Cosi

Madness, Mayhem, and Mozart. Lewis (Ben Mendelsohn), a sensitive Sydney slacker-type, takes a job directing psychiatric patients in an effort to give his life new direction. When Roy (Barry Otto of Strictly Ballroom), a resident erudite nut, suggests performing Mozart's opera Cosi Fan Tutte instead of a variety show, everyone, especially Lewis, is apprehensive. But, when the ward's likable bunch of bedlamites rolls up their institution gown sleeves and get down to work, all sorts of things happen--love burgeons, confidence grows, minds open, and creative energy abounds. Thrust into a world with a unique mental outlook, Lewis himself begins to perceive life differently, even questioning his long-time relationship with his girlfriend as he falls for Julie, an attractive drug addict-on-the-mend, played by Toni Colette (the star of Muriel's Wedding). The story culminates in a grand and magical production of Cosi Fan Tutte that surprises everyone. Based on a true story, Cosi is energetically acted and sharply written. Each character is endearing in this or her own wacky way, and while there are moments when the mental patients seem more like caricatures of pyromaniacs and heroin addicts, for the most part, they come across as credible victims of mental illness. Cosi is a transcendental film made with the Aussie filmic flair for the funny, the wry, and the heart-wrenching. A strong optional purchase. (A. Glover)