Mandy

Nicholas Cage goes gonzo again in Mandy

Panos Cosmatos' Mandy is a whacked out fever dream of a movie. This pulp piece superbly integrates lysergic cinematography, sound and art design, Even the bespoke paperback covers, songs and commercials display wit and ingenuity. Ostensibly, a spam in a cabin exploitation flick with Nicholas Cage and Andrea Riseborough, Cosmatos' film explores how the influence of the counterculture persisted into the Reagan era. I'm not sure Cosmatos is enough of a thinker to fully realize the implications of his themes, but Mandy overflows with visual imagination. 

Nicholas Cage does his usual gonzo act, as he spends the second half of the film wreaking vengeance upon a religious cult that tortured and killed his life partner. For once, after effluvia like Rage, Bangkok Dangerous and many. many more, Cage has a proper context for his howls and cries. This is not to downplay the strength of his performance or his commitment. Cosmatos wisely spends a very deliberate first third of the picture establishing Cage and Riseborough's relationship. This makes the ensuing carnage somewhat earned.

Riseborough is one of the most accomplished actors of her generation. She delivers the film's finest monologue, but is best utilized here simply gazing at the camera. Linus Roache gets to chew the scenery as a cult leader and delivers his most memorable performance since The Wings of the Dove. Yet, the performances are secondary to the manic visual splendor of Mandy. A film that alternately celebrates and critiques acid culture, as it immerses the viewer in it. (12/9/18)