There are films that seem to be quirky for the sake of being quirky. There are films out there that seem like they were more fun to make than they are to watch. There are films that have a phenomenal cast, but none of the roles are as interesting as you could hope. There are films that have plenty going for them, but fail to come together as a whole. A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III is all of these films.
Written and directed by Roman Coppola, the co-writer of two Wes Anderson films (The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom), A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III feels like a parody of a Wes Anderson film that never moves past imitation and into the charming fun that we expect from an Anderson film.
The film stars Charlie Sheen as Charles Swan, a middle-aged, depressed, substance using artist who is coming to terms with a break-up with a woman he both loved and hated. Through a series of scenes that change from reality to what Charles is imagining, the film shows us that even though Charles absolutely hates many things about this woman, he can't live without her. He talks with several friends and members of his family (roles played by Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Patricia Arquette), but still can't come to terms with her leaving him.
What the film does offer is some pretty interesting imaginary scenes inside Charles' mind. From being attacked by attractive Native American dressed women to a ball-busting military force trying to chase Charles down, there is plenty to enjoy in the early parts of the film. But as the story moves along, it starts to drag and that is saying something for a film that is only an hour and twenty minutes long. The first forty minutes is pretty entertaining, the last ten minutes are enjoyable, but there is a middle half-hour that lags some of the quirk, originality, and fun writing.
The other major achievement of the film is the work of Charlie Sheen, who, seemingly, can actually still act. Even though the role is pretty much exactly himself, there are a few scenes here and there where he displays the acting talents that made him a name in the first place. Topped off with a heartfelt monologue near the end of the film that Coppola writes with one of the best arguments for not breaking up I have heard in a long time, Sheen shows he is still a legitimate talent, even if his personal life is something to worry any director or producer from hiring him.
To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: custodianfilmcritic.com/a-glimpse-inside-the-mind/
Written and directed by Roman Coppola, the co-writer of two Wes Anderson films (The Darjeeling Limited and Moonrise Kingdom), A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III feels like a parody of a Wes Anderson film that never moves past imitation and into the charming fun that we expect from an Anderson film.
The film stars Charlie Sheen as Charles Swan, a middle-aged, depressed, substance using artist who is coming to terms with a break-up with a woman he both loved and hated. Through a series of scenes that change from reality to what Charles is imagining, the film shows us that even though Charles absolutely hates many things about this woman, he can't live without her. He talks with several friends and members of his family (roles played by Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, and Patricia Arquette), but still can't come to terms with her leaving him.
What the film does offer is some pretty interesting imaginary scenes inside Charles' mind. From being attacked by attractive Native American dressed women to a ball-busting military force trying to chase Charles down, there is plenty to enjoy in the early parts of the film. But as the story moves along, it starts to drag and that is saying something for a film that is only an hour and twenty minutes long. The first forty minutes is pretty entertaining, the last ten minutes are enjoyable, but there is a middle half-hour that lags some of the quirk, originality, and fun writing.
The other major achievement of the film is the work of Charlie Sheen, who, seemingly, can actually still act. Even though the role is pretty much exactly himself, there are a few scenes here and there where he displays the acting talents that made him a name in the first place. Topped off with a heartfelt monologue near the end of the film that Coppola writes with one of the best arguments for not breaking up I have heard in a long time, Sheen shows he is still a legitimate talent, even if his personal life is something to worry any director or producer from hiring him.
To read the rest of the review (IMDb form too short) visit: custodianfilmcritic.com/a-glimpse-inside-the-mind/