The film does not offer any explanations. Instead, it intrigues more.

Though the real-life Barris has yet to confirm or deny his double life as detailed in his autobiography of the same name, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is an fascinating tale about an even more fascinating guy.

Brimming with slightly self-conscious directorial panache, the movie zips between nearly three decades, fantasy and reality without ever really deciding how seriously it wants to take itself.

No matter what is real and what's not in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, George Clooney shows that he has a firm grasp on directing as he steps behind the camera.