I saw this film by accident. I was watching public television because I currently can't afford high dollar cable. This was one of those Sunday afternoon surprises that I just live for.
Honestly, I had forgotten entirely about Bob Evans. He may be the last of the old-style "crash and burn very brightly" Hollywood moguls. I thoroughly enjoyed his engrossing and utterly self-absorbed manifesto about why his reputation was tarnished. He is totally unaware of how megalomaniac and narcissistic he is as he recounts his life. This is his charm. He is innocent of overblown thinking since he is gifted with a certain blankness about it.
The surreal and magical use of stills and collages of photographs are just mesmerizing, as is Bob Evans marvelous voice. Coming into the film totally ignorant of the details in this man's life, you may spend the first half-hour thinking it is an elaborate joke.
SPOILER FOLLOWS: The very end contains an outtake of Dustin Hoffman impersonating Evans. This almost sent me into cardiac arrest. This alone is worth watching the film.
Honestly, I had forgotten entirely about Bob Evans. He may be the last of the old-style "crash and burn very brightly" Hollywood moguls. I thoroughly enjoyed his engrossing and utterly self-absorbed manifesto about why his reputation was tarnished. He is totally unaware of how megalomaniac and narcissistic he is as he recounts his life. This is his charm. He is innocent of overblown thinking since he is gifted with a certain blankness about it.
The surreal and magical use of stills and collages of photographs are just mesmerizing, as is Bob Evans marvelous voice. Coming into the film totally ignorant of the details in this man's life, you may spend the first half-hour thinking it is an elaborate joke.
SPOILER FOLLOWS: The very end contains an outtake of Dustin Hoffman impersonating Evans. This almost sent me into cardiac arrest. This alone is worth watching the film.