Bowfinger Review
by Akiva Gottlieb (akiva AT excite DOT com)September 1st, 1999
Bowfinger **1/2
rated PG-13
Universal Pictures
98 minutes
starring Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graham, Christine Baranski, Jamie Kennedy, Adam Alexi-Malle, Kohl Sudduth, Robert Downey Jr., Barry Newman, Terence Stamp
written by Steve Martin
directed by Frank Oz
"Bowfinger" is one of those comedies that is supposed to entertain at Hollywood's expense. Albert Brooks' recent "The Muse", made by the independent October Films, did entertain at Hollywood's expense. "Bowfinger", however, is made by Universal, a major movie studio; so exactly how incisive was Steve Martin's script allowed to be? Judging from my viewing of the film, not at all.
Bobby Bowfinger(Steve Martin) is more than down on his luck. His company, Bowfinger International Pictures, is run out of a torn-up little house, and hasn't made a film in what seems like years. But, when a former secretary submits an original screenplay about aliens, entitled "Chubby Rain", Bowfinger calls it dramatic genius and sets out to make a film.
When he pitches it to a big studio exec.(Robert Downey Jr.), he reads the first and last pages of the script and tells Bowfinger that if he can get action star Kit Ramsey(Eddie Murphy) to sign on, then it's a "go" picture. When Ramsey turns him down outright, Bowfinger comes up with an idea; he wants to film Ramsey's scenes without him knowing it, by having the actors go up to him, say their lines, and watch his reaction. It turns out that Ramsey is having delusional problems anyway.
Bowfinger then holds auditions for the acting roles, and Daisy(Heather Graham), a young woman from Ohio who arrived with dreams of being a star, gets the main female role. Daisy is not quite as naive as she looks, knowing that sleeping around in Hollywood can get you almost anything. But Bowfinger's real find is Jiff(also Eddie Murphy), a dimwitted burger-flipper who happens to look exactly like Kit Ramsey. From there, "Bowfinger" is the story of a group of misfits trying to make a Hollywood "guerrilla" film.
However, "Bowfinger" is not nearly as clever or funny as it set out to be. Being a Hollywood film, it never really takes a stance on today's Hollywood and never turns into what I'd call a satire. Most of Steve Martin's script isn't clever, but rather dumb humor. Just as Bowfinger pretends to be a big-time director, "Bowfinger" pretends to be original and fresh.
The acting, though, is above-average. Heather Graham finds a good comedic role in her caricature of a scene-whore, and Eddie Murphy is great in both roles; especially as Jiff(he has done the dual role thing before, in "The Nutty Professor"). Murphy has been skewing away from children's movies this year, which seems to be a start on the right track for him. Frank Oz's direction could have been tighter, but this is essentially Martin's film to make or break.
"Bowfinger" is not totally unfunny; it's more of a hit-and-miss comedy that misses a bit too much. If you would like a no-holds-barred satire of Hollywood(that is still quite subtle) I suggest you check out "The Muse". It has the wit, heart, and vigor that "Bowfinger" is sorely lacking.
a review by Akiva Gottlieb, The Teenage Movie Critic
[email protected]
http://teenagemoviecritic.8m.com
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