Rating: 
Summary: Don't judge a movie by it's poster!
Review: The film is pretty good. You shouldn't really go expecting a smash hit movie that will become your current favourite or anything. That's what I did. But forget about the bad things (pointless, questions need to be answered, and it could have been a lot better) and let's get to the good things. First of all, let me just start by saying JULIA ROBERTS and DREW BARRYMORE. Haven't we loved Drew in Charlie's Angels and don't even get me started on Julia's long list of hit flicks! Julia's in yet another movie with Clooney but they still haven't made a bond yet like Richard Gere has done with Julia twice. While to some extent less than it might have been, the movie is good. It's based on Chuck Barris' novel and as you know it had been directed by George Clooney. It's a good piece of work and it's very clever. It's powerful, creative and thought provoking. I guess Clooney didn't do a bad job considering it's his debut. He's no Spielberg or Cameron but you probably aren't expecting it to be a film like theirs. The thing is that the movie was highly anticipated but it turned out to be too highly anticipated. Don't go judging the movie by its poster (that is the cast). But if you want to see a movie just to 'kill time', well I recommend this. But it's not a 'cinema movie', i.e. no good cinematography; score, great cast ensemble, or suspense in the majority of the film etc. The story revolves around a fantasist, Barris (played by Sam Rockwell) who moves to the 'Big Apple' to find a career in entertainment (Television). He soon writes a hit song and has a successful game show 'The dating game'. And let's not forget his perky- pretty-peppy pal Penny (played by Drew Barrymore). But as always a conflict occurs. He is enlisted by CIA Special Agent Jim Byrd (Clooney) to turn into a hired murderer for the federal gov't. As new shows fall into his footsteps (like the 'Gong Show') he uses them as a cover for his secret undercover job. Along the way he meets a sizzling assassin (namely Julia Roberts) who threatens to blow his cover... Anyway as I have already said it's a great movie (4-stars). It's not the Runaway bride, Lord of the rings, or anything like them. But it's a 'kill time' clever flick.
Rating: 
Summary: Who's the mole?
Review: Close on the heels of his ADAPTATION, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman scores again with CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND, based on the (fictional?) autobiography of the same title by Chuck Barris. It's also George Clooney's initial outing as Director. At the very beginning when the audience sees a bearded and naked Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) standing as if in a trance while a frumpy housekeeper vacuums around him, the viewer suspects that the film will be something special, outrageous, or both. This is the starting point for an extended flashback as Barris recalls his young adulthood, when it seemed everybody but him was having sex, to his successful career as a TV game show creator and low-brow polluter of the American airwaves ("The Dating Game", "The Newlywed Game", "The Gong Show"). Pretty standard stuff except that along the way Barris is seduced by a penchant for violence into a double life as a CIA contract killer, and the schizophrenia brought on by his double life almost proves his undoing. Rockwell is superb in the leading role, as is Director Clooney, who plays his square-jawed, no-nonsense CIA recruiter and control, Jim Byrd. (Byrd to Barris: "Listen, you're thirty-two years old and you've achieved nothing. Jesus Christ was dead and alive again by thirty-three. Better get cracking.") Drew Barrymore does a swell job as Penny, the on-again, off-again love of Chuck's life, but she's deliciously upstaged by Julia Roberts in a new sort of character for her, that of the seductive and deadly femme fatale spy, Patricia. ("Prove how much you love me, baby. Kill for me. Then I'm all yours".) Brad Pitt and Matt Damon have hilarious two-second cameos on stools. And there's one scene where a Federal official lectures The Dating Game contestants on the dire repercussions of introducing risqué material into their game show appearance that alone is worth the price of admission. I don't know who that actor was, but he deserves an Oscar for a one-minute speech. This is a movie that perhaps has to be seen twice to be fully appreciated for the deft and clever use of camera perspective, scene and timing changes, and almost-overexposed color, all of which keeps the audience on its toes wondering what's coming next. And the Big Question: who's The Mole? This is one of the best dark comedies that I've seen in a long while. It's one of the must-see films of 2002/2003. Bravo, bravo!
Rating: 
Summary: Another movie based on a book.
Review: The book makes for good reading. From the previews that i've seen of the movie,,,,well that's another story. Personally i believe that Kermit the frog would be a better choice for lead role.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive! - Actually, This Was OFF THE CHAIN!!!!!
Review: I vividly remember watching the "Gong Show" from the 70s and no one took it seriously for a minute. It was just fun mostly because Barris was such a lovable personality. It is exactly this premise that makes this movie work so very well. The performances are top-notch, the plot quite interesting, and the movie is visually quite interesting. But none of the elements work like this one underlying question: Does ANY of this have any merit? This is truly where the movie succeeds. As one of the claims in the book about Barris were substantiated, neither were they disproved. The first thing that comes to your mind is "Who in their right mind is gonna believe this guy worked for the CIA?!!!!!!" And if the CIA stooped to recruiting the likes of Chuck Barris, no wonder they have such a problem with credibility!!!! If it isn't true, it makes for wonderful speculation. If it is true, it results in one of the most fantasctic stories ever told. Peppered with memorable caemos, I found this to be a totally enjoyable experience but still cannot shake the feeling that maybe he actually did.....naw......not possible.... Finally, you let it go and realize, who cares....it was a great movie and is most fun and adds a certain spice to any movie collection.
Rating:
Summary: The answer is in the title
Review: Confessions of a dangerous mind is George Clooneys first time as a director. I must say he was pretty good. With an interesting script and excellent actors, all Clooney had to do was not invent too much and it would be fine. It was. This is Chuck Barris unauthorized autobiography, based on the homonimous book by the same Chuck Barris. Ever since he was young, Barris intention was to work on TV. Later, he was famous for being the producer of tv shows like The Gong show and The newlywed game, among others. What I gather from watching the movie is that Barris title for his book is extremely appropriate. Being prisoner of a dangerous mind, Barris way to escape a monotonous existence and problems in childhood was to invent the life he always wanted to live. So, he made up CIA agent Jim Byrd, who recruits Barris to be a hitman for the agency. About the movie: I first payed attention to Sam Rockwell in The green mile; in that one he was better even than Tom Hanks as a crazy psychopath. In Confessions., Rockwell delivers a stupendous performance as the troubled and yet funny Chuck Barris. Also great is roller-coaster-career Drew Barrymore. This one is a high-point in her acting; shes intense, pretty and serious all at the same time. Minor participations that must be noted are those of the director, George Clooney, as the enigmatic and kind of clowny CIA recruiter Jim Byrd; Rutger Hauer as a german spy; and, most of all, Julia Roberts as another enigmatic woman in Chuck Barris life. All this makes Confessions... a good movie. The problem, though, is that, as it gets closer to the end, I felt the movie was a little pointless, and I couldnt see a plausible point for the movie to go. And in fact, in the end Confessions... didn go nowhere. It just stopped. But I still give it a good rating because of the interesting first 60 minutes, interesting premises, and, above all, Rockwells performance. Grade 8.6/10
Rating: 
Summary: By George he's done it - Not.
Review: George Clooney can file this one under wasted opportunity. Good idea, poor execution. Based on the semi-autobiographical book of the same name, "Confessions" follows the life of wacky television producer Chuck Barris. We have Barris to thank for television programmes such as The Gong Show and The Dating Game (i.e. lowest common denominator television that proves that you should never underestimate the taste of the American public). But, at least according to Barris, not only was he an oddball television guy, he was also a CIA assassin who killed enemies of the state for the US government. Hmmmmm. Well it is certainly an outrageous claim and therein lies the seeds of a good movie. Whether or not Barris' claims of a secret life are actually true doesn't really matter for the story. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't, maybe he was mad (think A Beautiful Mind), maybe he was making it up - who knows. But who really cares either. What you have here is GOOD MATERIAL and a good opportunity to make a genuinely original movie. Unfortunately, on his directorial debut, Clooney doesn't pull it all together and what we are left with is a rather forgettable film. A lot of the problem is the uneven pace of the film. Clooney spends too long trying to have us understand why Bariss is the way he is (a self-involved idiot whose personal relationships are as shallow as his television programmes). And then when we get to the GOOD MATERIAL (the television shows and the covert operations) the pace is too quick. Instead of focusing on what could have made this interesting he focuses on the familiar and the tedious. Is it any real surprise that a television producer is sleazy, drunk and shallow? The casting is interesting but perhaps what you might expect from Clooney. Julia Roberts plays a spy (doesn't quite work), Drew Barrimore plays the long suffering love interest (does work), Clooney plays the CIA handler (unemotional and wooden) and Sam Rockwell plays Barris himself (believable idiot). I'm also sure I saw a cameo from a non-speaking Brad Pitt as a contestant in The Dating Game. It's not an absolute lemon because the key people do have talent. But it is a wasted opportunity to make something original and new.
Rating:
Summary: Strange, outrageous and completely captivating. I loved it!
Review: I should have realized this was going to be a bizarre film when I saw that the screenplay was written by Charlie Kaufman of "Being John Malkovich" fame. It was adapted from a supposed autobiography of Chuck Barris, the host of "The Gong Show" and "The Dating Game" television shows. In the book, Chuck Barris says he was a CIA agent for many years and he murdered 33 people. He supposedly carried out some of these murders while he was chaperoning winners of "The Dating Game" show to such places as Helsinki and West Berlin. Sam Rockwell stars as Chuck Barris and he shines in the role which calls for him to be depressed and self-loathing as well as incredibly ambitious and outwardly successful television host. George Clooney plays a small role as a CIA agent, but he also directed this film and he does a masterful job by using some very original film techniques to re-create the era of the TV game shows. Drew Barrymore is cast in the role of Barris' loyal girlfriend. She's a pleasure to look at and sometimes I wonder what she ever saw in Barris because he cheated on her all the time and rejected most of her hints about marriage. But she's a fresh delight throughout, a juxtaposition to the dark intrigues that Barris was supposedly carrying out. Julia Roberts has a small role as the femme fatale. It's a good part and she does it well. Sounds strange to you? Well it does to me too. I almost shut it off a couple of times because it was so outrageous. But then I got into the rhythm of it and, by the end, I was completely captivated. So captivated in fact, that I watched every single special feature on the DVD, including interviews with George Clooney, Drew Barrymore, Sam Rockwell and Chuck Barris. The big question arises. Was it true? Nobody, including Chuck Barris, will answer that question. Personally, I think it's all fiction. But whether the story is true or not, it sure is creative. And it has a lot to say about a particular era in the recent past. It's hard to say if this was a comedy or a drama. But it isn't hard to say that the film was well done even though it might not appeal to everyone. I therefore give it a high recommendation. Especially for film buffs.
Rating:
Summary: Impressive Black Comedy.
Review: A Young Man by his late twenties (Sam Rockwell), who becomes a Wildly Successful TV Producer but He has a Darker Life, when a mysterious CIA Agent (George Clooney) asks him to be a Top Secret CIA Assassin. While a Maverick Creator of America's Favorite Game Shows gains notoriety for his Smash Television Hits. But Once, He's also drawn into a shadowy world of danger as a Covert Gouverment Operative! and He Confuses his TV Life with his days as a Assassin. Directed by actor:George Clooney made a Unique Dark Comedy that is entertaining and witty. Rockwell gives a Star Making Performance in this. While Drew Barrymore, Clooney, and Julia Roberts gives terrific supporting performances. Rutger Hauer has a small part in the film also. This is Based on a Autobiography Novel by Chuck Barris. While, We are still no sure if this is a entire autobiography of his life. As the Film or In the Novel, we never know if Barris was a Assassin or He wrote it for fun or it did really happen. Barris will always keep it a Mystery. DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an fine-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD has an entertaining Commentary Track by the Director and Cinematographer:Newton Thomas Sigel (Apt Pupil, Three Kings, X-Men), Deleted Scenes with/without Commentary by the filmmakers, the real Chuck Barris documentary and more. Since Barris's Novel is a Cult Classic and so will be this Movie. This is a Sharp, Funny and Irresistible Movie. Some of Barris's Real-Life Collegues appears as Themselves. Watch for Brad Pitt and Oscar-Winner:Matt Damon in funny cameos. One of the film's Executive Producers is Steven Soderbergh (Nightwatch-1998, Ocean's Eleven-2001, Solaris-2002). Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman (Adapation, Being John Malkovich, Human Nature). Panavision. Grade:A.
Rating:
Summary: Sam Rockwell is pitch perfect....a real zinger of a movie
Review: Sam Rockwell (Upcoming Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy) portrays Dating Game, Newlywed Game and Gong Show creator Chuck Barris in a pitch perfect damn good performance. Barris was also from his experience recruited by CIA Agent George Clooney (The Perfect Storm) to become a CIA assassin. Barris then is plummeted into a word of deciet, sex and all the other stuff that he did. Drew Barrymore (Ridin In Cars With Boys) plays Penny....Barris' wife and Julia Roberts (Closer) comes out in a juicy role as "the mole" and who Barris has an affair with. Rutger Hauer (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) baby, thats right...he has his moments in this movie as one of Barris' CIA buddies. Also starring Krista Allen (former model), Richard Kind (Tv's Spin City) and if you look closely at one Dating Game clip as we pan across the 3 guys the first two men are Brad Pitt (upcoming Mr. and Mrs. Smith) and Matt Damon (The Bourne Supremacy). Fantastic directing debut for Mr. George Clooney who sprinkles in interviews within the movie from Dick Clark and other people who knew Chuck Barris...we see the real Barris at the very end. Sometimes strange but worth the price of admition. One of the best movies of 2002.
Rating:
Summary: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Review: This is one of those movies that defies decription. A solid, remarkable debut as director for Mr. Clooney. His portrayal of a tight-lipped CIA operative is near perfect and Sam Rockwell in the lead role is nothing short of revelatory.Fun cameos by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. Julia Roberts was dry but convincing as a she spy. Nice light touch by Drew Barrymore as happy go lucky Penny.
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