Bowfinger

Rating:
Summary: Martin's capable of more
Review: As an Eddie Murphy film, this one would get a higher rating. Unfortunately for Steve Martin, it's a Steve Martin film, and I hold him up to a higher standard.

With films like Roxanne and L.A. Story under his belt, not to mention his plays and essays, there's no question that Martin can write. But Bowfinger is more formulaic than I've grown accustomed to seeing from him. It's not a bad movie, but without Murphy's standout performance as brothers Kit and Jiff Ramsey, it's not exactly a great movie either. Thankfully, Murphy saves this picture and makes it a generally enjoyable hour and a half. Just marveling at how he can keep repeating "keep it together" really fast (it's not as easy as you might think!) was worth the price of admission. Well, at a matinee, anyway.

I tend to put Martin in a class with Woody Allen and Albert Brooks (I, at least, consider this good company). But when he starts writing cheap jokes like the Mind Head cult into his films (a psychological/religious cult wherein some members wear pyramid hats), he moves into a class by himself. And maybe that's where he belongs. And wants to be. But that won't stop me from critiquing his films with a slightly elevated standard.

Rating:
Summary: funny movie (4.5 stars)
Review: Bowfinger was great. Especially the scene where Eddie Murphy crosses the freeway, which was definately the funniest in the whole movie. The other scene that was equally funny was the parking lot scene where Kit Ramsey was being chased by the dog wearing high heels.

Rating:
Summary: Big Dissapointment
Review: I bought this movie as soon as it was released on DVD, what a mistake! Me and my mate sat watching, what i was expecting to be one of the funnyest movies of the year, but i was bitterly dissapointed. Sure, there are funny parts in it, but the makers of this movie don't seem to realise that it takes more than the humour to make a good film. As we were watching, my mate was busting out with laughter at parts which were simple bordom.. i sighed and said "you laugh at anything mate". If you haven't seen this film yet, don't bother, cause it aint worth the 1 and a half hour it takes. One more thing, Heather Graham performed just as lousey as ever in this film, it would have been a better film if Sheila Broflowski played her part for her! (nothing new there huh?)

Rating:
Summary: Bowfinger
Review: Bowfinger was a gloriously funny movie and it was wonderful to see the great Steve Martin back on top form. Eddie Murphy amazing. There are some excellent scenes especially when Jiff Ramsey (Eddie) had to cross the freeway. I have never cried so hard. Great acting by actors and animal alike.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty silly stuff
Review: This farcical comedy is a sendup of the wanna-bes that live on Hollywood's fringes hoping for a break. Steve Martin wrote and stars in this improbable story of a director who attempts to make a movie around a superstar actor who doesn't know he is in it. The director, Bobby Bowfinger (Martin) creates scenes and plays them out with the unwitting Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) on the streets of Hollywood with cameras rolling.

Basically the script was narcissistic with Martin writing himself a ticket to play a character only he could play. Ironically, though this was more or less the Steve Martin show, Eddie Murphy stole the entire movie. Once again, Murphy plays two completely divergent characters; superstar Kit Ramsey and his nerdy brother Jiff. While Martin attempts to be funny by playing someone absurd trying to be serious, Murphy plays one over the edge paranoid ego maniac and a self conscious geek and gets the majority of the laughs. Give Steve Martin credit for having the guts to bring in talent that could overshadow him.

Frank Oz does a good job of making filmmaking look like what we think it must be like and nothing like what it really is. I think most people think filmmaking is like filming the news; you go in take some shots and leave. The reality is that 90% of shooting a movie is setup, lighting, marks, stunt coordination, etc., to say nothing of post production. The actual filming is the smallest element of the project.

Heather Graham makes great window dressing as the naive Ohio girl ambitious to become a movie starlet, having sex with anyone and everyone she thinks might help her career. Her unusual combination of sweetness, sexiness and gawkishness made her the perfect choice for her character.

I gave this movie a 6/10. This is pretty silly stuff that has enough going for it that Eddie Murphy can hold it together and make it worth seeing.

Rating:
Summary: Blow-finger
Review: It blew and I give it the finger. Not a nice one either. I was thoroughly unimpressed. I really haven't seen many movies lately with either Eddie Murphy or Steve Martin that have been worth watching. Maybe Steve needs to do the Jerk part 2 and Eddie, Beverly Hills Cop 4 or 5. This movie is watchable, but if you are at home sick from work. I really had high hopes and shouldn't have. If you want something funny this isn't it. UGGGHHHHHH!

Rating:
Summary: Martin and Murphy Deliver
Review: Steve Martin stars as independent movie-maker Bobby Bowfinger in "Bowfinger," a satirical look at what it takes to get a movie made in Hollywood. When a terrific script (involving aliens) lands in his hands, Bowfinger finagles a green light from producer Jerry Renfro (Robert Downey Jr.), with one condition: action star Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) must be attached to the project. Ecstatic, Bowfinger goes to work; he hires a cast and crew and everything is in place, except that Kit Ramsey will have nothing to do with him. Not to worry; Bowfinger convinces the others involved that Ramsey is aboard, but the scenes with their star will have to be shot, well, without the star actually being there. Written by Steve Martin and directed by Frank Oz, "Bowfinger" is funny and entertaining. Murphy has one of his best outings in years in the dual role of Ramsey and "Jiff," the hapless double Bowfinger gets to stand in for his star for the action sequences. Heather Graham is Daisy, a young actress literally just off the bus from the Midwest who is hired by Bowfinger for a small part in his movie. Daisy, however, we soon learn is anything but "just off the bus," as she comically employs the traditional Hollywood behind-the-scenes politics to convert her bit part into a lead role. Christine Baranski is Carol, the lead actress who rationalizes her way through Bowfinger's ridiculous explanations of why she is doing scenes without the participation of the lead actor; and Steve Martin shines as the opportunistic Bowfinger. With an able supporting cast that includes Barry Newman (Kit's agent), Terence Stamp (Terry), Jamie Kennedy (Dave) and Adam Alexi-Malle (Afrim), "Bowfinger" stays right on track and offers some memorable moments, including a running parody of Scientology, and an especially hilarious scene in which Jiff negotiates traffic while attempting to cross a busy freeway on foot. When Martin and Murphy are "on" and have good material to work with, they can make you laugh; in this film, they succeed.

Rating:
Summary: Bowfinger
Review: One of the funniest movies to come along in a long time. I was laughing so hard that I had to rewind several times so as not to miss a thing. Don't miss this one! If anyone thinks this is not a funny movie, then they are probably dead and no one has told them yet.

Rating:
Summary: Bowfinger
Review: Bowfinger is about this old, almost poor, director who plans to make a movie with los Angles's top star, Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy). Except that Kit doesn't know he's in the movie. So in order to get Kit in the footage they do the scenes in the public. So the director finds actors, one person does people to earn there respect and get better scenes, another is the script writer and an accountint and an actor, and a lot more weird actors. The crew does EVERYTHING to get the right props from stealing cars to crossing highways, as long as they can find they wiil try to get. They track Kit down and make him go crazy and Kit is always at his Psychiatrist. Even his Psychiatrist think he's going mad. Kit has an obsession about the Los Angles Laker Cheer Leeders. He calls them "the Laker Girls". Overall Bowfinger deserves 5 stars.

Rating:
Summary: A Go Picture
Review: Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy are set for the ultimate Hollywood con in the inventive comedy "Bowfinger". Unsuccessful filmmaker Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) and his crew set to make a SciFi flick staring popular action star Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy). When Bowfinger fails to sign Ramsey for his film, he maneuvers to make his film without his star's knowledge. "Bowfinger" is amusing and laugh-filled comic romp. Steve Martin delivers a strong comic performance and Eddie Murphy is hilarious as the frantic superstar and his dorky twin brother. The comic cast also includes Heather Graham, Christine Baranski and Jamie Kennedy. The story is creative with surprising humor and wit. With its great comic cast and great humor, "Bowfinger" scores a solid "B".