Huge talents (Robin Wright, Harvey Keitel, Paul Giamatti) totally let down by irredeemable execution. A promising premise, that actors will be replaced by their own avatars, is utterly wasted here. It's like the producers ran out of money, and instead of the live action/futuristic version, supplanted some weird, Fritz the Cat version of the second two thirds of the film, in it's place. "WTF was that all about?" you may, no WILL, ask yourself. Incoherent rubbish is the natural conclusion.This film must have been like the "Emperor's New Clothes" when being pitched. Somebody should have prevented Robin Wright making another terrible choice...

Robin Wright is a struggling diva actress with opportunities slowly drying up. Her son Aaron (Kodi Smit-McPhee) is slowly losing his sight and hearing as he's treated by Dr. Barker (Paul Giamatti). Al (Harvey Keitel) is her agent. Sarah (Sami Gayle) is her daughter. She sells her digital image to the studio for a big payout and she isn't allowed to perform anywhere else. Twenty years later, her image is popular and she is invited to speak at the Miramount Congress. The world is animated where people take on an avatar.The subject matter is very Hollywood and not an interesting one for me. It's more compelling for actors and philosophers. It's a bit silly to have an hand-drawn animated avatar. They made that little scene of lifelike avatars example. It should have followed that track. I like that type of outsider animation but it makes no sense for this movie. Also the movie is very slow. The plot is a mess. The acting in the live action is pretty good from top notch people. The movie should have gone a different way.

I watched this movie with a friend a few days ago and I'm still thinking about it. It's a very daring piece of art, playing with both the viewer's expectations and the boundaries of human consciousness. If you're into straight-up sci-fi with loads of action and suspense, this movie is nothing for you. But if you want to be taken on a mind-blowing trip into the depths of philosophical questions about free will, orwellesque futurism and life after death, it's one hell of a ride.Giving a plot synopsis would spoil the experience. Just let yourself go and don't try to overanalyze the movie when you watch it for the first time. In my opinion, every iteration of Robin Wrights journey represents a state of mind. Every Robin Wright you see is her and not her, as it is made brutally clear that everyone is acting the whole time. With every step, Wrights self is being mirrored. And every mirror image shows a deeper layer of human consciousness.Of course, the whole thing is kind of "meta". This is what makes "The congress" an important statement in our era.

Warning: Possible spoilers included.First, let's get the title out of the way. The movie has nothing to do with politics.That aside, it's an amazing piece of movie-making. The premise, that when an actor appears in a film, the actual actor is no longer needed, is fascinating. For a fee, that person gives up everything that he or, in this case, she is. The purchaser of that identity is thereafter free to use it in any way, without further permission.And use it, the fictional movie maker, a mash up of the names Miramax and Paramount, does, creating an ageless superhero when the person shown is actually an aged lady. But that crass form of identity theft and manipulation goes even farther as the movie company creates ways to steal everyone's identity to create a cartoonish world of name droppers and fantasy creatures, all shown in some of the most remarkable animation ever on a screen.All in all, The Congress is an odd, but fascinating look at a future when we give up all we are in exchange for entertainment. Worth an Oscar? No. Worth watching. Yes.