Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Kaufman and Johnson invite you to stay at a special hotel in “Anomalisa”

Cinema | February 4th, 2016

WARNING: Do not read until after you have seen “Anomalisa”

Like so many of the curious, distinctive places imagined and created for his films, the universe of Charlie Kaufman’s “Anomalisa” is simultaneously familiar and strange, recognizable and alien, inviting and terrifying.

Based on Kaufman’s 2005 play, the film adaptation is co-directed by Kaufman and stop-motion practitioner Duke Johnson, and has the distinction of being the first R-rated movie to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature.

Even at a tidy 90 minutes, “Anomalisa” is on several levels as thought-provoking as Kaufman’s “Synecdoche, New York,” the polarizing cult film that also grapples with questions of desire, self-worth, cognition, and identity.

“Anomalisa” follows speaker and customer service author of “How May I Help You Help Them?” Michael Stone (David Thewlis) during a one-night engagement in Cincinnati.

In a series of scenes that unfold mostly in real time, Michael arrives at a hotel called the Fregoli, another of Kaufman’s frequently deployed linguistic/terminological Easter eggs, this one a reference to the psychiatric delusion that multiple individuals are actually just one person who can change appearance. Francis Fregoli was also Kaufman’s nom de plume on the original play script.

At the hotel, every banal encounter unfolds with a sense that there is something else as uncanny as the head and facial designs of the fascinating 3D printed puppets. But the intricately fabricated sets and armatures are only one facet of a central auditory conceit that informs any reading of the cinematic text.

Some critics have opted to refrain from discussing what Richard Brody describes as a “coup de theatre too clever to divulge,” but the “technical gimmick” of using Tom Noonan as the voice of every character Michael encounters until he hears the unique and euphonious Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh) is the aspect of “Anomalisa” that will have you reflecting for days.

Michael’s excitement at hearing Lisa distinctly from all others, including his wife and his child, leads to some of the movie’s most discussed touches, including a lovely moment in which Lisa sings an intimate rendition of “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” that makes Michael’s eyes sparkle (an absolute blessing in disguise when the filmmakers were not able to license “My Heart Will Go On,” which was used in the play).

But the more time we spend, the greater our discomfort at Michael’s “condition.” An unsettling late callback to a scene in which Michael spots an unusual mechanical sex doll while looking for a gift to bring home to his son is pure Kaufman – a hall of mirrors in which we watch an inanimate object regard an automaton and start to wonder whether we are all Michaels.

Kaufman deliberately resists the kind of homogeneity and polish that would more smoothly align the sympathies of the audience with Michael. Instead, the character’s selfishness, uncertainty, and privilege are displayed in such a way to allow for a wide range of readings and interpretations of authorial intent.

Is Michael a bad person? Are we all bad people? Thewlis, Noonan, and Leigh, reprising their roles from the Theater of the New Ear production, are all so good that once you see “Anomalisa” you might believe the members of the Academy nominated Ms. Leigh for the wrong movie.  

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakotans will take part in a nationwide civil rights rally on Thursday, July 17. Protests, marches, rallies and acts of service are scheduled in Bismarck, Bottineau, Devils Lake,…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

July 18-19, 25-26 and August 2-3North Dakota Horse Park, 5180 19th Ave. N., FargoLadies and gentlemen, prepare to place your bets — racing season is upon us! Not just horses will be racing this year; word on the street suggests…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com On July fourth, Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest took place at Coney Island. The winners, Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, reigned victorious. Chestnut earned his 17th title by…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhy doesn’t the world require politicians to leave office at 60?Most of the leaders of countries, whether gods, fascists, democrats or socialists, are not doing very well these days. David Van…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Simone Wairickgion@gmail.com The Red River Market returned to downtown Fargo on Saturday, July 12. The event will take place every Saturday except July 19. (That date will be moved to Sunday, July 20, due to the…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comPhoto by Sabrina Hornung Wing, North Dakota is a town of 132 located about an hour northwest of Bismarck on Highway 36. There’s a shiny new Cenex on the intersection of the highway and the high…

By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comPhoto by Yvonne Denault There is something intimate and personal about plays. Even in our age of multimillion dollar Hollywood productions and droves of streaming services, watching actors…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…