"The Ninth Configuration" was an interesting film. It was structured around comic madness determined to put on a Shakespearean tragedy. It took risks and was sloppy but it worked because the film itself was mad. The idea surrounded the thing and provided a real situation, one where we were never sure what was play and what "real." In true folded fashion, the play within and the film merged.Some time later we have this: people from a madhouse gather to put on a production of a Mozart opera. The play and film again merge in the predictable way. But this fails, and I think it was because there was too much worry about making engaging characters. These are played by (I am told) well known Australian actors. One of these is Toni Collette who cannot fail to capture us. Each in turn gives us some focused moments. But the in between constitutes long periods of tedium because there never was an investment in the making that situation matter, making it crazy.Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

This would have to be a classic Aussie film starring a well known cast of exceptional characters. Ben Mendelson leads the cast as a theatric writer and actor who becomes a staff member of a loony bin , and undertakes the role of helping a group of patients to put on a benefit show for the institution. Other notable iconic figures such as Barry Otto , Rachael Grffiths , David Wenham , etc... play the roles of the patients who ultimately through one disaster after another, achieve to perform the great operatic work of the famous 'Cosi fan tute'.If you are a truly dedicated Aussie movie collector , then you should have already seen this one , but if not , you better not take too long in getting to your local video store to grab a copy.

Mark Joffe is a not so known director but the kind of director who happens to make movies you can't help falling in love with. Forget all the sentimentality that is given by Oscarblockbusters or the usual crap with Hugh Grant as this is where the heart beats. It's a simple human story in where there is place for tears and laughter, it's about some psychiatric patients who have decided to make their own operaversion of Mozart's "Cosi". It are the little things in life that deserve attention and that's what Joffe is showing us, and the real star in "Cosi" is as said before Toni Collette, simply wonderful what the star of "Muriel's wedding" is doing here.

The movie is humorous for about half an hour or so. After that, you're wondering why you're watching it. And if perhaps you could punch some of the characters in the face.