Colour Me Kubrick: A True...ish Story

This film was strangely intriguing and had my full attention all the time. The dialogue is at times extraordinarily witty and it's a mix of sadness (emphasized by the music scores from both Clockwork Orange and 2001, as well as melancholy tones from Bryan Adams "I'm not the man I seem to be, but I'm the man for you..") and comedy depicting the double nature of the conman Conway. Malkowich slippery and at times very painful acting is one of a kind. It's amazing how his character bounces up again and again, he can't stop himself. Of course, as a social commentary this film is a hard judgment on the willingness for people to believe and get benefits from anybody who appears to be in a position of power.

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Outrageous, delightful, astonishing one man show by the phenomenal John Malkovich. They tell us the story is a true-ish tale and they could have fooled me because it feels, the story and the character, like escapees from a Monty Python project. John Malkovich goes further that most people who ventures into a trueish story. Leonardo Di Caprio in "Catch Me If You Can" plays a true life con who gets away with the most incredible things but we buy that people buy it because there is something so believable in Di Caprio's persona. John Malkovich goes the opposite way. He doesn't care whether you believe it or not because he believes it. It is a spectacular performance and that alone makes Color Me Kubrick a must.

Allow me to preface this whole review by saying that the more familiar you are with the works of Stanley Kubrick, the more enjoyable this film will be for you.

If you are only slightly familiar with Kubrick, and are not interested in seeing a John Malkevich playing an impressively nuanced, yet unprogressing character (after seeing, one has to admit it was quite the feat), then your $10 is probably better spent elsewhere. However, if you are like me and get a kick out any work that can thread in a Kubrick allusion without making any excuses, this film might be right up your alley.

Within this film there is no great commentary, no grand message, and no prevailing plot. What it does contain is one compelling character, one twisted journey, and whole host of inside jokes which, if you are in on the bit, make this film worth every penny of the ticket price. A confidence man, Alan (Malkevich), grifts his way through every episode of this linear yet non-Aristelean film by pretending to be the reclusive film director, Stanley Kubrick. Every episode is structured around an allusion (which Alan never seems to get because it appears as though he has never actually seen a Kubrick movie) to one of Kubrick's greatest scenes.

I believe giving too much more else will ruin the ride for those that care to take it. And, oh my, what a weirdly wonderful ride it is.

Something of a labour of love, Colour Me Kubrick is a short biopic of con-man Alan Conway who successfully posed as Stanley Kubrick during the director's lifetime. Played by John Malkovich at his most enduringly camp, Conway charms the socks, money and underpants from a string of wealthy suckers and gay young men. A master of his game, he gets people to write large cheques to cover fictitious donations to charity dinners as readily as conning twenty quid off a rock band to buy them (and him) fags and alcohol.

Wildly exuberant and certainly colourful, the film is well directed and acted. Its main shortcoming are two fold. The plot, such as it is, comprises a series of extended sketches until Conway's eventual apprehension, which lends an air of repetitiveness. Secondly, although Malkovich's intensely colourful campness is a remarkable achievement, he stage centres in practically every scene and if you cannot fall completely in love with it, the effeminate preening eventually can look dated and rather irritating.

Colour Me Kubrick is a traditional camp comedy with lots of cross-references for film fans. If you enjoy the first five minutes you will love it, otherwise it may have you climbing the walls.

This is an interesting film, if for no other reason for the talent of Malkovich. His performance is a study of excellent acting: He is so good as a reckless alcoholic pulling off acts of incredible chutzpah that the viewer literally cringes and winches in fear of his becoming exposed. Its not long into the movie that I was completely accepting of the lead character's complete asocial pathology. I accepted such for what it was - without any hope of redemption, rehabilitation or remorse! The problem with the film is that since the character soon becomes so one dimensional, the scenes just flow as episode after episode in a manner, way, etc., that makes one long for some personal epiphany, crisis, etc. This flick would have played well as tongue-in-cheek biography with a heavy dose of comedy, much like the films about; e.g., Ed Wood, Larry Flynt, etc. The movie might have been bettor with some modest introduction to the lead character, allowing some empathy.