The first half of this movie is okay. A somewhat hackneyed commentary on the state of mental health care in this country with a good performance by Phoenix. I had hope that it would evolve into a skillful character study of an individual descending into madness, failed by society and pushed over the edge. But the second half of this movie is absolutely ridiculous. Nothing is remotely believable and the plot points are beyond contrived. The only possible explanation that makes any sense is a theory I've seen posted here and elsewhere: the entire movie takes place in the mind of the title character. It's the only thing that would help the second half make any sense. This theory is dashed by the scene revealing that his positive interactions with his neighbor were all in his mind. If the movie takes place in his mind, this revelation surely wouldn't be here. This movie is all hype. The end product is poorly executed.
Tell Your Friends