neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind
	George Clooney Sam Rockwell, George Clooney, Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts, Rutger Hauer, Maggie Gyllenhaal 2002		Steering the deliriously funny "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," George Clooney is the latest member of an exclusive club — the one made up of Hollywood stars who manage to direct impressive feature films. "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," based on the "unauthorized autobiography" of game-show creator, artless TV emcee and show-biz hustler Chuck Barris, is Clooney's first directorial effort, but it comes off like the work of a seasoned pro. The movie is fueled by its subversive source material: the supposed life story of Barris, who claims he was a hitman for the CIA while producing "The Dating Game" and hosting "The Gong Show," a '70s cavalcade of bad amateur talent. Since Clooney's screen persona is often marked by a playful, rebellious quality, he must've felt a kinship with Chuck's book, which was adapted by rule-breaking screenwriter-on-the-ascent Charlie Kaufman ("Being John Malkovich"). The principal cast members — super Sam Rockwell as idiot-savant Barris, Drew Barrymore as Chuck's hippie chick, Julia Roberts as a modern-day Mata Hari and Clooney as Chuck's CIA handler — tear into Kaufman's script with zest.