Dark Mind (2006)

An inventor (Masterson) must protect his inventions from becoming casualties of the Cold War.

Director:

Nicholas Peterson

Writers:

Nicholas Peterson, Hansen Smith

Stars:

Christopher Masterson, Lyndsy Fonseca, David DeLuise

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Christopher Masterson	...	Paul
Lyndsy Fonseca	...	Jenny
David DeLuise	...	Detective Kopf
Richard Riehle	...	Detective Rees
Clayton Landey	...	Vladimir
Brandon Barash	...	Jenny's Boyfriend
Tom Everett	...	Jenny's Dad
Kestrin Pantera	...	Brunette aka Susan
Lorna Scott	...	Jenny's Mom
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric Artell	...	Reporter 1
Mike Baldridge	...	The Doctor
Elwood Carlisle	...	Newspapaer Man
Bryan Cranston	...	CSE Radio Host
Marcus Duke	...	Reporter #2
John Farley	...	Accident Man

Storyline

Paul, an optimistic inventor, turns into a recluse after facing a brutal betrayal. Convinced that Russians are spying on him, he struggles to protect his greatest invention: The Cube. When an accident thrusts him into the spotlight, his sense of reality is threatened and his world becomes twisted beyond recognition.

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Plot Keywords:

invention | inventor | talking to an inanimate object | paranoia | exterminator | 

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Taglines:

It's All In Your Head.

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

NXTdream Films [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 March 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dark Mind

Company Credits

Production Co:

NXTdream Films LLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Thoughtful yet unfulfilling

I just watched the movie and decided that while it was good, there was quite a bit missing that could have just made it step over the line from being an indie film into something special.

The movie tells the story of a gifted inventor who slowly descends into a state of perpetual paranoia where reality and fantasy become difficult to tell apart. We also cannot tell whether reality is as messy as it appears or if it is merely paranoid delusions taken to their conclusion, even by the end. This makes the conclusion difficult to digest as things are still not clear, and we find that we do not understand the character as we find ourselves with little to sympathize with in the story with all the characters. Perhaps that is on purpose (aka M Night Shy.... something) but people don't commit themselves to a movie unless they see characters they can empathize with. That's why cool movies about alien invasions are usually more of a drama than a sci-fi action flick.

The film also has difficulty making its point. Is it anti-communist? Is it pro-America? Is it telling us about the human condition? Is it telling us about paranoia? By the ending, I felt like I had watched a movie with a great deal of creativity and expression that had something to say and succeeded on some level but due to budgetary constraints and inexperience had limited itself. If the story was rehashed with more obvious yet subtle clues, more energy, more connections with characters and much more coherence, it would have been more memorable.