....	set dresser
Benoit Robert	....	swing gang
Benoit Robitaille	....	swing gang
Angela Stauffer	....	art department coordinator: Los Angeles
John Stone	....	construction coordinator
Sheila Thomas	....	painter
André Valade	....	assistant property master
Mark Weissenfluh	....	co-leadman
Paul Le Maire	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ara Soudjian	....	art department assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Steve Bartkowicz	....	re-recording engineer
Eddie Bydalek	....	sound mix technician
Mike Chock	....	sound effects editor
Matt Colleran	....	sound recordist
Julie Feiner	....	sound effects editor
Daniel Fontaine-Bégin	....	adr recordist
Aaron Glascock	....	supervising sound editor
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound editor
Myron Nettinga	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kira Roessler	....	dialog editor
Curt Schulkey	....	supervising sound editor
George Simpson	....	sound effects editor
Clint Smith	....	post sound intern
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound editor
Edward Tise	....	production sound mixer
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound effects editor
Keenan Wyatt	....	boom operator
Robert Matthew Doyle	....	sound editorial intern (uncredited)
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Louis Craig	....	special effects supervisor
Mario Dumont	....	special effects senior technician
André Laforest	....	special effects technician
P. David Miller	....	special effects crew (as Paul D. Miller)
Eric-André Paquin	....	special effects technician
Michael Petrucci	....	special effects technician
Pierre 'Bill' Rivard	....	special effects coordinator
Christian Rivest	....	special effects technician
Philippe Roberge	....	special effects technician
Martin Simon	....	special effects
Eric Thivierge	....	special effects makeup
Martin Williams	....	special effects rigger

Visual Effects by
Frank D'Iorio	....	digital compositor
Don Greenberg	....	digital effects artist
Melanie La Rue	....	visual effects producer: Buzz
Andre U. Montambeault	....	digital compositor
Louis Morin	....	visual effects supervisor
Juliette Mourez	....	digital compositor
Jaime Norman	....	visual effects coordinator
Stefano Trivelli	....	senior compositor: R!OT Pictures (uncredited)

Stunts
Mike Chute	....	stunts
Stéphane Lefebvre	....	stunts
Karine Lemieux	....	stunt performer
Brad Martin	....	stunt coordinator
Michael Scherer	....	stunt coordinator
Philippe Soucy	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Agostino	....	video assist operator
Eric Aubin	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Wayne Baker	....	assistant camera
Mireille Baril	....	electrician
Mireille Baril	....	lighting board operator
Robert B. Baylis	....	key grip
André Bélaieff	....	generator operator
Michel Bernier	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Marc Bonin	....	electrician
Bryan Booth	....	rigging gaffer: Los Angeles
Roch Boucher	....	second assistant camera
Bill Brao	....	camera operator: Los Angeles
Frédéric Chabot	....	electrician
Joost Clerinx	....	daily grip
Daniel Dallaire	....	electrician
Pierre Daudelin	....	electrician
Benoit Descary	....	camera loader
Amelie Duceppe	....	camera trainee
Eames Gagnon	....	rigging gaffer: Canada
Gilbert Gagnon	....	electrician
Julie Garceau	....	video assist operator
Lisa Guerriero	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
John Harris	....	pre-light electrician
Tom Hutchinson	....	second assistant camera
Jimmy E. Jensen	....	assistant camera
Sylvain Jouvet	....	electrician
Soupharak Keoborakoth	....	camera trainee
François Legris	....	electrician
Jean Levasseur	....	electrician
John Lewin	....	gaffer: Canada
Michael Lowrance	....	electrician
Alain Masse	....	dolly grip
Gilles Mayer	....	lighting rigging coordinator
Tim Merkel	....	Steadicam operator
Tim Merkel	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Yann Mongrain	....	24 frame video operator
Juan Morse	....	set lighting technician
Anthony G. Nakonechnyj	....	gaffer
Max Neal	....	assistant camera
Richard Paré	....	rigging electrician
Mathieu Price	....	daily grip
Patrick Rainville	....	best boy rigging gaffer
Ben Rekhi	....	additional still photographer
Louis Richard	....	electrician
Jeff Scott	....	best boy electric
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer
Nicolas Venne	....	best boy rigging gaffer
Chris Wagganer	....	video assist operator
Roger Robichaud	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susie Farris	....	casting associate
Sara Kay	....	casting assistant: Toronto
Larissa Mair	....	casting assistant
Mike Migliara	....	casting associate: Mike Migliara
Bruno Rosato	....	casting associate
Aldo Tirelli	....	casting: Canada

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julie Amyot	....	assistant wardrobe
Sophie Beasse	....	key dresser
Susi Campos	....	costumer
Mary Iannelli	....	costumer (as Mary White)
Azmin Jaffer	....	dresser: Mr Rockwell
Robert Q. Mathews	....	costume supervisor: USA
Nino	....	costumer
Damien Quinn	....	costumer
Kenn Smiley	....	key costumer: USA
Fran Vega-Buck	....	costumer: Julia Roberts

Editorial Department
Douglas Crise	....	first assistant editor
Tracie Gemmel	....	assistant editor
Nicolae Ilies	....	colorist: dailies
Stephanie Ito	....	digital intermediate producer
Denise Marquez	....	apprentice editor
Stephen Nakamura	....	digital colorist
Keith H. Sauter	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Suzanne Coffman	....	music clearance
Steve Durkee	....	score mixer
Luyanda T. Kunene	....	assistant to composer
Stephen Lotwis	....	music editor
Joe Rangel	....	music supervisor
Andrew Silver	....	supervising music editor
Randy Spendlove	....	executive in charge of music
Peter Thomas	....	composer: additional music
Jim Schultz	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Robert Dulys	....	driver: Los Angeles
Réal Hamel	....	picture car coordinator
Ron Hardman	....	transportation coordinator: Los Angeles
Spiro Tsovras	....	driver: Mr.Clooney

Other crew
Carolin Amiel	....	production assistant
Debra Leilani Bakeman	....	medic
Chuck Barris	....	consultant
Brumby Broussard	....	assistant: Julia Roberts
Anouska Chydzik	....	assistant: Andrew Lazar
Mélanie Côté	....	assistant location manager
Céline Daignault	....	location manager
Joseph J. Dawson	....	stand-in: George Clooney
André Déry	....	production assistant
Matt DiFranco	....	assistant production coordinator: Los Angeles
Josée Francis	....	assistant location manager
Mark A. Freid	....	assistant location manager: Los Angeles
John Gaskin	....	production auditor
Ellen Gessert	....	location manager: Los Angeles
Chrissy Gilmartin	....	production assistant
David Greenbaum	....	executive assistant: Harvey Weinstein
Benoit Guerin	....	stand-in: George Clooney, Montreal
Pierre Guevremont	....	production accountant
Nancy Haecker	....	location manager: Mexico/Arizona
Marc W. Havener	....	set production assistant
Judy Heinzen	....	key assistant location manager
Travis Hills	....	set production assistant: Los Angeles
Pamela Hilse	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles
Sotos Katakos	....	paymaster
Spiri Katerelos	....	second assistant accountant
Gordon Katz	....	trainer: Mr. Rockwell
Rafael Kayanan	....	trainer: Mr. Rockwell
Thomas Kier	....	trainer: Mr. Rockwell
Marie La Haye	....	continuity
Marie La Haye	....	script supervisor
David Lear	....	production assistant
Cara Leibovitz	....	unit publicist
Josianne Mailloux	....	production office assistant
Sylvie Martin	....	production secretary
Angel McConnell	....	assistant: George Clooney
Chris Miller	....	assistant: Drew Barrymore (as Christopher Miller)
Patrick Paeper	....	assistant: Sam Rockwell
Denis Paquette	....	assistant location manager
Edward Poveda	....	payroll accountant
Deborah Ricketts	....	stock footage researcher
Eric Ian Robinson	....	assistant: Harvey Weinstein
Chad Saxton	....	set production assistant: Los Angeles
Peter G. Smith	....	production assistant
Marie-Pierre Tétreault	....	24 frame video coordinator
Tyler Thornberg	....	production assistant
Miri Yoon	....	assistant: Andrew Lazar
Edward Fuller	....	stand-in: Mr. Rockwell, Montreal (uncredited)
Steven Jetton	....	layout board (uncredited)
Daniel Veluzat	....	location liaison (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Allied Filmmakers
• Kushner-Locke Company, The
• Mad Chance
• Miramax Films
• NPV Entertainment
• Section Eight
• Village Roadshow Pictures

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Spain (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinergia (2003) (Ukraine) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (2003) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• GAGA Communications (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Humax Pictures (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Imagem Filmes (200?) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (200?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Pandasia Entertainment (2003) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• TFM Distribution (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Talpa (2005) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Toho Video (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• West (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Intrigue (special effects)
• Buzz Image Group (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• DVA Montreal  digital video assist
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Miramax Records  soundtrack released by
• Picture Mill, The  titles
• ShowBiz Enterprises  draperies

Also Known As:

Geständnisse - Confessions of a dangerous Mind (Germany)
Confesiones de una mente peligrosa (Argentina) (Spain) (Venezuela) [es]
Confessions d'un homme dangereux (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Confissões de Uma Mente Perigosa (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Признания опасного человека (Russia) [ru]
Confesiunile unei minti periculoase (Romania) [ro]
Confession (Japan: English title) [en]
Confessioni di una mente pericolosa (Italy) [it]
Egy veszedelmes elme vallomásai (Hungary) [hu]
Exomologiseis enos epikindynou myalou (Greece) [el]
Geständnisse - Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (Austria) [de]
Ispovesti opasnog uma (Serbia) [sr]
Niebezpieczny umysl (Poland) [pl]
Salaisen agentin tunnustukset (Finland) [fi]
Tehlikeli aklin itiraflari (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexual content and violence.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #39478) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Hungary:16 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:R(A) | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Allied Filmmakers

Trivia:

The movie tie-in edition of the book credited Johnny Depp as an executive producer.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In one scene, with Chuck's secretary and Chuck in his office, the scene is labeled as taking place in LA, 1967. On a close up of the secretary, over her left shoulder, is the sheet music to Frank Mill's "Music Box Dancer", which was not written until 1974, and didn't become a hit single until 1978.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dick Clark: I wouldn't want to live his life because he hasn't been happy all of his life. All I think is if you can find work, stay healthy, find somebody to share it with, you're the ultimate success. He's had some of the pieces of the puzzle, but not all of them.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pulse (2006/I)

Soundtrack:

Sunshine Superman

Surprised This Film Doesn't Get More Credit

"Confessions of a Dangerous MInd' was excellent and I'm surprised it doesn't receive more credit.

The story is an 'autobiographical' tale of TV producer Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) who doubles as a CIA-assassin. The movie is based on the book with the same name and the beauty is that no one knows if Barris made up this story or if the events are true. Regardless of its reality or not, the film is a tremendous example of great movie making.

This is an all-star movie. George Clooney stars as CIA-agent Jim Byrd and also directs the film. He has such a cinematic eye. The scenes in which he incorporates the movie with real- life clips of the game shows is brilliant. The acting is superb with Rockwell delivering what should have been at least a Golden Globe nomination. Also in the movie is Drew Barrymore (delivering one of her better roles), Julia Roberts, Rutger Hauer, and cameos by Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and Maggie Gyllenthaal. The cinematography is superb, and Director of Photography, Newton Thomas Sigel, creates a film with such innovative lighting and tones, and to top it off, the screen play is written by one of Hollywood's best, Charlie Kaufmann (wrote 'Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, Eternal Sunshine).

The movie was shadowy but not dark, humorous but not too light, mysterious but not deceptive and was honestly one of the most original films I've seen in a long time.

The only minor hiccups I had with the movie was 1) inaccuracies with aging characters. Barris was born in 1928, yet the scenes in the late 1970s and early 1980s he looks like he's still in his thirties! At least the movie was consistent in not aging any of the characters; and 2) I felt the pace dragged slightly at times. There were moments when I felt the momentum falter inexplicably and the opener was slightly slow as well.

But those details are very minor and do not take away from the strength of this film. This is an engaging film, one that is intelligent and well-written, one that is acted superbly and crafted with such subtle craftsmanship from the best Hollywood has to offer. Great film! I'm surprised it doesn't get more credit

8 out of 10!