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Schizopolis
Grade: A+
Men attracted to fat women and disgusted by skinny women. A gibberish speaking exterminator who seduces every woman in the neighborhood. A husband and wife who have trouble communicating speak only in nonsense. A religion whose job isn't to answer all questions, but to question all answers. A dentist that speaks in horrible puns, and an escapee from a mental hospital without any pants. That's not even scratching the surface of Oscar winner Steven Soderbergh's (Out of Sight; sex, lies, and videotape; and Traffic) Schizopolis.
Soderbergh writes, directs, and stars in this bizarre satire which is one of the best and strangest films I've ever seen. Upon first viewing, I wasn't sure what I thought of this. My cousin thought it was utter crap, but I really enjoyed it. The only thing that left me reeling was the husband and wife (played, ironically, by Soderbergh and his ex-wife) who couldn't communicate. Like the exterminator, they speak only in gibberish. Soderbergh uses this as a tool to depict the lack of communication between the couple and once I recognized that I realized this was one of the best films I've ever seen. You don't need to understand the couple, their acting and gibberish prove to be enough and even makes their scenes more powerful.
Now, I will admit that I am a huge Soderbergh fan. He is my favorite filmmaker at this moment. I'm not just saying this because he is my favorite filmmaker, but Soderbergh can act. He truly has talent. (I love Tarantino's work also, and I personally think that he can't act his way out of a paper bag.) I wish Soderbergh would do more acting and I'm pleased to hear that he is going to be starring in Richard Linklater's new animated film. Soderbergh is a great talent.
Enough of my rambling, I should probably attempt to describe the plot now. The first half follows Fletcher Munson, a speech writer for a L. Ron Hubbard-esque cult figure. Munson's coworker drops dead one day of a heart attack and Fletcher is recruited to write a speech that "has a straight direction, but can change course at any moment" as well as contradicting itself in other terms. Very funny satire. Also going on at Munson's work is a witchhunt for a spy (and a mole) who are leaking secrets about the religion to a rival religious cult. Between clocking his masturbation and writing the alphabet in his cubicle, Munson drifts farther and farther from his wife. (The gibberish I was talking about.) His wife ends up having an affair with a pun-speaking dentist (also played by Soderbergh) and that's the last we see of Munson. Meanwhile, we have an exterminator seducing every woman in town with gibberish.
The second half of the film follows Dr. ("Be true to your teeth, or they'll be false to you.") Korcheck, the dentist that Munson's wife is having an affair with. In this half, however, Korcheck is infatuated with another woman, also played by Soderbergh's ex-wife, named Attractive Woman #2. "The wind sings your name endlessly, only with a slight lisp that makes it hard to understand if I'm standing near an air conditioner...... I know that your hair sits a top your head as though it could sit no where else..... I know your figure could make a sculptor cast aside his tools, injuring his assistant who was looking out the window instead of paying attention... I know your lips are as full as that sexy French model's that I desperately want to fuck." This very commentary ends up in a letter addressed to the woman and ends with Korcheck facing a sexual harassment suit. This, of course, happens after Korcheck leaves his lover. Talk about giving yourself the shaft...
All in all, Schizopolis is the most bizarre film I've ever seen. However, it is also one of the greatest. It's satire is biting and hilarious and it's drama is powerful and proves that it does not need to be spoke logically or in English. I only wish this film was available to more people and I hope it comes out on DVD soon. This could come very soon because Soderbergh is working on a sequel. Watch this film!
I almost forgot to comment on Soderbergh's filmmaking. The methods of telling this story are interesting and original and overall, refreshing and creative. This deserves a lot more praise.
- Dr. Strangelove (aka Drew Morton)
Readers, also be sure to check out my website. (http://www.fxfilms.cjb.net) Included is one of the only Soderbergh fan sites around. Also, be sure to keep writing in DVD and movie questions to me!
As always, Hollyfeld can be reached at hollyfeld_@hotmail.com
You there! You think you could do this job better than I can? Well, you might be right! Look Closer… is always looking for guest columnists, and you might as well be one of them. Just write a review of reasonable length for a movie that you think is under-rated, over-rated, no one knows, etc., and if it makes the grade we will print it in an edition of this column! Those whose reviews are published will also receive a free piece of (slightly cheesy and really inexpensive) promotional merchandise from a movie, to be sent when their review is published, courtesy of me. Just send any and all reviews to the above address. Thank you for reading and participating in the site!
Lazlo Hollyfeld is the pseudonym of an aspiring writer/actor/director located in Southern California. With one screenplay under his (collaborative) belt and more to come, he is sure to work his way up in the world with the help of his talented and close-knit group of friends, co-workers, and penguins. Yes, you heard me, penguins. A film student since before he can remember, he has devoted much of his life to the study of the silver screen and its related art forms.