I rarely quit a movie, but A24’s debut A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III was so miserable I had to tap out. As a fan of A24’s movie output I was drawn to A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, even though it only stands at 16% on Rotten Tomatoes.
I wasn’t worried about that because of the film’s unique concept, excellent cast and the promise of seeing Bill Murray cosplaying as John Wayne. I can also count on one hand the films I just gave up on. I’ve never walked out of a movie in the theater – though Date Movie and Silent Hill: Revelation tested my resolve.
I’ve only given up a handful of times at home. I couldn’t take more than 40 minutes of Safety Not Guaranteed or Kevin Smith comedy Cop Out, while I howled in existential anguish when I realized I had another 100 minutes of Southland Tales left, and turned it off.
I Had To Give Up On A24’s First Movie, A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III
It’s been a long, long time since I’ve disliked something so much that I switched off, but A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III earned that honor. This 1970s-set surrealist comedy stars Charlie Sheen as the title character, a womanizing graphic designer trying to get over a breakup with his latest girlfriend, Ivana (Katheryn Winnick).
This Charlie Sheen movie then cycles between the real world and the elaborate fantasies inside Swan’s mind. A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III’s hallucination scenes are parodies/homages to Hollywood genres like musicals, spy movies or Westerns, including Murray dressed as John Wayne in The War Wagon.
To the movie’s credit, it looks great and the production design is top-notch; still, I found the entire thing unbearable. Swan is a deeply unlikable character who deserved his dumping, the comedy is wildly stilted, and its high-energy tone feels ike it’s trying to distract from how hollow the whole thing is.
A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III Wastes An Incredible Cast
In addition to Sheen and Murray, A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III is overflowing with great actors. Swan’s best friend is played by the always welcome Jason Schwartzman, while Aubrey Plaza, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Patricia Arquette fill out the ensemble.
The cast might be one reason A24 took the movie on, but it highlights that even the best actors need decent material to work with. Most of them do their best to bring some energy or zip to A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, though I felt Bill Murray was phoning it in somewhat.
A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III was Charlie Sheen’s first big movie after his very public exit from Two and a Half Men.
The film is a dramedy where the comedy falls flat in every scene, and the drama doesn’t click, as none of the characters are engaging. I paused it just to take a break, but when faced with watching the second half of A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, I just gave up.
I Find A24’s Rise All The Most Impressive After A Glimpse Inside The Mind Of Charles Swan III
In a way, I have even more respect for A24 after A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, as it shows how far they’ve come. Since 2012, the distributor has become a beloved indie brand and is behind hits like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hereditary, Talk to Me, Moonlight, Midsommar and so many more.
That’s just a small selection of their output, but their name on a movie is usually a mark of quality. I can see why A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III made sense to them, but after it bombed in 2012 (nabbing only $200,000 on a $12 million budget), A24 course corrected in the best way possible.
Source: Box Office Mojo
