Schizopolis
Schizopolis ★★ 1997
Experimental, empty satire on modern spirituality and communication combines a number of weird and wacky devices that are not particularly entertaining. In an interesting premise, Soderburgh takes the lead in a dual role as Fletcher Munson, a manically neurotic employee of a selfhelp guru and his own lookalike, a hohum dentist having an affair with Fletcher's wife. Soderburgh's reallife ex, actress Brantley, plays his wife, who also has a double that shows up at the dentist. Things grow more bizarre for no apparent reason, as secondary cast members speak in other languages or just complete nonsense while strange sound effects confuse, in a film which also lists no credits (the title is shown in film on a character's tshirt). Soderburgh, who wrote, directed and lensed this surrealist homage, shot on a superlow $250,000 budget as a way of expressing ideas not allowed in bigger budget, conventional films. To most, this just looks like expensive therapy. 96m/C VHS, DVD . Steven Soderbergh, Betsy Brantley, David Jensen; D: Steven Soderbergh; W: Steven Soderbergh; C: Steven Soderbergh.