From the movie posters for "Cosmopolis," it's hard to not glance at the image of a young, wealthy man in a limo and think of Chuck Bass (a character from "Gossip Girl") or Christian Bale's devastating turn as Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho." Robert Pattinson's character, Eric Packer, is almost a combination of the two. He's sexy, young, has loads of money, and there's just something a bit off about him.
Director David Cronenberg ("A History of Violence," "The Dead Zone") wrote the screenplay based on the Don DeLillo novel of the same name. "Cosmopolis" is an unique piece of modern-day surrealism. It almost feels like you're watching a play.
In "Cosmopolis," Packer is determined to get to the other side of Manhattan to get a haircut. The President is in town and traffic is a mess. "Which president?" asks Packer of his security guard Torval (Kevin Durand). "Of the United States," Torval responds.
Throughout the day, Packer's limo slowly crawls through the streets of Manhattan. Despite Torval's warning that there is a credible threat against Packer's life, Packer still goes on about his day. He may lose all of his money. He may lose his life, but he still has his daily doctor's visit (in the limo, of course) and meets with various members of his team. Samantha Morton ("Sweet and Lowdown," "Longford") brings the movie together as one of Packer's advisers. She is astoundingly good. Paul Giamatti is at the top of his game at the apex of the film.
"Cosmopolis" ain't for Twihards. It’s a better bet for fans of "The Sunset Limited," "Waiting for Godot," or "American Psycho." What also deserves attention is the pulsing and haunting music scored by Howard Shore and performed by Metric.
Check to see if your local public library has "Cosmopolis" on DVD by searching WorldCat.org.
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