Directors:Betsy Chasse; Mark Vicente; William Arntz
AMG Rating:
Genre: Science & Technology
Movie Type: New Age & Metaphysics, Psychological Drama
Themes: Journey of Self-Discovery
Main Cast: Marlee Matlin, Elaine Hendrix, John Ross Bowie, Robert Bailey Jr., Armin Shimerman, Barry Newman
Release Year: 2004
Country: US
Run Time: 108 minutes
Plot
Part narrative, part documentary, and part animation, What the #$*! Do We Know?! was filmed with the intent of expressing the neurological processes and so called "quantum uncertainty" of life. With the help of a directorial triumvirate consisting of Betsy Chasse, William Arntz, and Mark Vicente, Marlee Matlin stars as Amanda, whose uninspired daily routine is abruptly altered into a chaotic, Alice in Wonderland-style reality, complete with quirky characters and wildly different perspectives on life. As Amanda falls deeper into the experience, she's forced to drastically reconsider her perceptions of interpersonal relationships, men, and the fundamental principles of life. What the #$*! Do We Know?! is supplemented by a host of mystics and scientists, who are interviewed intermittently throughout the film for their wisdom and knowledge concerning religion, science, the thin line between them, and the consequences of blurring that line. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
Review
At its best moments, What the Bleep Do We Know?! is like Richard Linklater's Waking Life, sans the watercolor visuals -- a high-level intellectual discourse on states of being and life possibilities. At worst, it's like a recruitment video for a new-age cult. Fortunately for the trio of filmmakers, their ambitious project has more good moments than clumsy ones, and no one has ever been accused of brainwashing someone with discussions of subatomic particle theory. What the Bleep Do We Know?! exists in a strange middle ground between documentary (interviews with talking heads) and narrative film (the story that illustrates their ideas). Clearly the directors are more comfortable with the former, leaving it up to Marlee Matlin to breathe truth into a series of stagy incidents from the life of a frustrated photographer. While Matlin's naked performance involves acting out a bunch of self-loathing, she can't overcome the stiff execution of the novice screenwriting team. They do shine during a funny wedding sequence, in which Matlin's character sees the cells of the drunken guests anthropomorphized as colorful blobs, interacting according to their behavioral tendencies. If that description seems silly, it's just one of the ways the film must be seen rather than explained. It's rich with notions about alternate dimensions, the spatial uncertainty of objects, the impact of thoughts on organic cells, and being "in the mystery" rather than "in the know." A standout among the generally interchangeable interview subjects is Ramtha, a kooky spiritual guru who's a mix between Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Jennifer Coolidge. Despite some clunky moments, What the Bleep is a thought-provoking life manual that should hold interest for all but the most obstinate cynics. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Larry Branderburg - Bruno; David Albert; Joseph Dispenza; Amit Goswami; John Hagelin; Stuart Hameroff; Dr. Michael Ledwith; Daniel Monti; Andrew B. Newberg; Cadace Pert; Ramtha; Jeffrey Satinover; William Tiller; Fred Alan Wolf; William Joseph Elk III - Shaman
Credit
Straw Weisman - Associate Producer, Francesca Serra - Associate Producer, Valerie McCaffrey - Casting, Danny Stoltz - Casting, Robin Lane - Choreography, Ron Leamon - Costume Designer, Eugene Mazzola - First Assistant Director, Betsy Chasse - Director, Mark Vicente - Director, William Arntz - Director, Jonathan Shaw - Editor, Christopher Franke - Composer (Music Score), Tim Bomba - Musical Direction/Supervision, Antonia Nava - Production Designer, David Bridges - Cinematographer, Mark Vicente - Cinematographer, Betsy Chasse - Producer, William Arntz - Producer, Shandy Ray - Set Designer, Jim Baer - Sound/Sound Designer, George Nemzer - Sound/Sound Designer, Betsy Chasse - Screenwriter, William Arntz - Screenwriter, Matthew Hoffman - Screenwriter, Dan Ackerman - Second Unit Director Of Photography, Clancy Troutman - Supervising Sound Editor, Mr. X - Visual Effects, Artbeats - Visual Effects, Atomic Visual Effects - Visual Effects, Digital Film Library - Visual Effects, Lost Boy Studios - Visual Effects
