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Another extremely clever script by Charlie Kaufman, he the writer of "Adaptation" and "Being John Malcovich". The story runs backwards, and also contains a number of sub plots and lesser characters that make a difference in the end. This is a meditation
on whether we would choose the same soul mate again if we knew in advance negative issues that will inevitably arise in the relationship.The cinematography looks like an Indy film and the special effects are used with great retaint.
And Kirsten Dunst does the most convincing grass-stoned person I have ever seen on screen.
Follow Ups:
It moved me in a way I wasn't expecting. After leaving the theater in a daze I was a bout three blocks away and I couldn't help sobbing a little yet I couldn't exactly put my finger on why. It could be the relationship between the leads had many similarities to a past relationship of mine. I definetly want to own a copy of this one.Jim Carrey's best performance ever.
Kate Winslet was also excellent.
Mark Ruffalo was funny and subdued (Check him out in "In the Cut" for a more intense performance)
I thought Kirsten Dunst was pretty good but I didn't think it was the best stoned performance. That would go to half of the cast of "Dazed & Confused".
I loved Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. I think Kaufman is a great screenwriter. These performances just feel more real in a way many movies don't. While I think the mixed up order techique is starting to be overplayed, (21 Grams) here I thought it worked well.
Rob CThe world was made for people not cursed with self-awareness
... my wife and I and one of our friends caught this movie earlier today and none of us thought it was worthwhile. I liked it best, but in spite of my efforts to appreciate it I found the story pretentious in the extreme, mostly due to Charlie Kaufman's script. The concept and backwards filming technique was okay, it's been done before very effectively in films like Memento, but overall I felt that CK's story was uninvolving and at the same time grossly manipulative. The performances were generally fine, with Jim Carry pulling off some of his finest dramatic acting yet, and Kirsten Dunst and Kate Winslet were well cast, but between Kaufman's twisted self-indulgent screenplay and Gondry's jerky hand-held camera direction I couldn't personally recommend ESoTSM without having a dose of Dramamine handy.Try to keep in mind that my opinion was the most favorable one in this small band of weary filmgoers! My wife absolutely loathed this movie and considers it time wasted that she'll never get back! Also, she vowed NEVER to watch another film Charlie Kaufman has scripted, bearing in mind that she hasn't liked any of the films to which he has been attributed screenwriting credit to date, so this is not all that unexpected. BTW, our friend was even more adamant in his distaste for this movie; he actually left the cinema half-way through the showing, which is something he rarely does unless folks in the audience become too distracting for him to enjoy the film (i.e., babies crying without intervention, loud obnoxious viewers, etc.).
FTR, I'm sure that those who appreciate ESoTSM have extremely refined tastes, and the reviews have been overwhelmingly good, but obviously this isn't everybody's cup'a tea.
AuPh
Saw it today. This Charlie Kaufman seems to write stories that occur mostly inside of peoples' brains, where things may or may not be "real" in reference to other people. His movies have been full of imaginative and unpredictable twists and turns. I found Adaptation not just clever, but often laugh-out-loud funny. Now this one uses the same kind of conceit, but in the service of a love story, and it works on that level as well. Both absorbing on the playful level of what might happen next in the plot, but also gets you to care about the characters. Enjoyed it a lot.
My reaction exactly in "Adaptation" when the Meryl Streep character says, "We've got to kill him!"
...there is a huge collection of his music videos and short films on a two-sided DVD on the Director's Label Volume 3: The Work of Director Michel Gondry. The theme running through all his work is the use of mediums to create illusions.Others on the Director's Label include Spike Jonze (excellent), and Chris Cunningham (a piss-poor collection, the worst of the three).
I edited a few of the special feature things on the Spike Jonze DVD.In going through the footage for one of them there was some DV cam stuff of SJ. MG and Sophia Coppola hanging out in a hotel in London. They just kind of made up a movie on the spot and edited it in camera. It was kind of brilliant and it was fun to get to watch them all being spontaneously creative.
Looked like it was a great gig to have, as both SJ and MG had a lot of good material. SJ's forte is spontaneity and the illusion of the unplanned video.BTW, if you've got any extra footage of MG's naked girlfriend running by the camera during his interview, send it to me.
But she was a part of the group that made the little spontaneous movie...and she was pretty darn attractive.
I found it thought provoking. I thought Mr. Gondry did a much better job handling CK's material than he did in Human Nature and I thought it had a good combination of cleverness and heart.CK's movies are always clever and they always have heart but the combination this time worked really really well (IMO).
His ability to write female character's without stereotyping them is pretty amazing. Winslett's character was exactly like an old girlfriend of mine. I mean he nailed her mixture of neurosis, wisdom; and the way a perfectly nice day could turn on a dime for mindlessly saying the wrong thing -- although JC's character said stupider things than I ever did :-)
But she for sure did the best girl jumping on the bed in her underwear scene I've seen in awhile.I thought Nicole Kidman in Eye's Wide Shut did the best (most realistic) high on pot scene I've seen.
Try to top THAT one.
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would you taint the image of sweet Kirsten's lovely underwear clad body with Jeff Daniels' diarrhea?!?
BG
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