One of the most inventive movies I've seen

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2004)

For three quarters of this movie, I kept asking myself "How can the director sustain (and even build upon) this level of intensity and inventiveness?" The relationship intrigue unfolds like Ten Little Indians, except with what you think are just two characters. This movie will win the best original screenplay Oscar or we should never watch the Academy Awards ever again. I should add that Jim Carrey gives us another Truman Show performance, showing again that his real talent lies in more serious acting. Kate Winslet also makes a believable, nuanced foil in this twisted tete-a-tete. So, what happens in the last 1/4 of the movie? Well, there's a rather silly subplot that makes fun of the state of American workers (and of relationships in general) that takes away from the emotional momentum. The ending isn't entirely satisfying either...perhaps others who have watched have a better ending suggestion. Nevertheless, this movie's superb acting, dialog, and directing deserve special mention -- for 3/4 of its length, it is pure, unadulterated genius; and for the last 1/4, merely very fine.