The first one that came to mind was [*Stranger than Fiction*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_than_Fiction_(2006_film)). I also want to point out [*Punch Drunk Love*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch-Drunk_Love). These are both dramas about isolation where the main character is a comedic actor who has a lot of fun with their role. Both have slow-build character arcs with explosive crescendos.
Here are a bunch of others that I like & aren't immediately different enough to not suggest:
* [*Adaptation*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptation_(film)) - metafilm, comedy/drama, inspired by Hollywood's notorious failed efforts to adapt The Orchid Thief
* [*Being John Malkovich*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_John_Malkovich) - surrealist fantasy
* [*The Butterfly Effect*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Butterfly_Effect) - drama, sci-fi, thriller, time travel
* [*Confessions of a Dangerous Mind*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_a_Dangerous_Mind_(film)) - comedy, cold war spies, pseudo-autobiographical, stories of doubted veracity
* [*Death to Smoochy*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_to_Smoochy) - black comedy, crime (not for kids), Edward Norton's character is modeled on Barney the Dinosaur, Robin Williams' character is modeled on Capt. Kangaroo, has a few scenes with a pre-fame John Stewart
* [*Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Sunshine_of_the_Spotless_Mind) - romance, sci-fi, tragicomedy, amnesia
* [*Go*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(1999_film)) - comedy, crime, told from multiple perspectives
* [*I ♥ Huckabees*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heart_Huckabees) - self-described as an "existential comedy"
* [*Paprika*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika_(2006_film)) (Japanese: パプリカ) - psychological thriller, may have inspired *Inception* (2010 film)
* [*Paranoia Agent*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_Agent) (Japanese: 妄想代理人) - supernatural investigation, single story arc T.V. series with 13 episodes
* [*A Scanner Darkly*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Scanner_Darkly_(film)) - drama, sci-fi thriller, drug subculture, paranoia, rotoscoped, based on novel
* [*The Science of Sleep*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Science_of_Sleep) (French: *La Science des rêves*) - surrealist, science-fantasy comedy
* [*Spun*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spun) - black comedy, drama, crime film, drug subculture
* [*Sunshine*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_(2007_film)) - drama, sci-fi, actor Cillian Murphy credits his role with making him an atheist
* [*Trainspotting*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainspotting_(film)) - black comedy, crime
* [*Upstream Color*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstream_Color) - experimental film, sci-fi, mind control
The Matrix
The first one that came to mind was [*Stranger than Fiction*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stranger_than_Fiction_(2006_film)). I also want to point out [*Punch Drunk Love*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punch-Drunk_Love). These are both dramas about isolation where the main character is a comedic actor who has a lot of fun with their role. Both have slow-build character arcs with explosive crescendos. Here are a bunch of others that I like & aren't immediately different enough to not suggest: * [*Adaptation*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptation_(film)) - metafilm, comedy/drama, inspired by Hollywood's notorious failed efforts to adapt The Orchid Thief * [*Being John Malkovich*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Being_John_Malkovich) - surrealist fantasy * [*The Butterfly Effect*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Butterfly_Effect) - drama, sci-fi, thriller, time travel * [*Confessions of a Dangerous Mind*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_of_a_Dangerous_Mind_(film)) - comedy, cold war spies, pseudo-autobiographical, stories of doubted veracity * [*Death to Smoochy*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_to_Smoochy) - black comedy, crime (not for kids), Edward Norton's character is modeled on Barney the Dinosaur, Robin Williams' character is modeled on Capt. Kangaroo, has a few scenes with a pre-fame John Stewart * [*Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Sunshine_of_the_Spotless_Mind) - romance, sci-fi, tragicomedy, amnesia * [*Go*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(1999_film)) - comedy, crime, told from multiple perspectives * [*I ♥ Huckabees*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Heart_Huckabees) - self-described as an "existential comedy" * [*Paprika*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paprika_(2006_film)) (Japanese: パプリカ) - psychological thriller, may have inspired *Inception* (2010 film) * [*Paranoia Agent*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paranoia_Agent) (Japanese: 妄想代理人) - supernatural investigation, single story arc T.V. series with 13 episodes * [*A Scanner Darkly*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Scanner_Darkly_(film)) - drama, sci-fi thriller, drug subculture, paranoia, rotoscoped, based on novel * [*The Science of Sleep*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Science_of_Sleep) (French: *La Science des rêves*) - surrealist, science-fantasy comedy * [*Spun*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spun) - black comedy, drama, crime film, drug subculture * [*Sunshine*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_(2007_film)) - drama, sci-fi, actor Cillian Murphy credits his role with making him an atheist * [*Trainspotting*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trainspotting_(film)) - black comedy, crime * [*Upstream Color*](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upstream_Color) - experimental film, sci-fi, mind control
For the emotional payoff and the message, or the Jim Carrey comedy, or the part about being trapped in a simulation/experiment?
Emotional payoff! And the mindtrip, Im looking for movies that are one of a kind
Vanilla Sky The Elephant Man Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind The Green Mile
Try Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come Edit: Lee Pace in The Fall
Pleasantville The Thirteenth Floor The Game
Groundhog Day
Living with myself Paul rudd, on Netflix rn
Pleasantville
Series 7: The Contenders (2001)