A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III DVD Review

Director: Roman Coppola,

Starring: Charlie Sheen, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Katheryn Winnick, Patricia Arquette, Aubrey Plaza, Dermot Mulroney, Mary Elizabeth Winstead,

Running Time: 85 Minutes

Certificate: 15

Coming from the family Coppola means that Roman Coppola is going to find it hard to stand out and shake off the shadows of his father and sister. That is unless of course he does something completely different and unique, which is thankfully what he does in A GLIMPSE INSIDE THE MIND OF CHARLES SWAN III. It may not always work, and it can be just as confusing and irritating as it is rewarding and humorous. Despite this, I’d rather sit through something that attempts to push the boundaries than something that is competent yet soulless.

A GLIMPSE INSIDE THE MIND OF CHARLES SWAN III casts Charlie Sheen as Charles Swan, which makes it hard to see past the actor as he is constantly referred to by the same first name. It’s a testament to Sheen’s effort that we see him as 1980s and 1990s Charlie Sheen, and not the comical parody linked with drugs and outrageous claims that he has been portrayed as recently. You never get completely lost in the performance, but it also serves the plot well considering the main character is wrapped up in his own little world wherein everything revolves around him. The film deals with a break-up seen through the eyes of Charles Swan III, who obviously represents himself as the victim and is an unflinching portrayal of how loathsome and self-pitying men can become in such a situation.

The narrative takes many experimental twists and turns, with fictional accounts used to highlight Swan’s self-obsessed nature, and flights of fancy used to demonstrate his inability to see the truth for what it is. Although these elements are well justified, they lack impact due to the film never grounding itself with any sort of reality. It makes the entire film feel like a quirky independent comedy that’s trying too hard. It can easily be compared to the works of Wes Anderson, which may be down to the casting of Schwartzman and Murray, but it also has that bittersweet dramatic feel. Unfortunately, it lacks the emotional depth or contrasting elements of realism.

As a sophomore effort, it’s a promising continuation of Roman’s career. Roman is obviously a man with a voice aching to get out, and one that wishes to separate himself from father and sister. The film has many individual scenes that can be classified as “great” but it lacks a cohesive strand that really allows it to feel complete. It can all be summed up by the credit sequence in which the actors walk towards the camera and announce their name and the role they played. It’s cute, but it also reminds us that nobody has removed themselves from their star persona. It feels and looks like a film, rather than seducing the audience with a story.

A GLIMPSE INSIDE THE MIND OF CHARLES SWAN III is released on DVD on 30th September via Koch Media.