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A Buena Vista release. Written by Charlie Kaufman; directed by George Clooney; starring Sam Rockwell and George Clooney. Released to DVD on September 9, 2003. 
George Clooney has never followed the safe path in Hollywood. He left ER at the top of his game to tackle feature films. Flopping in the mainstream movies Batman and Robin, The Peacemaker and One Fine Day, Clooney quickly changed directions again and began to settle into a career as an independent front man. Collaborating with the Coen brothers, Steven Soderbergh, David O. Russell and Robert Rodriguez, Clooney started to turn heads in the film industry with his eclectic and undeniably entertaining choice of projects. Expanding his repertoire to that of directing, Clooney set his sights on ‘70’s game show host Chuck Barris’ autobiography, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Like everything else on Clooney’s plate, this choice is curious. Instead of attempting a more conventional (read: easier) film like Antwone Fisher or That Thing You Do, Clooney dove headfirst into one of the most bizarre tales since Being John Malkovich. Adapted from Barris’ autobiography of the same name, Sam Rockwell stars in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind as Barris, a self-loathing man who is consumed with the idea of becoming an integral part of the entertainment world. With diligence, a little elbow grease and a vision, Barris becomes just that; the producer of the first reality TV shows, critical, intelligent darlings like The Dating Game and The Gong Show among others. Matters grow more complicated when Barris is approached by the CIA and asked to be a government assassin. The decision to examine the human side of America’s only television producer/CIA hitman is what gives Confessions of a Dangerous Mind a decidedly interesting angle and its own unique flavor. Though supposedly a true account of Barris’ life (at least according to Barris), most people feel that the whole "secret agent" issue is something that Barris cooked up in order to gain friends and respect. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind subscribes to this line of reasoning and presents the story as the life Barris would most have wanted to have. As a result of this, considerable energy is focused on Barris’ attempts to belong and his unique approach to television material rather than the down and gritty behind-the-scenes life of an assassin. Clooney fares well in his inaugural directing project, but does occasionally suffer from the need to call the viewer’s attention to his camera angles, wipes and dissolves. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind won’t make anyone forget about classic biopics like Amadeus or Gandhi, but is a compelling film in its own right.
jackson casey yes, it's true: According to Barris, a businessman once started licking him on a plane while showing him his "lizard impression". |
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