4/5 excellent
  by William R. Nicholas (Mahwah, NJ USA)
Chuck Barris says in his book of this name that, while creating the Dating Game and hosting the Gong Show in the 1960s and 1970s, he was also a CIA assasin. He ran around Europe, his story goes, killing commie agents, going from East to West Berlin, playing all kinds of nasty games that would make Suzie the 1969 prom queen blush.

This is what Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind is about, and George Cloney directed this, using Sam Rockwell to play Barris.

What makes the movie work is that it dramatizes tells Barris' story as if it were true. The film does not concern itself about what is real and what is fiction. By showing it as Barris tells it, it becomes plauseable.

And Cloney directs as an artist preforming a labor of love, not a star who "now gets behind the camara." His choice of Sam Rockwell, a brilliant charactor actor, is a brilliant move. By not chosing a big name, Cloney let's you focus on the story and not on the star playing Barris. He also makes great choices, such as grounding this firmly in time and place. It is not an action moive, but smart film for smart people interested in a very specific era and mileu.

Rockwell really does not look like Barris, but plays himself in the situations Barris describes, and this allows the story to drive the film. Rockwell is a Barris we can buy because he tells the tale so well.

Cloney, Julia Robert's and Drew Barrymoore are also here, but just happen to be big name actors in a great little project. If any of the three wanted a star vehicle, this is not it. But that is great; keeping Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind a small film only adds to the mistique.

If you belive it, it is amazing. If you can't, so what: it is still a great story.

As far as A I am concerned, Chuck Barris the spy killer, why that is the stupidist, most redicu.............well?

4/5 nice pace
  by Strawberry
This is a solid story
paced well and Rockwell is extremely watchable
Rutger H. awesome too as is clooney --direction solid as well


5/5 Very entertaining
  by Jason
How much of this movie is true is debatable, but it doesn't really matter because it moves at a fast clip and keeps your interest the entire time. This movie really brought Sam Rockwell to my attention as an actor who can carry and entire movie on his shoulders.

If you like 70's nostalgia, tv game shows, clock and dagger spies, lots of movie stars and good acting, you'll probably enjoy this movie.

3/5 Watch the movie before reading the book!
  by Mel Zorro
The movie itself is well-acted & fun to watch, but if you've read the book you feel like they left out/changed the most engaging plot points.

Sam Rockwell does a great job as Chuck Barris and Drew Barrymore is a sweet, pathetic Penny Pachino which makes the love story of the film work on a basic level. Unfortunately the espionage elements which made up the majority of the book are glossed over in favor of artistic fluff.

Barris' friendship with Jim Byrd is cut away to merely boss and employee, while Patricia's eventual fate is meaningless b/c she is shown as a brief sexual fling with no susbtance. It's too bad they wasted Julia Roberts in this part, that was the best part of the book.

I would suggest reading the book over viewing the film, but it still has its entertaining moments.



5/5 Underappreciated movie
  by Tom Mallard
Everyone knows Charlie Kaufman for "Being John Malkovich." While that movie was great, this movie is right up there with it. The cast is wonderful, and the plot is so intriguing. It makes you almost believe something that is completely unbelievable, and for that, it is nothing short of brilliant. Sam Rockwell needs more starring roles; he is a great actor.