...To quote the late,great, Charles Mingus. Now,onto the movie. Paul Giamatti plays...well...um, Paul Giamatti,an actor who seems to be having the worst time trying to psyche himself into mustering up a good performance in a revival of 'Uncle Vanya'. After figuring that he just doesn't have the soul power that is conducive for taking on such a plum role,he settles into a depressed funk. He reads an article about soul transplants,and decides to take a whirl at it. Paul chooses the soul of a Russian poet,and has the procedure done. Problem is, the procedure has some serious repercussions. When Paul tries to get his soul back,he finds that it has been borrowed by a Russian actress,who acts in a daily soap opera. This is a dead on,tongue in cheek,deadpan comedy/drama for the thinking person. Besides Paul Giamatti,the film's cast is rounded out by Emily Watson as his wife,Nina,David Straitharn as Doctor Flintstein,the soul specialist,and a largely unknown cast of Russian actors who turn in a fine job. Lauren Ambrose ('Six Feet Under','Swimming') has some brief, but solid time on screen as Stephanie,Dr. Flintstein's assistant & secretary. This is the Charlie Kaufman screenplay that Charlie Kaufman didn't write (so expect an occasional sojourn into surrealism). Spoken mainly in English,but with some Russian with English subtitles. Rated PG-13 by the MPAA for some brief flashes of nudity & some naughty language.
Review of Cold Souls
