Rating: 
Summary: We Believed Barris Did Work for CIA
Review: My friend Joyce and I saw this together and by the end of it, we believed that Chuck Barris did work for the CIA as an assassin while he was producing ludicrous tv shows that pandered to the lowest common denominator. Actually, it is BECAUSE he could create demented, inspired, cruelly laughing-at-your-audience shows like Dating Game, Newlywed Game and the Gong Show that we believe he could also be a CIA agent. This is one twisted guy who does not respond to any of the traditional rules most people live by. He has no code of conduct, no sense of morality and was easily able to travel all over the world because of his shows, with no one thinking his travel odd. It is utterly fascinating material. George Clooney (director), Charlie Kaufman (writer) and Sam Rockwell (the lead as Chuck Barris) bring it all home. It is riveting viewing.
Rating: 
Summary: Ambitious, melancholy and not-entirely-successful.
Review: Director George Clooney's "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is an interesting film, a somewhat melancholy take on the life of "Gong Show" creator Chuck Barris. Though the project is ambitious for a first-time director, the acting is good and the film's visual look is great, the tone of it struck me as uneven. It's not the fun, zany trip that I was expecting, with its opening echoing more "Sid and Nancy" than "The Dating Game." Given the subject of the film is Barris and his outrageous claim that he worked as a CIA assassin, should it be so dark and solemn?Sam Rockwell's a talented actor. His work in film, verging from his wacky role in "Box of Moonlight" to his dancing-villain turn in "Charlie's Angels" of all things, is consistently different and fun to watch. His take on Barris, who meanders somewhere between goofy and emotionally damaged, is compelling yet still doesn't make Barris an accessible person to the audience. The film suffers the same flaw as "Man on the Moon," which gave us two hours on the life of Andy Kaufman without letting us much find out about what motivated him. Though Barris is central to every scene, you can neither laugh at him nor particularly care about him. What drives him to get into television? Why would he make up the bit about the CIA assassin, if he did? If he did live as one, why do all the scenes involving his CIA work seem to scream 'plot device'? One key into Barris' psyche is revealed toward the film's end, and it's a twisted, weird bit about his relationship with his mother. If it's true, and we are hinted that it might be, the revelation doesn't hit home the way it should because we know that half of Barris is telling us is a lie, so the audience isn't quite clear on what to believe. Drew Barrymore's portrayal of Penny, Barris' chief girlfriend, is a delight. She's bright, always on and quirky, but the movie's tones are not always like that. I thought she was better than her material. And Julia Roberts and George Clooney provide little more than cameos, and their characters are so enigmatic, that plot so trivial, that they come off as one-note. (Still, Roberts does get the biggest laugh in the film.) All in all, I was disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Trailer
Review: I must say that the movie disappointed me a little bit. Sure, it has great performances (esp. Sam Rockwell in the lead), and great writing and directing. But the trailer misled me, and I was expecting a movie that had more sizzle (a la. Ocean's Eleven) than this film. This is NOT to say that the movie isn't really good ... it's just that the trailer misled me. Overall the film gets 4 out of 5 stars!
Rating:
Summary: A lackluster attempt at a bizarre story!!!
Review: Despite its superb cast, wonderful directing, and crazy plot, "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" just didn't cut it. Based on the book "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind: An Unauthorized Autobiography," by Gong Show host Chuck Barris, this is the story about his secret life as host (and creator of The Newlywed Game and The Dating Game), including the time he spent as CIA assassin "Sunny Sixkiller", making hits while under the guise of chaperoning the game show contestants who have won vacation prizes. Perhaps because he likes a good story, perhaps because he enjoys tweaking the establishment, perhaps because unleashing all that terrible television wasn't enough for him, perhaps (though not very likely) because it was actually true, Barris insisted in his book that he had yet another career: He was a decorated hit man for the CIA, with numerous assassinations to his credit. This is a fairly outrageous claim, yet it is the peculiar accomplishment of "Mind," written by Charlie Kaufman and directed in his debut by George Clooney, to have made a film so tedious that it is impossible to care whether that boast is true or not. Barris' triumphs and his crises mean the same to us: zero. Unfortunately, there's nothing terribly witty, clever, satirical, or irreverent about Charlie Kauffman's screenplay. The movie attempts to liven things up by muddling the time line a little (a significant portion is told in flashback), but all that does is to mix around an otherwise linear story. Ultimately, however, this isn't a movie of great substance, nor does it offer much real insight into its subject. The movie has a little fun with the spy aspects of the story (which, despite Barris' assertions to the contrary, are almost certainly fictitious), playing them with B-movie flair, but, in the end, they seem rather superfluous, and not charming or clever enough to keep us interested. This is the directorial debut of George Clooney, and he is eager to show how much he has learned at the hands of the A-list filmmakers he has toiled under. So we get a style that is about 50% Soderbergh and 50% Coen Brothers. Sometimes it works, but mostly it comes across as too artsy, with all sorts of bizarre angles and unusual shots. Clooney frequently plays games with color, contrast, and focus. There are scenes that are black-and-white (or so leeched of color as to appear almost without hue) and others that appear intentionally colorized. Visual chicanery like this can be useful if employed for a reason, but Clooney's approach is that of a kid let loose in a candy store, and it often gets in the way. "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is blessed with a number of fine performances. As Chuck Barris, Sam Rockwell is phenomenal. Clooney gives himself the low-key role of Jim Bryd, Barris' CIA contact. Drew Barrymore is Penny, Barris' long-term, long-suffering girlfriend. Julia Roberts accepts a supporting part (or shall I say extended cameo) as Patricia, the resident femme fatale. There are also distracting, blink-and-you'll-miss-them cameos by Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. It's nice to see Clooney choosing something offbeat (as opposed to "safe") for his first outing behind the camera. If he continues to develop, he has the potential to become a good director--he's just not there yet.
Rating:
Summary: I just didn't like it
Review: This movie isn't bad, I just didn't like it. Charlie Kaufman's screenplay left me without conviction to one plotline. The story behind the lead character's rise to fame and wealth seemed all based on hard, verifiable facts, while the angle that highlighted the connection with the international underworld was spotty, difficult to follow, and unbelieveable (in a not good way). To focus on each, The portrayal of his development of his career as a television producer and love affair with Penny, played by Drew Barrymore, is potent and inspiring. You see a man with dreams, and you see his dreams come into fruition despite his self-loathing nature. Because of the interference of the assassin plotline, the interesting story of his absurd rise to fame is consistently cut short. I can see the potential for an interpretation of this storyline conflict as a metaphor of Barris' 2 lives, both half-finished, constantly interrupting and interfering with the other. Nonetheless, it detracts from the quality of the film, in terms of entertainment value. The CIA operative side of the story is equally half-finished, and ends up woefully dominating the plot by the end of the film. What starts as a movie about a TV producer with a nagging affiliation with the shady underbelly of US politics turns into a film about a lost soul who buries the invasive regrets of his underworld lifestyle in his self-destructive behavior. By the end, the CIA side of the story takes near-total precedence, and is ultimately pervasive to the overall storyline. Out of nowhere comes a trite spur of a subplot where the two highlighted agents doublecross one another and eventually end each others' careers in espionage. The plot never officially turns tables and works toward one goal versus the other, though. The theme is that Barris can't put his past behind him until the double agent is found and killed, but it's never enunciated with sufficient emphasis to redirect the whole narrative to that end. What emerges is a film where one scene ends and the next starts, with nary a reference to connect the two. Where this film truly loses its value is in the 'gimme' scene where he's wandering through the backstage area of the Gong Show studio, seeing larger-than-life portrayals of his own subconscious, done up in backdrop scenery paintings. I would bet a finger that this was added to the film after an initial screening to an audience who found the inklings of Barris' inner demons nonconvincingly dramatized in the earlier scenes. What emerged was the same kind of give-away that happened at the end of Being John Malkovich where the tangled threads of the actor's subconsciousness are spilled onto the screen for anyone who didn't catch these more subtly portrayed points throughout the preceeding portions of the film. This is clearly a mechanism to open up the storyline to the regretfully substantial portion of the general audience without sufficient skills in dramatic interpretation to assemble and decipher the concepts by their own power. Shame on Kaufman, who, in the balance of the two films and annoyingly explicitly in Adaptation, seems to shun this mainstay of the Hollywood boilerplate offering. If you stay to read the credits, you'll notice that this film's contributors are a who's who of Hollywood magnates. The way the film feels makes me think that a bunch of people saw what seemed like a ball to write, stage, produce, and profit from, but what they came up with was a neglectible story that never really communicates anything substantial about Barris, the TV industry, the CIA, the politics of the Cold War, or love and regret. This would have been a much better production with a more dedicated staff who paid attention to the quality of the end product rather than nailing each component scene, which at least is something that I can credit the film for doing unfailingly.
Rating:
Summary: Great Debut for Mr.Clooney
Review: This movie benefits from having such a great story to base a movie on. Hollywood TV producer Chuck Barris, well known to many Americans as the host and producer of the infamous Gong Show, also created such favorites as The Dating Game and the Newlywed Game. A frenetic but ingenious television visionary, Mr. Barris provides a very interesting character to base a movie on. Now, you might say, well, I have seen enough movies about TV producers, does anything else happen? Oh yeah, Mr. Barris killed 33 people for the CIA. Or so he says. Of course, the claim is probably just insane driveling from an old coot, but hey, stranger things have happened. And, at the very least, it provides for some great entertainment, which this movie definitely delivers. The story is one broad portrait of the entertainment industry from the 60?s to the 70?s, a period of dynamic change brought about by some really fascinating characters. In the middle of it is was Barris, who was often blamed for a general ?decline? of television character. That?s obviously a bunch of garbage, as Barris merely produced the kind of entertainment people were looking for. Meanwhile, as Chuck tells us, he was working freelance as a hitman for Uncle Sam. This job brought him to places all around the world, pumping bullets into commies and stabbing Mexican drug lords. His TV job provided him a perfect cover, as no one would suspect a flashy TV man for brutal political murder. Later on, however, Barris? double life catches up with him, and he is almost driven to madness trying to keep things together. A few components in this movie stand out above the rest. The first is the cinematography and the directing. The various cut scenes are done to perfection and are always perfectly timed, while the style and atmosphere of the movie is a fitting haze of confusion and 60?s drug craze. The acting is very good, notable performances coming from Rockwell, Barrymore, and Clooney. Rockwell is really great in this movie, as his character is so frenetic and confusing. Everyone else pulls off their roles, including the extremely scary Rutger Hauer. A very funny and interesting movie.
Rating:
Summary: "CONFESSIONS" to kill for
Review: "My name is Charles Hirsch Barris. I have written pop songs, I have been a television producer. In addition, I have murdered thirty-three human beings." We may be unfamiliar with the name Chuck Barris, but to the '70's generation, Barris hosted the decadent "Gong Show". He also claims to have simultaneously led a secret double life as a CIA hit man in Europe knocking off Communist agents. True to life, or stranger than fiction? In his strong directorial debut, George Clooney co-stars alongside Drew Barrymore, and Sam Rockwell, in a stunning performance as Barris. The most visually original movie this year so far with gorgeous colors and tones adding to its nostalgic kitsch, the film looses its visual charm in its later half, and Clooney makes some obvious rookie mistakes as director here and there. The masterfully irreverent Charlie Kaufman's script is a comedic riot, focusing on the inner turmoil of man torn between lives and loves, and despite its dark humor, it never looses its savage wit and edge. A great script, a strong debut from Clooney, and a killer performance by Rockwell, CONFESSIONS is the first wildly entertaining movie of the year!
Rating:
Summary: Unique Style, Loads of Creativity
Review: I saw the movie in Palm Springs where George Clooney and Sam Rockwell attended and did a Q & A after the film. This of course heightened the overall experience with the movie. It is done as a comedy yet your mind can linger on it afterwards and wonder if there is some truth to Chuck Barris. According to alot of critics there is not, but still we don't have the answer. That makes the movie fun. The question reminds open, leave it to our own speculations. The films colors are really full and than can darken when Barris goes on assignment with the CIA, giving it a film noir appeal. There is a frame of Roberts sitting half in shadow that looks very classic, reminding me of older generation films. When asked why Clooney placed an acrobat in one of the scenes, he said he just did, why not. I think that is what the film portrays, alot of creativity also it pays attention to the time period it is filming, clothes, attitude, etc. There is a scene where it shows a girl on the newlywed game, she anwsers with a really great response, that is pure innocence. Clooney said, " Bob Eubanks denied that this was an episode, but Barris got the original for the movie, so apparently this really did happen." Clooney called the lady up and asked her if he could use this in his film. She said, "I'm a grandma now." Clooney offered her 5 grand and she decided well what the heck. Sam Rockwell does a great performance. I was really impressed by his talent. He seems very quiet and reserved in person. Clooney of course, is very funny and captures a crowds attention. All the characters in the film are fun to watch and the storyline is captivating! So Clooney walked away with my pen and I walked away with some autographs and a satisfying film experience. Lisa Nary
Rating:
Summary: Bang A Gong
Review: Whether or not we believe that the events in "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" actually happened to Chuck Barris or not, George Clooney has stylishly directed a film that is firmly and uncompromisingly captivating.
It is obvious in the manner in which the events of this film are presented that Clooney has elected to accept the facts of Barris' "unauthorized" autobiography as truth and it is this conviction, tempered with Clooney's obvious empathy that makes this film such a pleasure to watch. But at the core of this film is Barris himself: a man with his pulse on the tastes of an entire nation yet unable to commit to the one woman who adores him (Penny played by Drew Barrymore), a man who is always on the losing end of a bar fight who is recruited by the C.I.A. to be an assassin and a man without much education who can recite and comprehend the works of Shakespeare and Carlyle. But more than anything, Barris is a man who can't seem to find a place or a person that brings him comfort. He is a man who is always nervous, always unsure, and never completely happy or at ease.
Sam Rockwell is able to capture all the facets of Barris' persona and play out the rare intelligence of Charlie Kaufman's screenplay with assurance: this role will become a touchstone of Rockwell's career for years to come. Drew Barrymore has never been more enchanting, sweet and luminous than she is here: she lights up the screen whenever she is in the frame.
"Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" is a dark, troubling film that nonetheless shines a very bright light on the life of someone who surprisingly, because it comes from such an unexpected source, has a very fascinating story to tell.
Rating:
Summary: I have a Confession...I don't understand this movie
Review: I am a frequent watcher of the late night talk shows, and George Clooney has been on all of them lately to promote his new movie, "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind." The hosts and critics alike had very good things to say about this movie, so I dedided to see it. Here is my take....I don't understand. This movie is a biopic based on the life of game show creator Chuck Barris. He created, among other things, The Newlywed Game and The Gong Show. AND according to his book and this movie, he moonlighted as an assasin for the CIA. The movie was dark. The lighting was dark, the writing was dark, and the colors were dark. The actors spoke in hushed tones and there was a lot of jump cutting which affected the continuity of the movie. The movie was slow. Painfully slow. There was plenty of cursing and gratitious nudity, as well as some cameos by the Unknown comic, Gene the dancing machine, and Dick Clark. As for my opinion, I can see how the critics liked it. Its composition was original, its score and lighting extremely creative, and Drew Barrymore and Sam Rockwell gave great performances. BUT, it was extremely slow, dull, and at times just plain boring. I don't understand why the people who makes these things feel like they have to go over the top with the creativity and editing. Negatives aside, I do not believe for a second that Mr. Barris was a CIA hitman. He seems too frail and laid back to be able to pull off an assasination. But, the whole "Was he or wasn't he" argument is brilliant marketing by the distributors of the film. This movie was just OK. Nothing special.
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