Really nothing special, good idea but it gets boring quickly.

There's a lot that's good in this Being John Malkovich style comedy drama: the photography, the music, several of the performances. For the first half-hour it's intriguing, blackly funny, unpredictable. Unfortunately it then loses its way as it chases its increasingly ludicrous plot down endless rabbit holes. Paul Giamatti is a Marmite actor: those poached egg eyes and tendency to over-act rather spoil things. A missed opportunity.

A smart and quirky comedy led by Paul Giamatti playing the type of role he is so comfortable with. It does at times seem to be trying too hard to be the next Kaufman or Spike Jonze.

Great movie, but I think it deserves more credit. I noticed an error, however: they say Olga's soul must have "dried up" after they take Giamatti's back from her, but her old soul would've left her body when she acquired Giamatti's. Remember, in this movie they can only swap souls and extract them. Bravo on them making the whole soul-swapping thing seem "sciencey", also.

Uneven film only comes alive in the scenes with Giamatti and Strathairn.

Very reminiscent of a Charlie Kaufman film but scarcely pulling it off with it's vaguely interesting ideas and plot never really taking off.

This is one of my all time favs.

Natalia Zvereva does a wonderful job conveying all of the various emotions her character is 'put through'. It is almost as though you can here the 'words between the lines'. Although billed as a comedy drama it has elements of a poignant love story. The final scene speaks a thousand words. Paul and David's performance were okay, too. :)

This used to be one of my favourite films but I re-watched it and immediately forgot about it. Maybe you have to watch it in a time and place when Paul Giammati looking into his own soul and crying is important to you. I still love to watch him on screen but I guess I'm not in that place anymore.

OK, I love Paul Giamatti, so of course I had to watch it, and as per usual, his performance is top notch. The story is interesting, yet flawed, but I rarely laugh as much during a film as I did during Cold Souls. Because of this I can forgive the premise of souls being taken from the body as the extracted goes about relatively normal, albeit a bit "lighter," as Giamatti states. The soul, in most definitions, is the person himself / herself. It is one's personality, character, emotions, talents, gifts, etc. So if that is removed, well, according to most definitions, you end up with a sack of flesh. Overall I enjoyed the film considerably, even though the ending was somewhat wanting. Regardless, certainly worth the watch.

The DVD cover used the word "hilariously twisted" by the NY Times. It's really a dark aimless story, not worth watching. Nothing in the movie to even smile about.

A good movie The audience needs brains to appreciate such a good movie

One might be inclined to think that Ms. Barthes' film is an imitation of Being John Malkovich, but this is mistaken comparison. COLD SOULS is a sleekly original study of identity, isolation, loneliness and value of the individual. A cynical and humorous cultural and societal commentary that uses the identity of an actor to siphon a number of ideas. While it is at times quite comical, this film is actually a quietly powerful work of cinematic art. As always, Paul Giamatti is exceptional.

Highly enjoyable. It's funny in that they keep it very light on deep matters of emotional gravity. Giamatti's range as himself in various states of being under the influence, or absence of soul (his own and others), is interesting and believable. Granted, this wasn't a Charlie Kaufman film and it surely would have been majestic, but you have to experience lesser genius to appreciate the other greats, no?

Has an interesting idea and then does absolutely nothing with it.

Giamatti is spot-on as a conflicted soul - no pun intended but the film suffers from lack of pace and any real dramatic tension. There's too much telling and not enough showing.

Muy interesante la trama de Sophie Barthes, y magistral la interpretación de si mismo de Paul Giamatti, pero a Cold Souls le falta ese no sé qué para lograr atraparte. Por momentos se vuelve un poco lenta, en especial todas las escenas en Rusia. De todas formas es recomendable.

A witty and dark look at life and its bigger problem of having a misfit soul. If your soul gives your nightmarish dark thoughts, should you just trade for a lighter one?

(***): [img]http://images.chrc4work.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] Interesting, smart, and funny.

somehow confusing movie. if soul leaves human body when he dies, then how come person dont die when the soul leaves his body?! soul rent? soul exchange? pieces of souls collage and mix up in one??