Bowfinger ** (1999, Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graham) – Classic Movie Review 1896

Director Frank Oz’s 1999 is a rather obvious, tepid comedy look at low-budget film-making that’s already been covered in funnier, cleverer films.

Star and screenwriter Steve Martin’s screenplay is silly, unreal and not very funny, while the performances are over-confident, especially given the script they’re working with. Martin plays Bobby Bowfinger, the nervous and desperate producer head of a nowhere film studio, who fails to get a major star for his bargain basement film and decides to make the movie anyway without the star’s co-operation, shooting secretly around him.

Eddie Murphy plays two star support roles – a conceited action star and a nerd – who turn out to be brothers Kit and Jeff Ramsey – so it’s alright that the parts aren’t very different.

Heather Graham, Terence Stamp, Robert Downey Jr, Christine Baranski, Jamie Kennedy and Barry Newman are also in the cast. So the cast helps.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1896

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