SpuffyWeb
Sadly Over-hyped
Doomtomylo
a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
Erica Derrick
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Chase_Witherspoon
Talky fantasy-comedy with the sardonic Albert Brooks playing a struggling screen-writer who re-discovers his mojo after he's introduced by buddy Jeff Bridges to a mysterious muse (Stone) who holds the power to inspire creativity and success - at a price.The only trouble I had with this picture were some of the performances, Brooks & Stone in particular, which seemed self-indulgent and more than a little sarcastic in their delivery of the wry dialogue. Bridges seems fairly sincere in his role as a journalist whose career nose-dive has been recovered by Stone's influence, while Andie MacDowell plays the neurotic Brooks' savvy wife with assurance, the two coming off as the film's more likable characters.It's an interesting concept and the script is full of smart one-liners in a very hit and miss affair; low key, a sort of "inside" Hollywood story that's perhaps more for the actors and the audience.
S.R. Dipaling
Writer/Director/Star Albert Brooks and co-writer Monica Johnson's somewhat jaundiced view ofachievement and success in Hollywood is the inspiration for this movie. While a bit gimmicky and aimless,it is still quite funny and satisfies in a way he's known for doing(Lost in America,Defending Your Life and Mother spring to mind for me personally).Writer Steven Miller has won what seems to be his umpteenth Humanitarian award for his work in the industry,and being a longtime veteran of penning scripts that get critical acclaim but receive little or no commercial reward,he finds himself at a crossroads for his career. In a moment of personal breakdown in front of his friend Jack(Jeff Bridges,very good in something just a little bit more than a cameo here) recommends that he use the services of a beautiful and spoiled woman named Sarah(Sharon Stone,very fine here),whose exact job is to be a Muse,or inspiration,for artists to do their most successful work. Reluctant at first,Steven takes the Muse in and,after running through hoops for her in ways that seem not worth the effort,his script inspiration takes a commercial(if not quality)turn for the seemingly better. Things complicate when Steven's wife Laura(Andie MacDowall,who rarely seems different in any role she does anymore)ferrets out Sarah,thinking he's husband is having an affair with her. He isn't,and the two become friends,and Sarah's artistic inspiration rubs off on Laura as well.A skewering of the Hollywood industry is served up in the first half of the movie,followed by the last half being somewhat of an actualization story. Uneven? Sure. But the material is kept light enough to please anyone's dry grown-up humor,particularly one who value's Brooks' style.
Edgar L. Davis
Albert Brooks is funny. He has an interesting and unique way of telling story with humor, wit and sincerity. He is not afraid of appearing to be 'un-hip'. Actually that is the charm of most of his work. He has been compared to Woody Allen but Ithink that his work is much more universal. Woody's giant persona gets in the way of his stories whereas Brooks actually becomes a character. He does notplay himself and does not comment of things. He 'plays' characters like a real actor. The Muse is just as brilliant as Defending Your Life and Across America. Andie MacDowell is good when a good script guides her. Sharon Stone wasmade for the role of the Muse. Her energy is sexy, ditzy as well as forceful. There are some cameos in this movie that are priceless and lend an air ofauthenticity to the side of Hollywood that most people have no access to. I have seen this movie a hundred times and it never fails to make me laugh.
Blite2000
I thought this film was utterly dire. Its satire was weak and horribly, horribly self-indulgent (why have there been so many films and TV shows made about screenwriters? how many writers do we know in the 'real' world?! why do we care?! why was Pacey more popular than Dawson in Dawson's Creek, etc., etc.). The "funnily bad" idea they build up for a movie within the movie isn't funnily bad - it's just bad (if you want funnily bad ideas for movies you only have to watch the first shot of The Player to see what can be done). The cameos are improbable and unconvincing. The plot is atrocious. And it has a happy ending.Sharon Stone *almost* saves it, but not quite.And then you finish it and think, was that the joke? Is the whole joke of the movie that the movie itself is an utterly, utterly dreadful, perfectly *bad* Hollywood hash-up? Is it, in fact, a masterpiece of knowing, well crafted high art? If that was the point, it fails even at doing that, because it's not even memorably bad.I wanted to like this film. I couldn't. Watch the Player, rather than this movie which feels like Albert Brooks pompously declaring his genius to the world.
