 | |
List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Miramax
Salesrank: 22092
Released: May 6, 2003 |
| Our Price: $5.41 |
| Used Price: $5.32 |
|
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
Fun, fresh, and thoroughly entertaining, COSI is the acclaimed comedy about a colorful circle of friends just crazy enough to follow an impossible dream! A first-time director is thrilled to land a job with a small show ... until he meets the outrageous "performers" he'll be working with! An offbeat group with big-time ambitions that far outweigh their talents, these nutty friends are nonetheless determined to overcome the odds! Featuring stars from the comedy hits MURIEL'S WEDDING (Toni Collette, ABOUT A BOY, Rachel Griffiths -- HBO'S SIX FEET UNDER) and STRICTLY BALLROOM (Barry Otto), COSI proves taking the wildest risk can lead to the greatest reward!
Description of Cosi:
This is another one of those Cuckoo's Nest mental patient liberation stories, but with a clever "let's put on a show" twist. A group of melancholy Australian patients dares to pull off a theatrical version of Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte. This film adaptation of Louis Nowra's play is quite absurd and quite erratic, yet quite affecting in the second half when the patients finally commit to the quixotic project. But how to relate to Mozart's 1790 opera about true love? By identifying with the theme of infidelity as a therapeutic exercise. And how do they pull of this madcap farce? By relying on their ability to pretend, of course. This is most difficult for the unimaginative and uncaring director (Mendelsohn), who finds himself in a life-imitates-art conflict with his curt girlfriend and a damaged yet flirtatious patient. However, it is the passionate patient (Otto) who won't let Cosi die who is the film's emotional center. He's a neurotic perfectionist and a delusional addict--a sad, desperate man with a dream to show the world how to love and be loved. --Bill Desowitz
Cosi Reviews:
Fab Aussie movie 
2009-05-11 - If you liked Muriel's wedding you will probably love this as well. Not quite as dramatic as Muriel, but with a similar quirky sense of humour and great performances by some Austrailian stalwarts. Barry Otto is fansastic, you just want to slap him a lot of the time, and Ben Mendelsohn is typically good. It is a shame he has been typcast as commic relief in the US as he is way better than that. If you like music, comedy and something a little off beat and different, give it a go. Strong themes of fidelity and what it means throughout, so be warned. You probably don't want to watch it with a recent ex :-)
Mad at the opera. 
2007-01-19 - Australia has produced a lot of great movies, large and small, and this ain't one of them. If you're really wanting a good comedy set in a mental institution, check out "The Dream Team" instead. If you want a good film from Down Under, there are plenty others to choose from; just pass this one by.
A collector's item for Collette fans.
2006-12-17 - I'm a fan of Toni Collette's acting talents ever since watching her play Muriel in 'Muriel's Wedding' (A film I've watched so many times that I'm ashamed to admit the number). I was just as enamored with her brilliant performance in this wonderful film. In fact, the entire cast in 'Cosi' are absolutely brilliant and I laughed so hard I know I sounded like a hen about to lay an egg. Once you've encountered the unique characters in this movie they will become unforgettable. The task of a director attempting to put together a difficult play casting mentally ill patients is a witty concept in itself, but the movie's director, Mark Joffe, molds the story into a revolutionary comedy while also bringing to the surface the underlying struggles of mental illness, relationships, and the all-consuming magic of the theatre. Bravo!!!
Chrissy K. McVay - Author
Cosy Cosi !
2006-08-30 - Still a great movie, raw, funny and worth having in your Aussy collection !
Cosi 
2006-08-24 - By the director of Strictly Ballroom, with the same quirky point of view and more than a whiff of satire - this is genuinely funny, human, and ultimately kind. Unlike the ballroom "types," the folks in this movie are recognizable as real people.
