bbbgtoby’s review published on Letterboxd:
Well OK. That happened.
This is a film about mental illness, the descent in to madness and a yearning for meaning in the world. It features Brad Dourif and Willem Dafoe, two actors famed for being a little bit crazy, as the straight men and Michael Shannon, now famed for being more than a little bit crazy, as the disintegrating protagonist.
Made during the same period as Herzog's take on Bad Lieutenant this certainly has the same slow disjointed feel to it but its philosophical nature stands it far apart as a unique work. Every single actor involved with this project are excellent and Herzog's impressive visual strategy adds to the mesmerising and cold nature of the story and yet I just couldn't love this film.
Man I love the work of Michael Shannon.