DOWSE guide to the movies                                                                                         

___ dowse.com ___
the net guide for creative minds


  New Century of Cinema


DOWSE Guide to the Movies
by Tony Lee editor of Pigasus Press

Bowfinger

93 minutes (12) Universal
Director: Frank Oz
review by Gary Couzens

Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) is a low-end Hollywood producer. When his accountant writes an alien-invasion script called 'Chubby Rain', Bowfinger gets a commitment from a producer, as long as Bowfinger can guarantee that action- movie superstar Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) will star. Of course Ramsey won't give Bowfinger the time of day, but Bowfinger is undeterred. He'll shoot the film secretly, with his actors (including none-too-bright Midwesterner, Daisy, played by Heather Graham) approaching the unsuspecting Ramsey and saying their lines. And when they can't do this, Kit's dimwitted brother Jeff (Murphy again) stands in for Kit.
 Bowfinger is a comedy at Hollywood's expense that works in fits and starts. As satire, it's toothless and self-congratulatory. Daisy, who sleeps with whoever will advance her career, is a joke that turns sour as she ends up on the arm of "one of Hollywood's most famous lesbians". (It's not difficult to see that as Martin having a go at his ex-girlfriend, Anne Heche.) But there are several funny scenes amongst the dull patches: Murphy is entertaining as both the arrogant but secretly paranoid Kit and the hapless Jeff, and Terence Stamp has a sharp cameo as Kit's guru. Martin wrote the script: it's simply not at the level of Roxanne or even L.A. Story, but it will pass an hour and a half amiably enough.
 The video is available in fullscreen and widescreen (1.85:1). DVD extras: outtakes, deleted scenes and a 23-minute location spotlight.

Gary Couzens
originally published online in VideoVista #15, June 2000 issue

Back to Movies on Dowse index.


..........................................................................
Back to    main page

Antiques
Archaeology
Architecture
Art
Autos
Books
Computing & Internet
Cryptozoology

Dowsing

Dreams
Education
Entertainment
Fantasy art
Fiction
Free Stuff

Games
Gardening
Geography
Geology
History
Landscapes
Movies
Music
Mysteries
Myths & Legends
Paranormal
People
Philosophy
Poetry
Religions/Beliefs
Science Fiction
Sciences
Security online
Shamans
Theatre
Travel
TV
Urban Legends
Webmasters tools
Writing & Publishing
................................
dowse your start page

Search the web
Get your free email


Copyright © 2000 dowse.com
all rights reserved

*