The Dying Gaul

What starts off as an interesting indictment of Hollywood turns out to be another stupid movie where the computer is used as an unrealistic and outrageous gimmick. Excellent performances from Campbell Scott, Patricia Clarkson and Peter Sarsgaard are wasted in a movie that tries too hard to be clever rather than focusing on the human relationships that could’ve made this film great. Sarsgaard plays Robert, a screenwriter who has lost his lover, and his screenplay reflects his life as a homosexual. Scott plays the bisexual producer who loves the screenplay, but wants the characters to be heterosexual. Clarkson plays the producer’s wife, and her relationship with Robert is interesting—until computer chat rooms come into play. When the cyberspace drama kicks into gear, the movie goes completely off track. This flaw changes the film from something intriguing to something completely disposable.