Review of Bowfinger

Introduction

Bowfinger found its way into my DVD player, as I was feeling in the mood for a little comedy last night. I`ve had it for a couple of years now, though it doesn`t get aired too regularly. Looking at the case gave me pause for thought though. This disc was released in 2000, five years ago now. Five years ago I was buying the last few VHS tapes that I would ever need, while DVDs occupied a minority shelf in the back of most video stores. Time flies when you let obsession rule your purchasing habits. Yet Bowfinger comes with the kind of presentation we expect from all DVDs today, anamorphic picture, surround sound, animated menus and some juicy extras. It`s even got DVD ROM content courtesy of the ever-annoying PC Friendly. Let`s hope that the film has dated as well as the disc.

Bobby Bowfinger is a down and out director in Hollywood, inching relentlessly towards fifty, and the point where he can kiss his stalled career goodbye. That`s when accountant and aspiring screenwriter Afrim delivers a script that knocks his socks off. Chubby Rain is the name of the opus, and it`s Bowfinger`s last chance to make it big. Money is a slight problem though; he doesn`t have any. Scamming his way into a meeting with big Hollywood producer Jerry Renfro, he secures provisional backing for his movie, if he can get megabucks action star Kit Ramsey to star, a slight problem on an ultra low-budget movie with no name actors and aspiring wannabes. Con artist Bowfinger`s solution is simple; shoot the film without telling Ramsey he`s in it. For a notorious paranoid like Ramsey, it isn`t advisable for strangers to come up to him and start talking about an alien invasion, and when Ramsey disappears into the bosom and safety of his Mindhead meetings, it seems that Bowfinger`s movie is over before it even had a chance. Fortunately they find a double in the gentle-hearted and slow-witted look-alike Jiff. Can Bowfinger con his way into a hit movie?

Video

The picture is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic ratio. Actually, age has crept up on the disc, and the picture certainly compares unfavourably to more recent releases. That isn`t to say that the image isn`t clear throughout. However, it does feel a little flat, and grain is prevalent to quite a degree, as are a few instances of moiré. More telling is the state of the print, which suffers from the tiniest of flecks of dirt that never really annoys, but becomes noticeable if you actively start looking for it. Fortunately Bowfinger rarely gives you time to be looking for flaws in the image.

Audio

There are DD 5.1 English and German soundtracks for Bowfinger. The sound is pretty front-focussed, with the surrounds used for the occasional spot effect or for the soundtrack. Being a dialogue heavy film that is to be expected though. The music is quite apt, with some nicely chosen tunes to complement the film.

Features

The extras also complement the film well, although the film autoplays on disc insertion, so it`s easy to forget they are there.

A Spotlight On Location featurette is a 24-minute look behind the scenes of the film, with plenty of interviews with the cast and crew. It`s a decent insightful set of comments that accompany the behind the scenes footage and film clips, which elevates this above the usual PR featurettes.

There are 6 minutes of deleted scenes, 2 in total. One is an alternate opening to the film, while the other is quite an interesting piece that would have been better off left in the film.

There are 3 minutes of outtakes, which is you usual goofing around. It`ll raise a smile but little more.

There is the theatrical trailer as well as production notes and filmographies. It`s your usual text on screen affair, and it`s bolstered by similar and more in depth text material to be found on the DVD ROM features.

Finally there is the feature commentary with Frank Oz, the director. It`s an interesting track, better than most. The information he provides is always pertinent and the commentary is packed with information. Frank Oz also manages to keep it easy to listen to, though he does wander in technical directions once in a while.

Conclusion

There aren`t many comedies that eschew the tried and trusted route of the gross out and toilet humour that appeals to the common denominators among US audiences. Films with wit, satire and intelligence are harder and harder to find amongst the cinematic chaff that passes for funny these days. Bowfinger is that elusive gem of a comedy, and rates among my favourites from recent years. It`s a gentle satire on the cutthroat film industry in Hollywood, populated with carefully observed characters, yet manages to be relentless funny, layered with comedy goodness.

Steve Martin penned a wonderfully wry script, and plays the part of Bobby Bowfinger in the film. A man who scams his way into making a movie, he`s a venal, irredeemable con artist, yet Martin makes him sympathetic and easy to root for as he aims to complete his masterpiece. The star of the film has to be Eddie Murphy, who gives two excellent performances. As Kit Ramsey, he is the materialistic epitome of the Hollywood star, paranoid to the point of neurosis and surrounded by an entourage of yes men. His own foibles send him to Terence Stamp`s Mindhead organisation, a catch all for the sort of cult or pseudo-religion that celebrities with an excess of wealth seem to flock to these days, in an attempt to buy spirituality in a town where only the greenback is worthy of worship. It`s the kind of loud-mouthed brash character that people familiar with Murphy`s early career will quickly recognise. It`s Murphy`s performance as Jiff that is revelatory. Jiff is a gentle-hearted, somewhat slow-witted man, who gets a part in Chubby Rain as a Kit Ramsey look-alike, as well as an errand boy. The endearing thing is that he`s more excited about the step up the career ladder running errands. He`s perhaps the more human side of Hollywood, the exploited rather than the exploiter, although ultimately not even he is resistant to the materialistic charms of the film business.

Bowfinger is filled with inventive gags, both verbal and visual. I love the way that Bowfinger hires his film crew from the Mexican border, and it`s fun watching the evolution of these characters through the film. Similarly Heather Graham`s character Daisy, arrives innocent and rosy-cheeked from the country, eager to be a star, and watching her evolve through the film is also hilarious, as she adapts the casting couch to suit her own ambitions. Also a star in the film is Bowfinger`s dog Betsy, boasting an ability to walk in high heels when required, or lie prone on command, legs akimbo.

Bowfinger is a witty observation of the film industry that never strays into vindictiveness, concentrating on its main goal of making people laugh. In that it succeeds admirably, keeping the laughs flowing from beginning to end, and building up to climax that proves satisfying and hilarious. It`ll have you looking for that old Carl Douglas CD and that can`t be a bad thing. While after five years, the picture quality may not be up to recent standards; the DVD still cuts the mustard. Well worth looking up if you`re in the mood for a comedy that doesn`t have any farts in.