When I have overviews being written about Ben Stiller in various magazines and TV programs,they all mention how he first started out in indie films,before he got discovered by a more "mainstream" audience.After having a look at the back cover,and seeing the very impressive cast listings,I was looking forward to an amazing laugh- riot.Instead,I found the film to be shockingly light on laughs of any kind.
The plot:
A group of Generation X students graduate from college,and realise the it is time that they all enter the real world,and look for a real job.One of them (Celaina Pierce)has been making a documentary film about her friends,whilst she has been stuck at being an assistant to a TV chat-show host,that cant stand her.
Suddenly,a sign of hope appears,when a very trendy music TV producer (Michael Grates) crashes into her car!.Due to how genuinely apologetic Michael seems to be (and also due to him being a producer)Ceclaina shows him the documentary that she has been making.Whilst this should be the first step to a clear path to stardom for Celaina,she sadly,has to decide if she wants to enter the "sell-out mainstream" world,or if she should stick to her Gen X friends.Which include her friend Troy,who is trying to figure out what his true feelings are for her...
View on the film:
For a film that has such a craving to be seen as part of the early to mid nineties alternative scene,it just feels completely artificial and hollow.One of the things that surprised me was,that apart from a handful of some very good tracks,the film completely skips over making any references to the excellent films,music and novels of the era.
Whilst all of the strong cast give acceptable performances,they are sadly let down by the terrible screenplay by Helen Childres.Which includes very badly-written sub-story lines for Celainas friends (a story line involving Janeane "Larry Sanders" Garofalo,waiting for results on being diagnosed with AIDS,is written as such a minor thing,that it should have been cut out at the earliest stages of the screenplay.)
The main romance in the film between Celaina and Troy completely crumbles,due to there hardly being any chemistry between them,and also because Troy is a very nasty egotistical bully threw out the whole film.
Final view on the film:
A strong cast,let down by a very badly written,completely unfunny screenplay.
The plot:
A group of Generation X students graduate from college,and realise the it is time that they all enter the real world,and look for a real job.One of them (Celaina Pierce)has been making a documentary film about her friends,whilst she has been stuck at being an assistant to a TV chat-show host,that cant stand her.
Suddenly,a sign of hope appears,when a very trendy music TV producer (Michael Grates) crashes into her car!.Due to how genuinely apologetic Michael seems to be (and also due to him being a producer)Ceclaina shows him the documentary that she has been making.Whilst this should be the first step to a clear path to stardom for Celaina,she sadly,has to decide if she wants to enter the "sell-out mainstream" world,or if she should stick to her Gen X friends.Which include her friend Troy,who is trying to figure out what his true feelings are for her...
View on the film:
For a film that has such a craving to be seen as part of the early to mid nineties alternative scene,it just feels completely artificial and hollow.One of the things that surprised me was,that apart from a handful of some very good tracks,the film completely skips over making any references to the excellent films,music and novels of the era.
Whilst all of the strong cast give acceptable performances,they are sadly let down by the terrible screenplay by Helen Childres.Which includes very badly-written sub-story lines for Celainas friends (a story line involving Janeane "Larry Sanders" Garofalo,waiting for results on being diagnosed with AIDS,is written as such a minor thing,that it should have been cut out at the earliest stages of the screenplay.)
The main romance in the film between Celaina and Troy completely crumbles,due to there hardly being any chemistry between them,and also because Troy is a very nasty egotistical bully threw out the whole film.
Final view on the film:
A strong cast,let down by a very badly written,completely unfunny screenplay.