Directed By: Jefery Levy
Written By: Danny Rubin & Jefery Levy
Based On The Novel By: Andrew Wellman
Cinematography By: Peter Deming
Editor: Lauren Zuckerman
Cast: Resse Witherspoon, Stephen Dorff, Joey Lauren Adams, Jack Noseworthy, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Jake Busey, Steve Antin, Tobey Maguire, China Kantner, Gary Coleman, Eve PlumbThis has a good storyline that somehow got majorly messed up in the editing or follow through. This film is a satire on the futility of not only fame but making celebrities out of so-called real people on television or reality shows now this film pre-dated the reality show boom that seemed to happen after survivor became a hit. It also shows the ridiculous nature of praising nothing celebrities such as Paris Hilton. Who are famous for no reason. So this film without knowing it could have really been a monumental film but as it is a incoherent mess and not in a good way or a artistic way but in away of let’s throw everything at the screen and see what sticks. It has good ideas but somehow wastes them in the follow through.
The Story is of cliff a burger store employee who is a slacker. Who with his best friend is taken hostage inside a convenience store for 30 days as the burglars film all of them for 30 days and make the networks air the tapes before the police come in and cliff leads a mini revolt out of 18 there is only one other survivor a girl (Of Course). Now Because of these tapes he becomes a celebrity/Youth icon very reluctantly. He likes the free stuff but is upset about people trying to be like him, Dress like him. They find him a hero and no one seems to care about the victims or the memory of his friend. He finds he can’t relate to anyone either about his ordeal. So he must contact the female survivor. She has to know what’s happening, though she has kept a relatively low profile. Then after he talks to her and they bond he finally decides to embrace his celebrity status and that is when the backlash begins and finally they are both shot by a girl who can’t stand the Apathy/Empathy they have caused with the catchphrase “So Fucking What” She wants her generation to go back to morals and caring, being intelligent. By shooting them though she becomes a celebrity herself.
The reason I am spoiling this movie for you is because there is no reason to see the movie. The story is the best part and if this film was given to a talented director and a better writer. This could have been a excellent thought provoking satire. I mean just writing out the plot. I have made this film smarter then what the finished product is, This film doesn’t even have wit. It’s version of wit is casting Gary Coleman and Eve Plumb as themselves playing in the TV Movie Based on the survivor’s story.
The Film is just a mess nothing seems inspired. It looks like the filmmakers were on the same drugs everyone else in this movie seems to be on in almost every scene. The film is also just ugly looking. The only time the visuals look slick is in the flashbacks to the hostage crisis. It also doesn’t help that most of the characters seem to be borderline retarded, Which can work in comedy but not if your trying to pass your film off as art luckily at least for me and the audience director Jefrey Levy never seems to have made another film after this. Looking at S.F.W. and his first film INSIDE MONKEY ZETTERLAND. I can see why. Just like I can see why this film is still not on DVD.
Stay Far Away.
GRADE: F
