Wow, some movies are difficult to describe, others are a lot easier, and this falls into the second category. I rented "Adaptation" the last time I went to the video store and I did not like that movie much either, because it was overly slow, but there is one part that makes me laugh: Donald Kaufman creates a script where the kidnapper, the cop and the kidnappee are all actually the same person... SPOILERS BEGIN... this is that movie. Charles Kaufman was making an overly critical statement of what has come to be considered a good film, and this movie actually uses a script mirroring the over-the-top script used in "Adaptation". It is scary that a movie like this gets made in the first place. The problems I have are from the start. First it is clearly Cusack's voice on the phone with Molina's character explaining the past. It is clear that Molina supposedly started the "cure" on the phone with him, because how does the movie start without it, and if that is the case, why would you "cure" someone over the phone without having him properly watched in case something went wrong? Why does Molina's character not know which identity killed the people as a child, especially if one of those involved is a child? Did the child never come out and talk to Molina's character? Then how did that identity get invited to the motel? END SPOILER
I will throw the non-spoiler positives in the middle, between the criticisms. The cinematography and acting were pretty good. I am usually quite hard on Cusack, but he gave a good performance and wasn't overly "cute" in the way that makes me want to shut off his movies. This is his best performance since The Grifters and I enjoyed it.
Amanda Peet looks like a hooker, but that is what she was supposed to be and she too had a good performance. Of course, she always looks good (even as a hooker) which doesn't hurt.
Jake Busey should had been used more instead of playing "The Frighteners" role again. He is scary, but deserved more screen time instead of being just thrown into the story with little backstory.
The rest of the ensemble was fine, nothing great, but still over-achieving the script.
MORE SPOILERS Now the Liotta turn was so obvious from when he tried to call an ambulance, it just was clear he wasn't a cop. The scene where Cusack looks in the mirror was the best scene in the entire picture BUT let you too far into what was happening and then you stop caring about which characters survive because it doesn't matter anyway, because they are not real. The kid being the killer was VERY obvious when the mother dies, because the kid goes in to see her alone and go figure, she's dead. Having the kid die together with someone else was too obvious, "Gee the m.o. of the killer is to kill one at a time, and leave a key card for each, do you think anyone will notice when we conveniently give ourselves an out by 'killing' two characters at once? No of course not, we will have the bodies disappear, at that point and then let everyone know they are watching the thoughts of a serial killer and make no more references to the pesky keys until the end, plus we can 'shock' everyone by having the kid come back in the end because the audience will be too into the 'orange-growing feel good story of an obese man, believing himself to be a really hot woman' to notice." If you listen really closely, you can hear Charles Kaufman screaming at how awful the plot really sounds. END SPOILERS.
I rate this movie the following way: 1 for the Cusack performance, 1 for Amanda Peet and 1 for Jake Busey, but -1 for obviousness of the plot curves and lack of creativity which gives it a 2 out of 10.
I will throw the non-spoiler positives in the middle, between the criticisms. The cinematography and acting were pretty good. I am usually quite hard on Cusack, but he gave a good performance and wasn't overly "cute" in the way that makes me want to shut off his movies. This is his best performance since The Grifters and I enjoyed it.
Amanda Peet looks like a hooker, but that is what she was supposed to be and she too had a good performance. Of course, she always looks good (even as a hooker) which doesn't hurt.
Jake Busey should had been used more instead of playing "The Frighteners" role again. He is scary, but deserved more screen time instead of being just thrown into the story with little backstory.
The rest of the ensemble was fine, nothing great, but still over-achieving the script.
MORE SPOILERS Now the Liotta turn was so obvious from when he tried to call an ambulance, it just was clear he wasn't a cop. The scene where Cusack looks in the mirror was the best scene in the entire picture BUT let you too far into what was happening and then you stop caring about which characters survive because it doesn't matter anyway, because they are not real. The kid being the killer was VERY obvious when the mother dies, because the kid goes in to see her alone and go figure, she's dead. Having the kid die together with someone else was too obvious, "Gee the m.o. of the killer is to kill one at a time, and leave a key card for each, do you think anyone will notice when we conveniently give ourselves an out by 'killing' two characters at once? No of course not, we will have the bodies disappear, at that point and then let everyone know they are watching the thoughts of a serial killer and make no more references to the pesky keys until the end, plus we can 'shock' everyone by having the kid come back in the end because the audience will be too into the 'orange-growing feel good story of an obese man, believing himself to be a really hot woman' to notice." If you listen really closely, you can hear Charles Kaufman screaming at how awful the plot really sounds. END SPOILERS.
I rate this movie the following way: 1 for the Cusack performance, 1 for Amanda Peet and 1 for Jake Busey, but -1 for obviousness of the plot curves and lack of creativity which gives it a 2 out of 10.