6.5/10
If Cosmopolis were a song title, it would have to be "Pretty Vacant", both words being adjectives. It looks fancy enough, it talks like it has something to say, and in the end you're left wondering what was substance, what was a joke, and what possessed someone to bankroll it.
That said, I have a soft spot for movies like this. No one can deny its originality, absurdity, and borderline hostile self-indulgence. It reminds me of a movie I liked enough to slot at #19 in my best of 2011 list, Beyond the Black Rainbow. Both are so bloodyminded in their ridiculousness it's impossible for me to not be impressed on some level.
Robert Pattinson gives a very good performance in a pretty tough role, as do most of the other actors. The only performance I didn't like was Paul Giamatti's, through no fault of his own - he did great, but surely it was Cronenberg pushing him over the edge of acting insane to sounding generally foolish and comical. It needed restraint, which has never been Cronenberg's forte. His movies always seem to careen between scenes of brilliance and outright stupidity, and this one's no exception, on many levels.
I mind less if a movie fails when it tries something new and interesting. If nothing else, Cosmopolis certainly does that. So I'll give it the benefit of the doubt, but I can certainly understand others being less forgiving to its many faults.
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