A Breath of Fresh Head

Rating: 10/10 (29 May 2000)

It makes me so happy to see a film like this attain its own sort of popularity, to know there is a significant audience for offbeat fare, shining through the oppressive quagmire of blockbusters. Praise to everyone involved with this weird yet plausible and not too bizarre to get caught up in filmed story, after which you will never look at puppetry the same way again. It's basically about people who, for some reason or other, just can't be themselves, either because others won't accept them for that, or they can't accept themselves, or else, well, it's their JOB to be someone else. An out of work puppeteer lands what he thinks at first is a normal clerical job, discovers by accident a channel into the mind of a notable actor, and is coerced by a scheming co-worker to sell tickets for the experience ..... and pays a dear price himself in the process. Identity, sanity, what's it worth to not be you for about 15 minutes? Just make sure you have a ride back from alongside the Jersey turnpike. With another beautiful, haunting score by Carter Burwell of Coen Bros fame .... take a different sort of movie escape, and just be glad you're you.