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BOWFINGER
Directed by Frank Oz
Written by Steve Martin
Starring Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy,
Heather Graham, Christine Baranski, Terence Stamp
My Advice: Don't miss it
Rating:  out
of
Bobby Bowfinger (Martin) is an aging, soon to turn fifty, aspiring
director convinced that his star will never shine. As his age catches up to him he's all but ready to throw in
the towel until his accountant, Afrim (Adam Alexi-Malle), submits to him what Bowfinger is sure will be Oscar worthy
film material. It's a Men In Black meets Psycho meets Solient Green script called Chubby Rain. (The aliens drop
to earth in the raindrops, making the raindrops chubby. Who can't love that title?)
Sneaking a rendezvous with a big time producer, Renfro (Robert
Downey, Jr.) he is advised in tongue in cheek fashion that should he get a big big mega star to play the lead,
well, hot dog, he has a GO picture!! But it's Megastar Kit Ramsey (Murphy), to be precise, that Renfro desires.
Desperate but hopeful, Bowfinger does all he can to get Ramsey to view the script. He's tossed from properties,
shoveled undecorously from moving vehicles....it's a no on the GO. So, he does what any self respecting director
in that great moral valley of Hollywood would do. Films Ramsey without him knowing it.
Steve Martin does what he does best. He has written a wonderful
script that leaves no comedic stone unturned. There is not a facet of Hollywood life that he doesn't poke fun at
in this picture. Scientology, directors, writers, starlets, aging actresses, bad scripts, and - as his horribly
acted movie gets raves during a Hollywood screening - he seemingly pokes fun at movie viewers as well.
Eddie Murphy also does what he does best. No one can pull off
multiple characters as well as this guy. Kit Ramsey is an on-the-emotional edge, over paranoid, full steam basket
case. It is everything he can do to hold his day to day life together. And then there is Jiff, the slow witted
Kit "stand in" who aspires to nothing more than fulfilling coffee orders at Starbucks. It's the Nutty
Professor all over again.
In fact, I enjoyed all the major players in this film, right
down to Bowfinger's pornographic dog. Baranski is over the top as an aging actress who longs to work once more.
Graham is a touch of "Debbie Does Dallas meets Sound of Music" as a fresh off the bus hopeful who is
only concerned with who she must bed next to get ahead in the world. (No pun intended.)
This is just a fun fun fun picture. See it in the theatre. This
is better enjoyed with the reactions of others around you.
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