After waiting the best part of a year to see this film (the only reason i didn't see it before was because i didn't quite fancy it) my suspicions were confirmed that this was the biggest pile i've viewed for a long time. Why is it, that once in a while a film maker comes along who everybody thinks is "hip" to like and who can do no wrong in the eyes of the so called arty critics and the normal gang of band wagon jumpers who think it is cool to like his/her films, ...enter, Mr. Kaufman. Granted, "Malkovich" was a decent movie, but not out of this world by any means, in fact, it was mildly entertaining at best. But ESOTSM is just plain dull. For "Highly Original" read Boring, for "ingenious" read pretentious. This really sucks, and before the usual replies of being too stupid to understand the movie fly in, i did understand it...i just didn't like it. The only saving grace it had were the performances of messrs Carrey and Ruffalo. Apart, from that...Rubbish!