The account of a troubled play-write, who's professional and personal life is severely hampered by hypochondria and paranoia. PSH brilliantly portrays the main protagonist, who's new production takes on an autobiographical form which spirals out of proportion and cohesion. Director C.Kaufman creates a highly imaginative dream-like study of 'the big picture' of human emotions which undoubtedly contains elements of his own life reflected within the story.

As a piece of artistic cinema, this movie has genius credentials. The fine production values, magnificent score, sprinklings of bleak humour, and clever elusions to the meaning of existence are acted out superbly by a tremendous cast. As a piece of enjoyable viewing, this movie falters. For all the ethereal intrigue and suitable eccentricity, the plot ultimately unravels into a confusing muddle. You can't help but feel that this movie was a collaborator short of guiding director Kaufman's wild idea into a monumental triumph, rather than an absurd ego trip that lost its way. 6/10

There's some happenings in the movie which are very abnormal and weird. The main idea is great but in total I felt confused too often, not because of intellectual difficulties in understanding but because it's presented in an odd way. I feel drained after watching, not greatly inspired. A big weird movie which shows the mostly depressing and confusing late life of a theater director.

Theater director Caden Cotard (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is physically falling apart. He is working on the play Death of a Salesman with his leading lady Claire Keen (Michelle Williams). His wife Adele Lack (Catherine Keener) goes on a trip with their daughter Olive. Box office girl Hazel (Samantha Morton) keeps flirting with him. He gets a grant and rents out a giant space. He starts building a play where the cast does everyday things. The world inside the giant space starts becoming more real than the real world. Caden and Claire become parents with a girl as reality and fiction become indistinguishable.

This is a highly ambitious movie coming from the outsider mind of Charlie Kaufman. The start is pretty slow especially with a depressed Philip Seymour Hoffman. The movie turns very loopy, imaginative and utterly original. This is a movie trying to be life itself. It loses some of its cohesiveness as it tries to be too much. At times, I'm both resigned to not being able to grab hold of the story and interested to see more loopy ideas. I give Kaufman full marks for being unrestrained in his vision but this may need a bit more to make it an accessible watch.