Dreary chain of non-starters, all for a misfit closing line.

Rating: 3/10 (23 July 2001)

What an awful film. There are no characters you can like, or even identify with unless, as apparently its makers expect, you are a dysfunctional chronic depressive who hates his life, spouse, child, sexuality, job, age, parents, and, I guess, credible stories. This is a badly made quilt of patches, each one composed of the non-story (I'll explain that) of someone so badly messed up that you'll think your most depressed friend should be giving them peer counseling. And, that's too bad because there are limitless chances to actually do something with characters like these. Instead, each one sort of commences a personal evolution, and hints of humor surround all of these initial bursts out of the gate. But, then, each one just sort of slows from that first sprint down to a jog, then walk, then kind of aimless amble, producing a non-story, every single time.
There is no one you can like, root for, or care about in this movie. They are all flawed people with easy lives, yet endless anxieties. None of them tries to deal with their problems, worst of all star Kevin Spacey who deliberately takes a job with "as little responsibility as possible." Even that potentially funny excursion goes nowhere, as we see almost nothing of his new position (which could have been grist for both the comedy mill, and the social commentary this film wants to be perceived as making, but doesn't.)
As a kind of grand joke (but really an insult), the very last line, done in narration, tricks you into thinking this worthless piece of grinding misrepresentation was actually some kind of life-affirming, we-shall-overcome example of the human spirit. Uh... no, it isn't. If you want that, see, "The World According to Garp," a thousand-times better movie than this. The last time I saw this kind of one-liner attempt at putting an audience in an emotional vice to squeeze out a warm feeling was when one of the characters pointlessly says "mazel tov" to a victimized Jewish character in a Broadway production of "Grand Hotel." The Manhattan audience, as required, went "awww." But I've warned you this time, so don't fall for it.
If you want a slice-of-life movie where things are a little less extreme (read that, "actually believable"), with some fun spots worth laughing at mixed with its philosophies, see "The Wonder Boys." It's what this movie wishes it were, or should have. On the other hand, if you are a manic depressive who is never manic, you are going to love "American Beauty."