Entertaining, primarily for Kaufman's continued originality

Rating: 9/10 (10 March 2004)

Unlike several individuals who I saw this with, I liked this film. The performances were good. Carrey shows that he has more dramatic range than his over-the-top comedic style suggests. The directing is sure-handed, more importantly, he keeps you off balance, which is something that the story necessitates. The most admirable feature though is the script. Charlie Kaufman once again shows that his originality knows no bounds. It's kind of funny, I don't love his movies; none would I consider "favorites". He is one of my favorite screenwriters though. I liked both Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, but I wasn't blown away by either film. I was however blown away by the scripts. The same holds true for this movie. Kaufman has a natural gift for turning the lives of seemingly dull individuals into a spectrum of oddity. His brilliantly "out there" plot lines aren't comparable to any other artist. He's somewhat Felliniesque, but more surrealistic and less linear. The bottom line is that this is a very good movie. It is bizarre and fun, if somewhat esoteric. What makes it especially engaging is the virtuosity with which random ideas are made into a cohesive acid-trip of a story.