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| DIRECTED BY |
| Emir Kusturica |
| STARRING |
| Johnny Depp |
| Jerry Lewis |
| Lili Taylor |
| Faye Dunaway |
| Vincent Gallo |
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Warning: Spoilers in Third and Fourth Paragraphs
There is a great charm to most of Emir Kusturica�s films, and you know that you�re watching one when you identify one of the unmistakably unique scores that he always uses, combined with elaborately and often ludicrously constructed shots. From this film�s bizarre-yet-impressive opening sequence involving a globe-traversing balloon, it took me a while to realize that the uncompromising wackiness of �Arizona Dream� actually does serve a purpose. But it takes some patience to get through some aspects of this 140+ minute filmic aberration, such as Johnny Depp�s overly philosophical voiceovers, complete with esoteric aphorisms that are just about incomprehensible.
�Arizona Dream� is the type of seriocomedy that � when it starts to get serious � the viewer immediately wants it to get funny again. Every aspect of this film has a tongue-in-cheek demeanor about it, which is what adds to its entertainment value. But when it starts trying to deal strictly with subjects like death and suicide and depression, it transcends the whimsically humorous tone that makes it enjoyable and falls into the �you�re going too far with this now� category. The whole Russian Roulette scene, for instance, is completely unnecessary. Furthermore, Lily Taylor�s whole character sends an unnecessarily dark tone throughout a film that seems to be trying to serve a completely different purpose.
I�m basically saying that the film would�ve been much more satisfying had it been focused primarily upon these characters� lofty pipedreams and life ambitions instead of trying to make dreary psychological statements as well. Vincent Gallo�s insanely over-the-top performance just about makes the film worth seeing anyway � he makes his ludicrous character�s obsession with �North by Northwest� hysterically entertaining. And I don�t even care what the writers were trying to say with that final scene involving Jerry Lewis�s sudden transformation into an Inuit because it�s just too ridiculous to be rationalized � and a true disappointment too, considering where the film could�ve gone instead.
The premise of examining each character�s eccentric dreams in an equally eccentric directorial style is great, but Kusturica digresses so often and creates so many odd scenarios that he treads too far off track and the final result is ultimately far less focused and less poignant than it could�ve been. Why couldn�t we have seen Axel fulfill his farfetched dream? It would�ve been whimsically uplifting instead of needlessly depressing, and Kusturica touches on that emotion periodically throughout the film (Elaine�s flight, Leo�s ambulance trip to the moon) but never quite finds the focus to really grasp it.
