After the fractured, misanthropic neo-noir of his little-seen 1995 effort The Underneath, director Steven Soderbergh reaffirmed his artistic vitality with this self-produced absurdist comedy. To call Schizopolis offbeat would be a gross understatement; trafficking in multiple identities, made-up languages, and hilarious non sequiturs, the movie has a bizarre, syncopated rhythm rarely seen since the days of Dada. The film shows the hallmarks of 1960s prankster Richard Lester or even the more austere stylings of Alain Resnais, but it has a controlled, oddball spirit all its own. Soderbergh's quintuple-lutz as director, producer, cinematographer, editor, and star underlines his passion for the homegrown project; beneath all its anarchic trappings, Schizopolis is an ode to communication, romantic commitment, and the beguiling monotony of everyday life. Combined with his other fiercely independent 1996 project -- the kinetic Spalding Gray monologue picture Gray's Anatomy -- the film would broaden Soderbergh's cinematic vision and prepare him for a string of artistically challenging narrative films, including Out of Sight (1998) and The Limey (1999).