A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III is billed as a comedy, but I think that must be a mistake. I kept waiting for the laughs to come – and no luck. Directed and written by Roman Coppola, the film deals with a self-absorbed graphic designer whose life “slides into despair” after his girlfriend breaks up with him. Charlie Sheen heads up a promising cast that includes Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Katheryn Winnick, Patricia Arquette and Dermot Mulrooney. Coppola deserves credit for a couple of creative fantasy sequences, plus Winnick and Arquette deliver believable performances as the girlfriend in question and the designer’s fairly normal sister, respectively. The rest of the film falls apart rather quickly. And you know what that means, dear reader. Another film poem, of course.    

Charles Swan’s in a funk

and keeps getting drunk.

His lover has left,

so he feels bereft.

Can this be funny?

Don’t bet your money.

Charlie Sheen plays Swan

but lacks much aplomb.

Bill Murray peeks in

and adds to the sin.

His heart’s not in it;

his role doesn’t fit.

It’s hard to enjoy

a film that annoys.

But if you like Sheen

you might think it’s keen.

In the lead role, Sheen chews the scenery like it's booze-soaked gum; Schwartzman delivers a frenzied performance as one of Swan’s high-profile clients who needs an album cover ASAP; Murray seems out of place as Swan’s worried accountant; and you’ll miss Mulrooney’s brief appearance if you blink. Still, Winnick’s wannabe actress is appealing, and Arquette makes us want to know more about her character.

Regarding those fantasy sequences mentioned earlier, they involve musical routines and add a whimsical tone to part of the movie. Had this sense of whimsy been carried on throughout the film, it might have saved the day. 

(Released by A24/Film Buff and rated “R” for language and some nudity.)

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