Review of What Is It? (2005) by Ben S — 14 Nov 2007

Though you can only see this movie if Crispin Glover brings it to your town, he has no plans to release it on DVD until the next two sequels have been toured in theaters. Even then, it is a maybe. What is it? is a fascinatingly disjointed "day in the life" sort of story of a mentally handicapped man.

You weave in and out of his and other characters' inner sanctum, which is portrayed in astoundingly dark and vidid ways. The thematic and metaphorical visuals almost tell more of the story than the actors do.

The majority of the cast is mentally handicapped, and in this Crispin has managed to allow his cast to avoid criticism. Who can say that these actors are not fully convinced that they are who they are portraying? This experimental masterpiece is elusive and intensely original.