A Question of Sanity

Author: Jamie Madden
Location: Melbourne, Australia

"A Question of Sanity"

Director: Spike Jonze
Writer: Charlie Kaufman
Producer: Scott Rudin
Cinematographer: Ellen Kuras
Editor: Eric Zumbrunnen
Production/Art Designer: Dan Leigh
Costumes: Ann Roth
Original Score: Carter Burwell

Principal Cast:

Woody Harrelson as Brian McDougal
Virginia Madsen as Veronica Green-McDougal
Catherine Keener as Trixie
Ed Harris as Randolph (Adolf) Thorn
Kevin Zegers As Chip Huntington

Tagline: "From sluggish to pro-athlete in just one concussion!"

Synopsis: Brian McDougal is an out of shape, lazy, television addict, with a keen interest in sports and a disturbing obsession with scarce bugs. His addiction causes the disintegration of his once hot and passionate marriage to newfound pill popping expert Veronica, and the loss of his mediocre job at a run down computer company, with a totalitarian capitalist boss nicknamed ‘Adolf’. While drunk and depressed, Brian trips on his beloved remote control and falls into a brief coma. Upon waking from a concussion, Brian believes he is Chip Huntington, star quarterback for the hottest football team of the season, and an imposter (the real Chip Huntington) is posing as himself on the field. Brian flees the bug-infested home, with the help of delusional, screwball dominatrix neighbour Trixie, to head off to the football field to take back his position on the team, and kill the imposter who has stolen his identity. Brian sees his actions as heroic. The rest of the world sees Brian as idiotic and demonic. Reality is mixed with the illusory, through a mix up of minds in the latest eccentric comedy from Charlie Kaufman, that sees one ordinary man turned into a deluded, crazed maniac.

What the press would say:

A welcome return for Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman in another brilliant Oscar worthy collaboration. A winning cast delivers spot on performances of a quirky script that subtly and smartly leaves the audience in stitches. Charlie Kaufman cements himself as the screenwriter of the unreal, with the help of a well-recognized cast that includes critical darlings Catherine Keener and Virginia Madsen, Transamerica-rookie Kevin Zegers, veteran Ed Harris and natural born killer Woody Harrelson (in his most successful comic role yet.) Visually stunning, thanks to the technical work of Dan Leigh, and stunning costumes by Ann Roth, woven together by Spike Jonze, who directs his best film yet!

For Your Consideration:

Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor (Woody Harrelson)
Best Supporting Actress (Virginia Madsen, Catherine Keener)
Best Supporting Actor (Ed Harris, Kevin Zegers)
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Score
Best Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Production/Art direction
Best Costume Design