Passion of Mind

Last updated
Passion of Mind
Passion of mind.jpg
Promotional film poster
Directed by Alain Berliner
Written by
Produced by
Starring
Cinematography Eduardo Serra
Edited by Anne V. Coates
Music by Randy Edelman
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Classics
Release date
  • May 26, 2000 (2000-05-26)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • English
  • French
Budget$12 million
Box office$769,272 [1]

Passion of Mind is a 2000 American drama film starring Demi Moore. [2] It was the first English-language film from Belgian director Alain Berliner, best known for the arthouse success Ma Vie en Rose (1997). The film received negative reviews from critics and became a box-office bomb, grossing just $769,272 against its $12 million budget. Moore received a nomination for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her roles.

Contents

Plot

Marty is a single, high-powered literary agent in Manhattan. Marie is a widow who lives a peaceful life in Provence, France with her two daughters. When Marie falls asleep she dreams that she is Marty and when Marty falls asleep she dreams that she is Marie. Marty has been seeing a therapist to deal with her vivid dreams of Marie's life. Marie also sees a therapist, and confides in her older friend, Jessie, but she is much less disturbed by the dream life.

Each woman is convinced that the other is a figment of her imagination. Marty's New York psychiatrist, Dr. Peters, feels that she is lonely in her busy life and wants to live a simple life with children to love. Marie’s French psychiatrist, Dr. Langer, feels that she wants more than a drab home life and longs to lead a more exciting one.

Through a business deal, Marty meets Aaron, an accountant. They become friends and eventually lovers. Terrified that her vivid other life means that she's losing her mind, Marty doesn't want to tell Aaron about it but finally does. Marie, meanwhile, has met and fallen in love with William, a writer. She too is reluctant to tell William about her dreams, particularly because she (as Marty) is falling in love with Aaron, but realizes that she cannot keep such an important part of her life a secret.

The two men react very differently: William is jealous, and Aaron is skeptical but not at all threatened, and wants only for Marty to be happy. Dreams and reality begin to merge when Marie goes on holiday with William to Paris, and Marty wakes up with an ashtray from the hotel on her night stand. Eventually Marty/Marie must come to terms with reality and choose which life is real and which is illusion.

Along the way, Marty and Marie find clues from each other's lives in each world. Yet, the real, tangible things are always found in the New York world. Eventually, she realizes that her New York Life is real and her French life is a dream. Marie's two daughters are herself when she was 7 and 11. Her friend, Jessie, is her memory of her mother who died when she was eleven.

Marty gives Aaron her journals as a way to understand her better.

Cast

Reception

Passion of Mind garnered negative reviews from critics. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 19% approval rating, based on 36 reviews, with an average score of 4/10. [3] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 28 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [4]

Emanuel Levy, writing for Variety , criticized Bass and Field's "narrowly-scoped, undernourished script" for taking its main concept and explained it in "a more rational and clinical way", but praised Berliner and his production crew for constructing "workable tension" during the first half with "impressive mise-en-scene" and "smooth transitions" between the two different lives and the performances of Moore, Skarsgård and Fichtner, concluding that: "Due to them, "Passion of Mind" is more successful and enjoyable as a variation on the prevalent screen theme of romantic triangle than as a psychological case of split personality." [5] Marjorie Baumgarten of The Austin Chronicle was also critical of the "woefully underwritten" script telling "a preposterous story" with an unearned "explanatory climax", but gave praise to Moore, Skarsgård and Fichtner, saying they "perform ably and strike more than a few pleasant moments in this otherwise forgettable drama." [6] Roger Ebert felt the screenplay paled in comparison to the similarly premised Me Myself I when constructing its story with supernatural and multiple personality elements, saying it gave unanswered questions that overshadow the content and leads to an "unconvincingly neat" conclusion. [7] Entertainment Weekly 's Lisa Schwarzbaum gave the film a "D+" grade, calling it "a weirdly rococo and psychologically nonsensical application" of the "folks surfing the space-time/living-dead continuum" formula that was previously used by Frequency , Me Myself I and Sliding Doors . [8]

Moore was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her roles, but lost to Madonna for The Next Best Thing . [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demi Moore</span> American actress (born 1962)

Demi Gene Moore is an American actress. After making her film debut in 1981, Moore appeared on the soap opera General Hospital (1982–1984) and subsequently gained recognition as a member of the Brat Pack with roles in Blame It on Rio (1984), St. Elmo's Fire (1985), and About Last Night... (1986). She had her breakthrough for her starring role in Ghost (1990), the highest-grossing film of that year. Her performance was praised and earned her a Golden Globe nomination.

<i>Waking Life</i> 2001 American film

Waking Life is a 2001 American experimental adult animated film written and directed by Richard Linklater. The film explores a wide range of philosophical issues, including the nature of reality, dreams and lucid dreams, consciousness, the meaning of life, free will, and existentialism. It is centered on a young man who wanders through a succession of dream-like realities wherein he encounters a series of individuals who engage in insightful philosophical discussions.

<i>Bully</i> (2001 film) 2001 film by Larry Clark

Bully is a 2001 crime drama film directed by Larry Clark, and starring Brad Renfro, Bijou Phillips, Rachel Miner, Michael Pitt, Leo Fitzpatrick, Daniel Franzese, Kelli Garner, and Nick Stahl. Its plot follows a group of teenagers in South Florida who enact a murder plot against their mutual bully who has emotionally, physically, and sexually abused them for years.

<i>What Lies Beneath</i> 2000 American film

What Lies Beneath is a 2000 American supernatural horror thriller film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay written by Clark Gregg, based on a story by Sarah Kernochan and Gregg. It stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, with Diana Scarwid, Joe Morton, James Remar and Miranda Otto appearing in supporting roles. It was the first film released by Zemeckis' production company, ImageMovers. The original film score was composed by Alan Silvestri.

<i>The Cell</i> (film) 2000 science fiction psychological horror film

The Cell is a 2000 science fiction psychological thriller film directed by Tarsem Singh in his directorial debut, and starring Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, and Vincent D'Onofrio. The film follows scientists as they use experimental technology to enter the mind of a comatose serial killer in order to locate where he has hidden his latest kidnap victim.

<i>A Walk on the Moon</i> 1999 film by Tony Goldwyn

A Walk on the Moon is a 1999 drama film starring Diane Lane, Viggo Mortensen, Liev Schreiber and Anna Paquin. The film, which was set against the backdrop of the Woodstock festival of 1969 and the United States's Moon landing of that year, was distributed by Miramax Films. Directed by Tony Goldwyn in his directorial debut, the fim was acclaimed on release. Diane Lane earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead for her performance.

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, collectively known as Siskel & Ebert, were American film critics known for their partnership on television lasting from 1975 to Siskel's death in 1999.

<i>Ever After</i> 1998 American romantic drama film

Ever After is a 1998 American romantic period drama film inspired by the Charles Perrault fairy tale, "Cinderella". It is directed by Andy Tennant and stars Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, Jeanne Moreau, Megan Dodds, Melanie Lynskey, Patrick Godfrey, Lee Ingleby, Richard O'Brien, Timothy West, and Judy Parfitt. Tennant, Susannah Grant and Rick Parks wrote the screenplay. George Fenton composed the original music score. The film's closing theme song, "Put Your Arms Around Me", is performed by the rock band Texas.

<i>The Butchers Wife</i> 1991 film by Terry Hughes

The Butcher's Wife is a 1991 American romantic comedy film, directed by Terry Hughes and starring Demi Moore and Jeff Daniels.

<i>The House of Yes</i> 1997 American film

The House of Yes is a 1997 American dark comedy film adapted from the play of the same name by Wendy MacLeod. The film was written and directed by Mark Waters, produced by Robert Berger, and stars Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Tori Spelling, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Geneviève Bujold. It was released in the United States by Miramax Films on October 10, 1997. The House of Yes received a divided critical reaction, with Posey winning a Sundance Award and Spelling receiving a Razzie Award nomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Fichtner</span> American actor

William Edward Fichtner is an American actor. He is known for his television roles as Sheriff Tom Underlay on Invasion, Alexander Mahone on Prison Break, Carl Hickman on Crossing Lines, and Adam Janikowski on Mom. His film appearances include Heat, Contact, Armageddon, The Perfect Storm, Go, Crash, Black Hawk Down, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

<i>Return to Me</i> 2000 film by Bonnie Hunt

Return to Me is a 2000 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Bonnie Hunt and starring David Duchovny and Minnie Driver. It was filmed in Chicago and was released on April 7, 2000 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was Carroll O'Connor's final film before his death the following year.

<i>Psycho</i> (1998 film) 1998 psychological horror film

Psycho is a 1998 American psychological horror film produced and directed by Gus Van Sant, and starring Vince Vaughn, Julianne Moore, Viggo Mortensen, William H. Macy, and Anne Heche. It is a modern remake of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film of the same name, in which an embezzler arrives at an old motel run by a mysterious man named Norman Bates; both films are adapted from Robert Bloch's 1959 novel.

<i>Mad Love</i> (1995 film) 1995 American film

Mad Love is a 1995 American teen romantic drama film directed by Antonia Bird and starring Drew Barrymore and Chris O'Donnell. It was written by Paula Milne. The original music score is composed by Andy Roberts.

<i>All the Pretty Horses</i> (film) 2000 film

All the Pretty Horses is a 2000 American Western film produced and directed by Billy Bob Thornton, based on Cormac McCarthy's novel of the same name, and starring Matt Damon and Penélope Cruz. It premiered on December 25, 2000 to mostly negative reviews. It grossed $18 million worldwide on a $57 million budget.

<i>Lucky Numbers</i> 2000 American film

Lucky Numbers is a 2000 black comedy film directed by Nora Ephron. The screenplay by Adam Resnick was inspired by the 1980 Pennsylvania Lottery scandal. It is the only film Ephron directed without also writing the screenplay. It is considered to be one of the biggest bombs of all time.

<i>Two Family House</i> 2000 American film

Two Family House is a 2000 American film produced by Alan Klingenstein, based on the story of the uncle of the film's writer and director Raymond De Felitta. The film won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Many of the film's actors later reached national prominence as part of the HBO cable television series The Sopranos, including Michael Rispoli, Kathrine Narducci, Matt Servitto, Vincent Pastore, Joseph R. Gannascoli, Sharon Angela and Michele Santopietro. The songs on the film's soundtrack were done by John Pizzarelli and his trio, a jazz recording artist.

<i>Striptease</i> (film) 1996 film by Andrew Bergman

Striptease is a 1996 American black comedy film written, co-produced, and directed by Andrew Bergman, and starring Demi Moore, Armand Assante, Ving Rhames, Robert Patrick and Burt Reynolds. Based on Carl Hiaasen's novel of the same name, the film centers on an FBI secretary-turned-stripper who becomes involved in both a child-custody dispute and corrupt politics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Connelly</span> American actress (born 1970)

Jennifer Lynn Connelly is an American actress. She began her career as a child model before making her acting debut in the 1984 crime film Once Upon a Time in America. After having worked as a model for several years, she began to concentrate on acting, starring in a variety of films including the horror film Phenomena (1985), the musical fantasy film Labyrinth (1986), the romantic comedy Career Opportunities (1991), and the period superhero film The Rocketeer (1991). She received praise for her performance in the science fiction film Dark City (1998) and playing a drug addict in Darren Aronofsky's drama film Requiem for a Dream (2000).

<i>Requiem for a Dream</i> 2000 American psychological drama film by Darren Aronofsky

Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 American psychological drama film directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher McDonald, and Marlon Wayans. It is based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Hubert Selby Jr., with whom Aronofsky wrote the screenplay. The film depicts four characters affected by drug addiction and how it alters their physical and emotional states. Their addictions cause them to become imprisoned in a world of delusion and desperation. As the film progresses, each character deteriorates, and their reality is overtaken by delusion, resulting in catastrophe.

References

  1. ↑ Passion of Mind at Box Office Mojo
  2. ↑ New York Times Theater Reviews (2002), The New York Times Film Reviews: 1999-2000, Taylor & Francis, p. 319, ISBN   0415936969.
  3. ↑ "Passion of Mind". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Passion of Mind Reviews". Metacritic . CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  5. ↑ Levy, Emanuel (May 22, 2000). "Passion of Mind". Variety . Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  6. ↑ Baumgarten, Marjorie (May 26, 2000). "Passion of Mind - Movie Review". The Austin Chronicle . Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
  7. ↑ Ebert, Roger (May 26, 2000). "Passion of Mind". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on December 28, 2021. Retrieved May 28, 2022– via RogerEbert.com.Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg
  8. ↑ Schwarzbaum, Lisa (June 2, 2000). "Passion of Mind". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on October 4, 2022. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Twenty-First Annual RAZZIE® Awards (for 2000)". Golden Raspberry Award Foundation. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.