Revolution #9

As a character study of one man's descent into paranoid schizophrenia, Tim McCann's Revolution #9 is a far more harrowing and far less prettied-up picture than Ron Howard's oh-so-Hollywood A Beautiful Mind. New York tech writer James Jackson (an astute Michael Risley) peeks over the edge when he accuses his coworkers of reorganizing his desk; by the time he violently confronts the director of a TV commercial (Spalding Gray) whom he believes is trying to control his mind through a perfume ad, Jackson has clearly careened over it. The "help" from his fiancée (Adrienne Shelly) only makes things worse, as the halfhearted efforts of the mental health system are interpreted by Jackson as being part of the conspiracy against him. Powerful, cynical social commentary aside, however, Revolution #9 never quite ignites; though nerve-racking on a visual level, the proceedings feel overly padded out and repetitious. Still, this strikingly unsentimental and uncompromising indie film should be considered a strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Tim McCann and costars Adrienne Shelly and Michael Risley, the bonus shorts “Naughty Eyes” (1 min.) and the music video-style “Ivoryland,” cast and crew filmographies, trailers, and weblinks. Bottom line: a small extras package for a small but intriguing film.] (M. Johanson)