Amy Larsen
Staff Writer
Hollywood tends to pattern one film after the next. Many plots and stories are virtually identical and the typical intro-conflict-resolution model is strictly followed.
Onto this bleak scene comes a film in which all these rules are thrown out the window.
“See this Movie” follows amateur filmmakers Jake Barrymore (Seth Myers) and Larry Finklestein (John Cho) through the entire production of their first movie.
Jake has little concept for the film, but after winning an award at his alma mater (The Three-Day Film School), he recruits his sarcastic teacher Martin (Jim Piddock) and naive friend Larry to help him create his first big screen hit.
Despite being a rookie filmmaker, Jake is certain his cinematic talents will make his movie a definite success. All he needs is an audience, and the rest will be easy.
The people he’s trying to reach, he decides, are the people who read Variety: the people who are already in the movie industry, the kind of people who attend film festivals. Fortunately, Jake has a connection to The Montreal Film Festival — his ex-girlfriend Annie Nicole (Jessalyn Gilsig).
When she is not initially receptive to Jake’s suggestion that his film be shown, Jake moves on to Plan B, lying about having a terminal illness. Out of pity, Jake’s ex-girlfriend finally gets his film a slot. There’s just one problem: Jake has no film to show at the festival.
With only a few days before the screening, and no script, actors, or crew, Jake designates himself leading man and sets out to begin his “dramatic mockumentary” (a “drockumentary,” he explains).
After arriving in Montreal, Jake gets the ball rolling on his film.
He acquires a quirky cast and crew and decides that the best way to go about beginning is just to “wing it.” This continues to be his motto throughout the process, often leaving those around him rather confused.
Jake’s movie making leads him to new lies (his terminal illness continues), new friends (an ecstasy-dealing drug-addict who nabs the role of “girlfriend” in the film), and new lessons learned (getting your picture in Variety isn’t so easy, or so important).
The journey these friends embark on brings them through a lot of trouble, but ultimately they all end up closer.
The characters seem so real because the viewer can relate to them. They have their vulnerabilities and problems, too.
For example, Jake finds throughout his filmmaking process that he is selfish arrogant, and oblivious to much of what is going on around him. Larry lets himself get pushed around and walked on, only to eventually realize that his contributions are just as vital as everyone else’s.
Though the film is a comedy, the characters still carry depth and (sometimes) maturity.
Shot almost entirely on location at The Montreal Film Festival, “See this Movie” is a remarkable satire on today’s Hollywood stereotypes. Besides being playful and ironic, the film is laugh-out-loud hilarious.
Writers David M. Rosenthal and Joseph Matthew Smith integrate sarcasm and one-liners, brilliantly witty characters and just enough political incorrectness to make this movie one of the funniest in a long time.
The movie-making process is shown in such a humorous and cliché way that it makes the viewer hope for more drockumentaries like this one.
In fact, the movie has enough zany antics to remind viewers of the well-done mockumentary, “This is Spinal Tap.” “See this Movie” also has enough merit to become a mockumentary classic for a new era.
“See this Movie” is a breath of fresh air compared to Hollywood’s cookie-cutter films. Its unique cast, plot, and writing make it a film not to be missed.
09-23-2004
