Rating: 
Summary: Confessions of Chuck Barris...
Review: In the period from the late 1960's to the mid 1970's, Chuck Barris was the hottest producer of game shows on the Hollywood circuit. Everything he touched was virtually 'Midasized'. "Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind" chronicles the above time period, revealing both matter-of-fact and some rather shocking information - according to the film's storyline. The intro to the movie claims all information contained therein is taken from actual accounts from Mr. Barris himself. "Confessions..." goes to great lengths to attempt to prove to its audiences just how far one man would go to achieve celebrity status, including a stab at glory of wanting to be one of the most powerful men in showbusiness. The first half of this movie gets its point across rather nicely, as we get to witness Chuck Barris' struggles with network executives and his rise to the top - of which he was well on his way during the period of 1965-1966, when he created and produced two of the biggest game shows of all time with both "The Dating Game and "The Newlywed Game" (both of which in the recent past have seen continuous airplay in reruns on Game Show Network). Barris would hit paydirt again a decade later with "The Gong Show", which he emceed as well from 1976-1980. But, the strange premise of "Confessions.." reveals an ominous dark side of Barris - regarding his connections with the mob underworld as an undercover spy. The reasons for Barris' involvment with the CIA aren't stated very clearly in the film - it's as if the head secret agent (played by George Clooney) just pops up without just cause, although Clooney's appearance here is nothing short of spectacular (including an excellent job as a director for the first time in his career). It is at this point in the movie where things unravel a bit. It seems as if Sam Rockwell's portrayal of Barris' (character) is just going through the motions, moving from one disjointed scene through the next (from tracking down merciless thugs across Europe, to countless "sexcapades" involving numerous women). The bright spot of "Confession..."'s second half, is "The Gong Show" (briefly mentioned above) footage (some of it being archival), although featuring a somewhat slightly above average emcee delivery performance of Barris (courtesy of Rockwell) from the program. The sets from "The Dating Game", "The Newlywed Game" and "The Gong Show" used here were constructed exactly like in the actual shows, another plus which adds an authentic touch to "Confessions..." The "behind the scenes" interviews from the few celebrities involved with Chuck Barris Productions, helped keep this picture afloat as well - as people such as Dick Clark, Jim Lange, Jaye P. Morgan, "Gene Gene The Dancing Machine" Banks and others, each give a brief and candid summation of what it was like to work with "The Man Himself". If it wasn't for the insights of these fine entertainers, "COADM" would have been a subpar effort, nonetheless. Anyhow, this couldn't truly be a Chuck Barris biopic without an appearance by "Chuckie Baby" himself. Even though this is probably a loose account of the 1982 text biography, "Confessions..." is still worthy of a viewing, especially if you're into (pictorial) biographies. Be advised, however, that this movie, along with its "gematic" scenes, contains lumps of coal as well. First half: 4 STARS: Second half: 3 STARS. Overall rating: 3.5 STARS (still above average).
Rating:
Summary: MISSED THE MARK
Review: First of all I really wanted to enjoy CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND. The previews seemed intriguing and interesting but despite my good intentions I left the theater feeling dismayed and disappointed. In his debut as a director, I am afraid that George Clooney missed the mark with this movie.Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) is a *very* unlikeable protagonist. He is a selfish and egostical young man hoping for his big break in Hollywood developing and producing tacky daytime television game shows. During the movie Barris declares that he wants to live a meaningful life but feels depressed when he realizes that he has failed to do just that. However, as the movie continued I could care less whether he encounters some existential fulfillment or not as I really didn't care about him. How can I cheer for such a ill-concieved character as Barris? There was nothing to cheer for. This movie was based on a true story. Scenes from interviews from various entertainment figures that worked with Barris were shown throughout the movie and it appears that everyone is in agreement that Barris was an a**hole. So who cares about his troubles? Speculation continues whether Barris really worked as a CIA operative at night while producing his game shows during the day. I don't believe it. His ego is so large that I believe it was simply an aspect of his overactive imagination. Overall, CONFESSIONS OF A DANGEROUS MIND was a letdown. I left the theater feeling empty and dismayed.
Rating: 
Summary: "If you were a trumpet, and I blew you..."
Review: I'd like to start this review, ladies and gentlemen, with an impression. Gene Shalit a la "The Critic:" "'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind?' They should call it 'Confessions of a Great Movie!'" I tip my Guinness to you, George Clooney, for you did not disappoint. The cinematography and the camera work were great. The pacing was good, and I never felt any of the boredom or discomfort I often do when seeing a movie in the theater. Sam Rockwell was great. (I only wish they'd had more "Gong Show" segments because Sam had Chuck Barris's onstage mannerisms spot on.) And, of course, the materail was great. There were some very funny parts, some very cool parts, and some heartwrenchingly sad parts. Plus, no matter how many times I see it, I still think the scene where Julia Roberts clears the table, and Sam Rockwell crawls across the table to kiss her is killer sexy. I felt the same kind of giddy excitement walking out of this movie that I used to feel as a kid, after seeing a movie that struck a chord in me. I wanted to watch it again immediately. I couldn't stop thinking about it. They treated Chuck Barris with a great amount of respect, which I was very happy to see because it could so easily have gone the other way. It's not a life-changing movie, but it is damn fine entertainment, and I will own it in the future. I also look forward to seeing Clooney direct again. I dig his style. If you prefer a great story, classy directing, and some fine acting to the usual big budget, overblown direction shlock-fests or little-thought-necessary star vehicles, this film is time well spent. Sharp, witty, and sexy. Chuckie Baby, wherever you are right now, God love ya.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Dangerous Combonation
Review: Although his name is Charlie Caufman, he should be, from this day forward, be addressed as the new Paul Schrader. The only other writer to dive into the murky, pain stricken deeps of the male mind, is Mr. Schrader. Now, with his three most well known screenplays, Mr. Caufman comes full circle with his latest, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. He explores the fantasy of a man who is not really a winner or loser, but is in some kind of middle ground, Chuck Barris. Barris, who claims in his novel from which the movie is based, that he killed 33 known enemies to the American government. Now with that, first time director George Clooney stages all of these killings as fantasy elements. He lets us look inside of this complicated man, to try and find a reason to understand his madness. Although Clooney is a fine actor, he should have picked only one job and stuck with it. It appears as if he was trying too hard to fill the movie with as many "things" as possible. The complicated shots he pulls off are rather fun to look at, but serve no real purpose other than the fact that he paid close attention while working with the Cohen brothers. However, credit must be paid to the great Cinematographer,Tommy Seigel, who blows the mind with more colorful pastels than a box of crayons. Playing Barris, we see Sam Rockwell, who proves here just how fine of an actor he truly is. In this, his first leading role, Rockwell makes the transition from supporting player, to front runner with no problem at all. Altogether, the movie was not bad, but it had just a few to many things wrong with its focus and direction to be anything magnificent.
Rating: 
Summary: When I see "Cameo" appearances in an indication...
Review: Don't believe this movie to be factual, as it has never been documented that this was no more than "a way to sell the book itself." Clooney fans will go with great expectations to stare at the SuperStar..however, this movie doesn't deliver. Catch Me If You Can is a much better way to spend an evening out. Wait for Dangerous Mind to come to HBO.
Just my opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Truth Stranger Than Fiction
Review: We all remember Chuck Barris as the creator of some of television's most successful - albeit notoriously mind-numbing - game shows: "The Dating Game," "The Newlywed Game," and "The Gong Show." But did you know that he was also a hit man for the CIA? Well, that's what he claims, straight from his own "unauthorized autobiography" entitled "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," which has now been made into a movie by director George Clooney and writer Charlie Kaufman. Kaufman is known for devising elaborately absurd scenarios for his fictional films ("Being John Malkovich," "Adaptation" etc.), yet even Kaufman, in his wildest fantasies, could not have come up with a more bizarre premise than the one this real life story affords. No wonder he was drawn to this material. They are a perfect fit. In the world of movies, who says fact isn't stranger than fiction? In many ways, Barris was one of the men responsible for starting the trend towards "reality television" that so dominates network programming today. His most famous hits (especially "The Gong Show") were all based on the premise that millions of Americans would be willing to humiliate themselves in public for a few moments of fleeting fame - and that millions more would tune in to bear witness to the spectacle. Barris, craving fame himself, was simply savvy enough to plug into that national mood - and managed to make himself a fortune and turn himself into a household name in the process. What most of us didn't know about Barris at the time was that, while all this was going on, he was ostensibly leading a double life as a secret agent, tracking down and killing any number of "bad guys," all in the name of "national security." Given the inherently incredible, jaw-dropping nature of the material, George Clooney, in his directorial debut, brings an appropriately surrealistic tone to the work. He employs a number of visual devices that help to fragment the world in which the story takes place. Certain scenes break through the constraints of time and space, as when Barris is talking on the phone in his apartment to an ABC executive, who is sitting in his office, and the two locations become one on the screen. The sense of dislocation this technique creates perfectly reflects the mental split occurring in Barris' own disturbed psyche. This style is further enhanced by the use of slightly off-kilter camera angles, color filtering and sepia tones in some of the shots. Scenarist Charlie Kaufman, as always, brings his own quirky vision to bear on the material. He cleverly balances the two "sides" of Barris' life, transitioning smoothly between those scenes revolving around his career as TV show producer and those revolving around his career as CIA operative. Moreover, Kaufman does a nice job getting inside the head of this man who is trying to fight the demons of his own past, make a name for himself in the high stakes world of network programming, cope with his own inadequacies as a person, and come to terms with the vile things he is doing in his secret life all at the same time. As Barris, Sam Rockwell gives a terrific, high-energy performance, capturing the sadness and paranoia of a man who seems to know deep down inside that his fame is probably undeserved, built as it is on mediocre ideas and a willingness to exploit the baser instincts of human nature. Drew Barrymore brings her usual charm to the role of Penny, Barris' one true love and the only person genuinely drawn to Barris as a person, even though he is unable to commit himself to her fully, preferring instead to keep the relationship "casual" and uncommitted. Barris finds it impossible to make a real, meaningful connection to another human being, so twisted has he become in his value system and bizarre lifestyle. Rounding out the cast are Clooney himself, as the mysterious CIA agent who draws Barris into this strange netherworld of intrigue and danger, Rutger Hauer, as a fellow hit man who pours out his feelings about his chosen occupation to Barris, Julia Roberts, as the icy cool CIA operative who pops up at various moments and in various places to keep an eye on the young recruit, and even Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, who show up for a truly hilarious cameo appearance together, one that had the audience at the screening I attended howling with delight. The $64,000 question becomes, of course, is this story even remotely true, or is it merely another case of this master showman's playing the public for all its worth? I haven't the slightest idea. The filmmakers certainly take it all very seriously, as evidenced by the fact that they have various friends and business acquaintances of Barris (Dick Clark, Jay P. Morgan) providing interviews for the film, interviews which hint at the dark possibility that the basis of the story might indeed be factual, given the kind of person these people claim Barris is. This gives the film a kind of pseudo-documentary realism that heightens the verisimilitude of what we are seeing on screen. Whether the film is really a true story or merely a grand lark perpetrated on an increasingly credulous audience, the fact is that "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" turns out to be a thoroughly entertaining, utterly loony piece of original filmmaking. "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" marks an auspicious debut for Clooney as a director, who, in his work behind the camera, demonstrates a thorough command of vision and style. One looks forward to his next endeavor.
Rating:
Summary: must move faster, because you can go to sleep!!!
Review: story line was boring. started to move after one hour, but the last half hour moved the best... it is not the kind of movie I would say to someone to go and see. Julia Roberts part was a change for her, but not bad. if this is true about Chuck Berris then I know why his programs were so good when I watched them on TV back in the 70's. DO'NT RUSH TO SEE IT...
Rating:
Summary: 3 great reasons to watch this movie....
Review: 1. First off, Charlie Kaufman, you've done it again! Adapatation was my #1 film of 2002 and although it's way to early to tell how this will fair for this year, I'm off to a great start with Confessions. How much is based on truth, how much isn't? We'll never really know, but who cares? Sam Rockwell is truly incredible recreating the life of Chuck Barris. Struggling to get a show to work on the air, becoming addicted to his "contract" position with the CIA, fearing commitment with his girlfriend. This film was full of twists (classic Kaufman), humor, sexual visuals complementing living Barris' lifestyle, and a great beginning leading to you a wonderful ending. 2. Cinematography - UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Every, and I mean every, shot in this movie was like something out of a postcard! It was truly amazed with the team of Clooney, Soderbergh, and Nigel Thomas Sigel as the director of photography. Several different color tones were used throughout the film emphasizing the story in parts or complimenting the environment. Various film formats were used, 35mm, 16mm, digital, Super 8....it was amazing how you really couldn't tell unless you were really paying attention to it. But the style of photography just captivated me. Some very good shots and very interesting setups. For example, a transition from one scene in a bathroom that then zooms in on Rockwell's eyes...as the camera zooms out, we're in a corporate ballroom. I researched this one take and learned it was done in one take with a rotating set. A great trick without having to digitally edit and it came off flawlessly. Other setups include Rockwell leaving "his" set and walking into the foreground of another which may have a person he is talking on the phone with. This rids you of having to do split screens and adds a much better visual style. It's a facsinating start for Clooney - almost too good. 3. Acting. What can I say, I was even impressed by Barrymore. Rockwell is amazing throughout the film...Julia Roberts, the smart compliment to Rockwell, and Clooney was great and surprisingly didn't even steal any scenes from Rockwell. Oh, don't forget to watch out for the hilarious cameos from Brad Pitt and Matt Damon! This film was wonderful! A must see especially if you liked Kaufman and want to see something a little different....this is probably the only memorable movie for January aside from Chicago going into wide release.
Rating:
Summary: Please tell me they didn't talk that way then!
Review: Sam Rockwell was so cute as the title character; he has beautiful eyes. George Clooney was suave and debonair and looked so like his dad, Nick Clooney.
Surely they did not use the "f" word back then so vociferously. It detracted a great deal from the story. Even young girls used it and I doubt that being the case at all.
It was a good comedy, and a good adventure fantasy all mixed up in a grab bag of slime. I hope it was all his imagination, as it would be so sad if his life had been this bad.
And to blame it all on his mother --- please!
Rating:
Summary: Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Review: A project that had been through many incarnations before George got involved and attempted the seemingly impossible...should have remained on the shelf. Now I know why investors had previously walked away from this project...too much hype, too little film.
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