My Name Is Bruce (2007)

5/10

For the Die Hard Campbell Fans, But Not Many Others

gavin69429 December 2008

Bruce Campbell is called to Gold Lick to fight the evil Chinese war god Guan-di after one of his biggest fans, Jeff, awakens the demon and mistakenly believes that Bruce would know how to fight such creatures. Campbell accepts, but only because he believes the entire thing to be a movie shoot.

Not surprisingly, there is going to be two groups of people for this film: the die-hard Campbell fans who love it, and the others. The others might like it, they might hate it, but they'll be left cold if they realize the jokes aren't meant for them. The film really has no solid plot (it's been done before...) and the acting isn't great... and the jokes are, at best, average.

Campbell's actor friends show up: Timothy Patrick Quill, Ted Raimi, Dan Hicks and even Ellen Sandweiss. Some of the in-jokes are slightly clever (having Sandweiss play "Cheryl", the same character's name she had in "Evil Dead") while others are just too blunt and insult the audience's intelligence. Other references such as "I worked with Sam Raimi" just seem thrown in for good measure. I understand the point was to reference Campbell's past films, but it wasn't subtle at all and seemed poorly thought out.

Bruce Campbell is Bruce Campbell, so if you like him, you will like this film. That's pretty much all there is to say about that. He directed it, he stars in it and he had a strong guiding hand in the writing process. You get the best of Campbell and the worst in this film... and don't forget for every good Campbell film ("Army of Darkness") there are at least two bad films.

I had the privilege of catching a screening in Madison with Campbell himself on hand for questions and answers. This really made the experience special, but did not make me feel any better about the film. The audience generally seemed to laugh more than I did, so maybe I'm in the minority. But when Bruce answered questions, he didn't offer any reassurance that he cared much about the film... if anything, his appearance seemed to suggest he felt he couldn't sell tickets without a gimmick.

I received a DVD copy in the mail as part of my reviewing duties, and gave it a second viewing. In all fairness, I en joyed the film much more the second time, having a better sense of what sort of humor and style the film would be going for. My suggestion is this: if you're a Campbell fan, pick up a copy. If not, you'll want to see other Campbell films first to really appreciate this one. Luckily for the people who made this film, there are plenty of Bruce Campbell fans to see this one with a smile on their face.

38 out of 49 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

Could have been better, but still solid

ahifi2 October 2009

My Name is Bruce feels like it misses more than it hits, but the hits are so damn good.

Most of the movie's punchlines are used up early on. It makes the start of the movie absolutely brilliant, but leaves you feeling shortchanged during the latter parts.

It's just far too cheesy for its own good. When everyone first heard of this project, we thought it would be Evil Dead 4. There is near enough no mention of Bruce being mistaken for his character of Ash (from Evil Dead) as the summary misleads. I have to question the director and writer's ability. Like the movie in general, they are hit and miss. Yet Bruce Campbell is wonderful as always.

You should still watch it, for it's a solid and original comedy. But it could have been so much better... 7/10

4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

6/10

No way a Bruce classic.

ElijahCSkuggs1 December 2008

Fanboy is a term used to describe any individual who is devoted to a single subject in an emotional or fanatical manner, or to a single point of view within that subject, often to the point where it is considered an obsession.

There was a day when I considered myself a Bruce Campbell fanboy. I've seen 90% of his movies, own posters and even a talking Bruce Campbell doll. Hell, I just remembered my ringtone to this day is quotes from Army of Darkness. But I realized after watching this movie, I'm not one. I never really backed up his weaker movies and honestly I didn't even enjoy Running Time. Which Bruce I guess holds some love for. Anywho, after only the beginning scene of MNisB I instantly realized this wouldn't be my cup of tea. And the biggest reason why, the amateur level seriously shows. The supporting actors (most of them) and the writing are just so damn unimpressive. The flick completely relied on Bruce to save the day. But with writing this weak, that's no easy chore.

The story itself is kinda cool, especially when we heard about it 5 years ago....or whenever the hell it first got buzz. Bruce is called upon for help, but fails miserably to live up to his legendary hero status. That's funny, and still is. But the movie didn't do that justice very well. I can only remember myself smirking a handful of times, and that's no joke. And probably a couple of the smirks were because of Grace Thorsen's massive boobs. Talking about a total babe.

This isn't to dismay anyone from seeing it, especially Bruce fans, since there are tons of nods and hidden jokes, but if you also can control your giddiness and fanboyisms (?), you'll see this film isn't a Bruce classic And the moron who said "if you like Bubba Ho-Tep, you'll love this." Wow, that is so off. Bubba Ho-Tep is ten times the movie this is. Which is a damn shame, because Bruce fanboys waited a while to see this one. I may still be a Bruce fanboy to some people, but I'll be the first to say this was one weak Bruce outing. 6 outta 10 for the Bruce swearing, the big, bouncing bosoms on Grace, and the handful of jokes that worked.

6 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

Bruce Campbell at his best!!!

jerralagbayani22 November 2017

Warning: Spoilers

Bruce Campbell to me is one of the best comedic actors ever. From The Evil Dead to this film he deserves to become a instant classic. This film is perfect for him because c'mon it's Bruce freaking Campbell!!! Now that I'm done with talking about how cool he is i'll go into the story. The story follows Bruce Campbell as himself in production with another film when a monster appears in a little town 6 or so hours from his trailer. That's when a fan kidnaps him and tries to get him to fight the monster and give the town hope. This deserves grade A movie status and a theater re-release all over again. The only problem was it felt long at some points and didn't go as smoothe as let's say Waterboy. Either way Campbell is equal to Jim Carrey in acting.

3 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

For better or worse: This is not The Return Of Ash

Superunknovvn24 February 2009

The long-awaited "My Name Is Bruce" has been greeted with a lukewarm reception by disciples of Bruce Campbell. There are probably two reasons for that: Firstly, this movie is not the "Evil Dead IV"-substitute many have hoped for, but basically one and a half hours of Campbell taking the p1ss out of himself. Some may mourn the fact that we don't get to see The Return Of Ash, but for me that didn't take away any of the fun from this movie.

Secondly - and this is a much bigger problem - "My Name Is Bruce" has very low production values. Apparently a lot of people behind this project had to work for little or no wages at all. That's admirable, but it's hard to deny that the movie has a cheap look and that the script leaves a lot to be desired.

While the dialog is quick-witted and Campbell delivers his lines perfectly, the rest of the story seems as if it was structured around these one-liners. It's never explained why a whole town would put their trust into Bruce Campbell as their savior. Is this some sort of parallel universe, in which everyone is retarded? It's also questionable whether the Chinese demon Guan-Di makes for a very good antagonist, since he's neither particularly scary, nor funny (Keeper Of The Bean Curd? Hm, well...).

At the end of the day, this is another Bruce Campbell-vehicle saved by the presence of his charismatic leading actor, and even if the story makes no sense, the movie is still better than your average Campbell-flick (hell, I even liked it better than "Bubba Ho-tep"). In its best moments "My Name Is Bruce" is just as entertaining and funny as "Shaun Of The Dead". If only they would have had a bigger budget for better action sequences and better stage design, this could have been a stone dead classic.

3 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

Welcome Back, Bruce!

aidanratesmovies29 June 2020

Fun, energetic, and more often funny than not- My Name is Bruce can be ridiculously cheesy and silly at times, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good time to watch. Bruce Campbell stars and Directs in this film, and provides a rather good performance as himself. Having watched all of Ash vs. Evil Dead recently, it was quite delightful to see where many of the visual nods came from in the show. The acting besides Bruce himself, can be quite cheesy, and often enough the performances are certainly not high class, but the film works in a bizarre, surreal, and oddly fun way that somehow manages to tie up even the looser threads of its content. The pacing can drag a bit at times, with the cringey gags getting a bit old, but for the most part, even with its familiar setting and plot structure- My Name is Bruce proves itself to be a fun and humorous flick worth a watch for any fan of the Evil Dead films, and of course, Campbell himself. My Rating: 7.5/10

4 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

3/10

He Sold His Name For Money.

NEIL-21317 March 2009

From my summary it is obvious that i feel let down by this movie and by it,s creator Bruce Campbell.Lack of money can be blamed for many things such as bad effects,bad acting and bad props,but there is no excuse for such a poor script.

The fact that in the spoof sci fi movie he is doing Bruce acts better than he does in the rest of the movie shows what a pile of horse droppings this film is.As a Bruce Campbell fan who has liked the majority of his work from Evil Dead to Xena,i have to say he has let his fans down with poor poor effort.

If he has made half has much money has i suspect from this movie from DVD sales,and has half as much integrity as i hope he has he will plow the money into another much better movie that will deserve to have his name in the title.

7 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

9/10

A Great Bruce Campbell Experience

ice_blue_eyes1313 April 2007

I just got back from the first screening of "My Name is Bruce," and I am very impressed. To put it simply, the movie is a film made by Bruce Campbell for Bruce Campbell fans. If you're not a Bruce Campbell fan, then you're probably not reading this post, so I'll move on.

An ancient Chinese deity is set free a small Southern Oregon town (a town Bruce Campbell calls the sequel to Deliverance at one point), and the townsfolk (and, yes, they are folk) decide to enlist the help of Bruce Campbell to stop the evil force. Bruce, however, believes the whole thing to be an elaborate hoax and plays along.

This movie is funny, but it's two kinds of funny here. There are the jokes that anybody can sit down and enjoy, and then there are the "in" references that only Bruce fans can really enjoy. And there are a lot of "ins" (I don't envy the person who has to do the trivia section for this one). Some are from his more famous works (Evil Dead, Army of Darkness, etc.) and will only truly be appreciated by the hardest of the hard core (Mindwarp, McHale's Navy).

I can't really discuss much of the technical merits of the film, since my screening was done on an early edit. There were no special effects, the music was of the stand-in variety, and some of the sound effects sounded like they had come from a Warner Bros. cartoon (also stand-in). However, the movie's slant toward the realm of the B-movie makes these quirks seem perfectly in place. I still enjoy myself despite them, and the movie might have taken on a whole new charm because of them. I'll have to check out a clean version to be sure.

In conclusion, if you're a Bruce Campbell fan, you're going to see this movie regardless of what you read here; however, I'll save you the anxiety and say you won't be disappointed in the least. If you're not a huge fan, this movie is still worth a viewing, since it's comedy could be seen as ripping on the horror genre in general and in a far superior way than the "Scary Movie" trilogy ever did.

92 out of 118 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

6/10

"Guan-You, Guan-Me, Guan- Di."

BaronBl00d16 July 2010

I am not a scary Bruce Campbell fan but enjoy seeing him in really anything as he always is ever-ready to inject some humor into whatever vehicle he stars in or even just appears in. After seeing Bubba-Ho-Tep I soon found out that he has real acting talent though it is not so evident in this film that parodies Campbell's life(a fictionalized one) and his career and his fan base I might add. In a small mining town called Goldlick a Chinese demon is freed by curious teens in an old cemetery. One of the boys is a huge Campbell fan and eventually sets off to Campbell's abode(a dilapidated trailer in the middle of the woods(yes, it is indeed a fictionalized account of his life)to bring Campbell to Goldlick to defeat the demon. It is a fun movie and really nothing else than a chance to see Campbell give his fans what they want to see - him mugging his way through each and every scene, interacting with the other actors in some real funny dialog, and plot scenarios that at least incorporate some of the Campbell mythos if you will. This film is for Campbell fans as they are the only ones that will get much of the humor. That's okay. It is for them. Some I suspect will be disappointed at the really tame and almost sweet nature of the film. Campbell says and does inappropriate things but you never get the feeling he is mean-spirited in any way. Much of his humor is solely lampooning himself and more often his very real work resume. I found myself laughing regularly throughout though the film is silly throughout. Campbell delivers as does most of the cast. The gal playing his love interest Grace Thorsen is a real looker to boot. Campbell shows he has ability for creativity beyond his acting as he also directs the movie. The Chinses demon is impressive for the special effects used(obviously not a huge budget here). The best part of the film for me doesn't even have Campbell in it. The two minstrels that open the film(the mayor and the sheriff of the town playing guitars and singing the Ballad of Guan-Di_ and periodically pop up throughout the picture had me rolling as they sand so seriously and one in foreground and one in the background and walked and sang through the woods. Very clever and very funny!

4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

5/10

Turns into one of the bad movies it's parodying.

Clothes-Off14 February 2009

This is worth watching only if you happen to come upon it, not worth going out of your way to rent--which I did. A little of Campbell's tongue-in-cheek persona works better in his "straight" B-movies, not one that is supposed to be a send up. I should take off another rating point for the unrealistic--and thankless--gay characters, although the portrayal wasn't disrespectful, it was still a silly attempt to use gayness for humor, and unsuccessful at that.

I guess it's just not bad enough to be "so bad it's good", and not good enough to recommend enthusiastically. It might have been better if they played it straight instead of making the cheapness so obvious. I think we would have gotten it.

5 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

9/10

My Name Is Bruce: Entertaining, Funny, A Definite Must For BC Fans!

alice_wandering14 April 2007

I was extremely fortunate to obtain a ticket to the very first screening of "My Name Is Bruce" during the Ashland Independent Film Festival in Southern Oregon. Bruce appeared there in person and he was as charming, funny and charismatic as his alter egos on screen. It was a real privilege! Before and after the show, Bruce talked a bit about how making a film in one's hometown, how great it was for him to "be able make a film and sleep in his own bed for the first time in 10 years" and that you don't need a big Hollywood studio and a big blockbuster budget to make a good movie everyone can enjoy.

He proved his point completely with the screening of this film. "My Name Is Bruce" was filmed entirely on located in the Rogue Valley, casting locals in many of the major roles, who all did a wonderful job. No big celebrity names, exotic locations or blue screen studios were necessary in making this a real good movie.

But enough patting on the back.

If you love any of the Evil Dead movies, if you've ever loved him as the dashing king of thieves in Xena: Warrior Princess, or if you've just been charmed by his delightful cameos in the Spiderman films, you will LOVE "My Name Is Bruce"! Even if you don't know that much about Bruce Campell and you just happen to be a fan of B-Movies, I still think you will enjoy this movie. Everything we love about Bruce is played so well over the top you can't help but laugh yourself silly! Bruce takes no mercy in making fun of himself - in this film, he's a washed up, boozing, C-movie actor, who's just finalized his divorce, making horrible alien movie sequels while treating his devoted fans like crap (the scene where he kicks a fan in a wheelchair down a hill - PRICELESS - but just one of many)! This, of course, all done in comedic good taste. None of this could be considered is autobiographical, and it's far from some cheesy Lifetime channel oh-pity-me "the Bruce Campbell story" special. As Bruce beats himself up, we all laugh our bums off.

Then, there is of course, the evil monster, Quan-Di, who's chops peoples' heads off in a cool, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon style. I would also like to add by the way that this Chinese God of Bean Curd has his own folksong sung by two humble guitar players, and it's a rather catchy-tune. Quite frankly, if you don't leave the theatre singing: "Quan You, Quan Me, Quan Di...", well then I just don't know what to say to you. ;) The violence in this movie is very much like what you may find in the Evil Dead movies. There's much homage from that.

Something else in this movie that's uber-cool and cult fans will enjoy: Ted Raimi... Is... EVERYWHERE in this film. He has (as far as I could count) three different significant roles, which are both delightful and hilarious to watch.

The movie also takes some of its strength from the two main supporting roles, the plucky fan boy who practically worships Bruce Campell (whose name I can't remember at the moment) and his mother, played by Grace Thorsen.

I should note that what I saw was a rough cut of the film, not entirely finished, so I don't know the names of all the actors because there were no opening and closing credits. So, sorry for now, plucky fan boy who worships Bruce Campell. I thought you were very good, but I can't remember your name. And kudos to the actor who played Quan-Di, who's physical characterizations behind the mask made him more than just another monster.

In conclusion, when there is a final cut and it lands in theaters in October, do go see it. It was quite an entertaining film and well worth seeing it on the big screen. I would write more, because this movie ROCKED in practically every detail, but I fear I'd be giving too much away. Just take my word for it: it's groovy, baby. Go see it.

107 out of 139 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

6/10

His name is Bruce

Samiam32 July 2009

His name is Bruce Campbell, he is not a good actor, but he is a terrific over-actor and a cult icon in B-movies. My Name is Bruce may sound very promising to fans, but it's not as good as it should have been. Perhaps he is too old, perhaps it is a lack of directing experience, perhaps it is the short running time resulting in a rushed story, but all I know is that the film may disappoint if you set your expectations too high.

Bruce Campbell plays himself; a selfish, mild mannered B-movie star who hates his career. One day he is brought by a die hard fan to the mining town of Gold Lick, which is being terrorized by a recently awoken Chinese Demon. The town turns to Bruce to save them, at first he thinks it is all a joke and goes along with it. When he finds out it is all real, he must become the hero he portrays in his movies.

Campbell is funny but the movie is not. I suppose there is only so much that can be done with the limited talent, resources and a premise that has been used a little too much in comedy (most recognizably in three amigos) but good filmmakers can sometimes work around such roadblocks.

I think Campbell had good potential here, adding a dose of self-parody to his to his already goofy style, but he is too focused on getting himself right and less focused on the movie, which backs him up. The result is a mildly quirky, but generally lifeless, comedy/horror.

4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

4/10

Not so funny, except for fans maybe

Enchorde26 May 2009

Warning: Spoilers

Recap: A few kids out in a deserted graveyard accidentally unleash a Chinese demon intent on killing all and everyone it sees. The town, Gold Lick, seems doomed. But one local teen thinks he knows who can save them. Who else than his hero, the notorious monster-slayer, Bruce Campbell.

Comments: For the most passionate fans this must be something of a must see. For me that thinks his more classic movies like Evil Dead and Army of Darkness are fun to watch but don't consider myself a fan, it is not that great. I can appreciate some of the humor in doing a spoof on oneself like Campbell does here but that can't carry the movie all the way.

Otherwise, it is much too like the B-horrors it is making fun of. Bad effects, good idea but rather bad story. Some fun trivia but nothing solid to build a movie around. It actually balances on the edge of being bad or being so bad it is funny. I think it is actually intended to be the second alternative but isn't all the way. (So one might say it is too good for it's own good...) I think this is something for the fans, for us others we might skip this one.

4/10

4 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

6/10

I love Bruce Campbell, but this one is a dud

siderite10 December 2008

Maybe it was the expectations that killed it for me, after all, I have been waiting for a full year to see it, but I did not think it was terribly funny.

The plot centers around Bruce Campbell and his failed life: busted marriage, bad movies, career plummeting and, above all, being a complete jerk. He makes fun of all these points which is funny at the beginning, but then you realize that they hit too close to home. The movie IS bad, the effects ARE cheesy, he continues to be a jerk that one can't relate to much, the jokes get worse and worse and in the end, the grand finale is pretty lame.

Bottom line: If you are a die hard fan of Campbell, you will probably "get it", but I really doubt many people will be amused by the movie.

6 out of 14 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

Well I'll be a horse's ass

movie_ape18 October 2020

This movie was hilarious, I don't care what the sob story reviews say and what the so called critics said way back when.

This is a hidden gem that had me giggling and spluttering till the end. It is a well shot movie written very tongue in cheek with self-deprecating humour that is the kind that I adore.

Bruce Campbell is amazing in this and I loved the support cast particularly Grace Thorsen was just stunning and played off of Bruce well in a subtle way.

7/10 good and original title that made my day.

2 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

Cute comedy, but wants to have it both ways

cherold8 March 2011

I really like Bruce Campbell, and this is very much the movie I would expect of him (unlike the disappointing and dreary BubbaHo_Tep); it's bright breezy and self-deprecating.

Bruce plays himself as an obnoxious drunk churning out bad horror movies and living in a trailer. His dreary life is upset when a town decides his years as a horror movie star qualify him to destroy a real monster that is decapitating the residents.

If you've seen many of those old Bob Hope movies in which a bumbling idiot winds up being mistaken for a private detective or a spy then this will seem familiar, and in spite of the horror-movie approach, this is very much in the style of those old Hope comedies. It's not as funny as "My Favorite Brunette," but it's still quite amusing.

The main problem with this movie is the premise doesn't quite work, and that is entirely the filmmakers' fault. For a town full of people to believe a B-movie actor can kill a monster, you need either a town of gullible backwoods mouth-breathers or something that makes it look convincing to ordinary people. The Hope movies tended to be good at this, creating a reasonable beginning that made the story make sense, even though realistically people should have caught on because Hope's character was such an idiot.

But in this movie, the town is made up of perfectly normal, reasonable intelligent people who all inexplicably take the word of a teenager that this is a good idea. And even the teenager doesn't seem that dumb, just obsessed. It's as though the movie were written under the assumption that everyone in town was an idiot, but at the same time they all liked the idea of Bruce being the obnoxious idiot in a town of nice people. And you can't do both of those.

It's a shame, because if they'd made it a town of idiots, with the sexy girl the only one with any sense, you would have had a movie that both made more sense and that had more opportunities for comedy.

But in spite of its story flaws, I quite enjoyed this.

1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

2/10

Why Bruce is a cameo on Spiderman and not a star

galahad58-110 February 2009

Warning: Spoilers

Years ago Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell made a trio of cult movies: Evil Dead, Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness. These three films produced a character (played by Campbell) named Ash who was an average Joe who developed courage to fight demons. It was also a series of movies that could have brought Campbell to the forefront to start a nice career---but it did not.

Later Campbell would make The Adventures of Brisco County Jr for TV. It was a short-lived series, but it received a great deal of critical acclaim. Once more it opened a window that could have pushed Campbell forward--but nothing happened.

Whether it is bad career choices, or a bad agent, Bruce Campbell has not made the leap from direct-to-DVD movies to quality films.

Along comes My Name is Bruce. The description of the film reads well: actor is mistaken for his character Ash and asked to save town from demon. It sounds fun. Somewhere someone takes a decent idea and makes it a poor direct-to-DVD movie. It would have been so much better had the filmmakers not made the character a run-down, alcoholic, self-absorbed, jerk of a human being. There was too much time spent on the whining and drinking binges of the character and not on the storyline. The script was badly written---someone forgot that the movie was supposed to be about the actor morphing into Ash to fight a real demon. Now that would have been a fun story---actor comes to town---finds out demon is real---after some event he morphs into the Ash character and fights the demon. It would have given the Campbell fans something to laugh at---Bruce reciting some of his old Evil Dead lines as Ash---"This is my boomstick"---that was what was advertised on the description of the movie, but that was not the end product. The end product was a terrible film not worth renting.

My Name is Bruce is another example of why Bruce Campbell will be forever linked to bad direct-to-DVD sci-fi movies and cameos on the Spiderman films.

9 out of 22 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

8/10

Fun for the Fans..

teenitini14 April 2007

I too obtained a coveted pair of tickets to MNIB....

The plot is basically what it says---a town of goobers kidnaps Bruce Campbell & pins their hopes of defeating the monster thats killing off the town members using all his B-Movie beast killing knowledge etc....Bruce thinks it's a big joke...till the Bean Curd hits the fan!! very slapstick, cornball, digs all over him self as an actor

uses his old lines in new and inventive ways "...and maybe later honey, if your lucky I'll let you look at my BoomStick!" Anyone on the inside of these jokes will get it, love it and want more.... And those hard core haters who tear films to shreds will find plenty to hack on...But they wont get any fodder from me....just trust that if your a Bruce Campbell fan....your gonna buy it, and force your unwilling friends to watch it.

69 out of 94 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

What would BC do...?

poe42614 March 2009

Warning: Spoilers

Many years ago, on an episode of THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE FILM SHOW (not to be confused with AMERICA'S MOST WANTED), Sam Raimi was profiled while on the set of EVIL DEAD II: DEAD BY DAWN. Clips from some of Raimi's amateur movies were shown, including a very funny scene where a young Bruce Campbell almost runs over an equally baby-faced Sam Raimi. Raimi drops his glasses, reaches under the car to retrieve them- and promptly has his arm flattened by Campbell as he backs up. Raimi cries out in pain. Campbell looks down, sees him, and quips: "Oh, Paul! I'm glad I ran across you!" Do it with a straight face and impeccable timing, and even as broad a visual joke as that one works. If there's one thing Campbell still has- in spades- it's timing. Like Charlie Chaplin, Campbell has spent years perfecting his art- and it is an art. MY NAME IS BRUCE is the kind of movie Joe Bob Briggs would love (and who better to judge what is tantamount to prime drive-in fodder?) and, taken with MAN WITH THE SCREAMING BRAIN!, is a clear indication that BC is now on the verge of becoming the new Roger Corman (only better).

1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

5/10

How not to Succeed at Self-Deprecating Humor

bobc-511 April 2009

Although I'm only a moderate Bruce Campbell fan, the synopsis of this film sounded so hilarious that I could barely contain my excitement when the chance to see it finally arrived. Although I did have a lot of fun watching, I was also very disappointed. Hoping for the intelligent and good-natured satirical humor of Campbell's books "Chins" and "Make Love", what I got instead was a rather crude and mostly unremarkable parody of modern low budget horror films.

The biggest problem, I believe, lies in the way that the Bruce Campbell character is so ridiculously exaggerated as a raging egomaniac and out-of-control alcoholic. It was nearly impossible to generate any sympathy or liking for the character and even more difficult to imagine this character containing any of the real Bruce Campbell. Not only did this completely eliminate the self-deprecating humor which would normally be one of Campbell's strongest comic assets, it also undermined the entire point of the film. Failing to accept the main character as being a real but comically fictionalized version of the actual Bruce Campbell means that the fundamental premise of the film is completely wasted.

A Bruce Campbell fan with the proper attitude can still have a great time watching this movie. Anyone willing to cooperate with the film by ignoring the flaws and pretending to see some of the real Bruce Campbell in his character will be rewarded with many amusing Campbell references, some passable B-movie satire and the occasional well-executed gag. I think it should be obvious, however, that the less willing you are to cooperate in this manner the more likely you are to find this movie a complete waste of time.

3 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

8/10

If Bruce Could Kill

se7en18714 March 2008

When a small town in Oregon is attacked by a evil monster, who do you call? Bruce Campbell of course.

My Name is Bruce is a hilarious comedy directed by and starring the great Bruce Campbell. It's a creative low budget film that does so much with so little. The whole cast is enjoyable, it looks like they all had a fun time filming it, like a bunch of friends getting together and shooting a film. And Ted Raimi is awesome as always, playing several roles, it looks like they just put the camera on Ted and told him to do his thing, and man the Rhyme Throwah sure delivers.

There are a lot of laughs throughout, I was smiling the whole way through. It's filled with a bunch of inside jokes that all Bruce Campbell fans will appreciate it. But this isn't just for people that love Bruce. This is a movie for everyone that appreciates film-making, and most importantly films that aren't trying to make millions of dollars. My Name is Bruce knows what kind of movie it is and doesn't try to be anything else. It makes fun of itself a lot of times (and Bruce rips on himself so much throughout).

I saw this at the East Lansing Film Festival and the audience could not sit still. There were so many cheers and constant laughter throughout the film.

It's an entertaining and funny film. Seek it out, watch it, then spread the word.

42 out of 56 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

Not as funny, smart or creative as it should have been

bob the moo16 February 2009

When a ancient curse is unleashed on a small rural community, a teenage boy takes the lesson of the movies a step too far and kidnaps B-movie actor Bruce Campbell to defeat the monster as he has done so many times before. Campbell mistakenly thinks that this "gig" has been set up by his agent for his birthday and he goes along with it with typical swagger and confidence. The townsfolk think he is the answer to all their problems but it only takes one confrontation for Campbell to realise that the monster is very real, very deadly and very much not his problem.

It is only recently that I was taken totally by surprised by JCVD, which is similar it concept to My Name is Bruce in how it twists reality into a film but also keeps it reality. JCVD was pretty good and I was looking forward to Bruce Campbell's film hoping that it would be good in a different way. From the start it is clear that the focus here is on self-mockery rather than self-examination as we get ourselves a cheesy monster b-movie in the mould of Campbell himself. The potential for self-referential fun is high but sadly the film never really gets to it as it settles in at a much lower level. The focus is on simply prat-falls and gags and the digs at Campbell are affectionate and general rather than barbed. I'm not saying that the film needed to be Deconstructing Harry, because it didn't, just that the material is far too broad to make it stick in the memory.

Verheiden's script is mostly to blame but having Campbell as director doesn't help a great deal as he isn't Sam Raimi and he does inject much into his film to raise it above the basics. This is not to say that I didn't find the film to be quite enjoyable but just that it is pretty base considering what it could have done. The good thing is that many viewers will be coming to it out of affection for Campbell and this sense of affection will carry them far enough to make the film feel OK. The monster effects are suitably cheesy and the narrative arch is OK. Campbell does a good job as himself, playing to the Ash personae as well as being an ass in a way that I'm sure he is not. The supporting cast are not that good but do the job and I suppose they do fit with the overall creation of reality as a bad b-movie.

My Name is Bruce is sadly not a great film but it just about levels out at being "OK" if you are in the mood for it. The concept is great but the delivery is too basic with a heavy reliance on physical comedy and basic jokes that are not that funny. The affection many viewers (including myself) will feel for Campbell will help it but it is not as smart nor as funny as it should have been.

3 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

7/10

I got my sugar, baby, I'm happy

Smells_Like_Cheese17 March 2012

Warning: Spoilers

Bruce Campbell, the man is a god in the horror fan base. A lot of people just adore this man, he's Ash from The Evil Dead trilogy! How could you not love this guy? But even though he has a huge fan base, he isn't known by everyone. Also he is kind of a has been, it's sad how his career never really took off. So through the indie film called My Name is Bruce, we are given an unoriginal plot with some goofy jokes on the world of Bruce Campbell and what it would have been like if he really did have to face a monster.

In the mining town of Goldlick, Jeff, a young fan of Bruce Campbell, and his friend Clayton go out to a cemetery to meet two girls. Jeff removes a medallion off the mausoleum, unleashing the Chinese god of the dead, Guan-Di, who kills Clayton and the girls while Jeff flees. Meanwhile, famed B movie actor Bruce Campbell is promised a birthday surprise from his agent, Mills Toddner. Bruce meets Jeff, who kidnaps Campbell and takes him to Goldlick in hopes that his hero can save the town from Guan-Di. Upon arrival, Bruce assumes it's his birthday surprise from Mills, and thinks it's all a movie, despite a lack of cameras and a script, and agrees to "help". After gearing up at Goldlick's gun shop, Bruce and many citizens of Goldlick go out into the woods to take on Guan-Di, which Bruce still thinks is part of a movie. Bruce then finds out that it's all real and flees Goldlick, angering the townspeople, upsetting Jeff who will now take on the monster himself.

This movie I think was made more for the fans as there are a lot of inside jokes. I like the little inside cameos and references, but I've seen Bruce Campbell movies. I don't think if my friends saw this that they would get a lot of the movie. There are some genuine laugh out loud moments, like when Bruce sees his fans right outside his studio and he has the war veteran fan who's just being a jerk to him so Bruce just kicks the fans wheel chair down the hill. Sounds mean, but I can understand what some of these stars would like to do to the fans who have over analyzed their films or have a sick obsession with them. The jokes do get very goofy at times and there are some moments that fall flat, mostly with the side characters who fall flat.

There's a love story that just feels so contrived and unreal. I know the whole film is meant to be that way, but Bruce and his number one fan's mom who hates Bruce at first randomly falls for him out of no where. I would've preferred if she stayed consistent and just gave Bruce the rejection to show that he doesn't always get the girl. Also the plot isn't exactly original as we've seen comedies before where an actor thinks that something is a movie but it's real life. It can still be funny if written well. I'm sure that the writers were looking for this movie to be a cult classic and they really put their love and effort into it, it just didn't hit that right spot. It's a good movie, but again it's more for the fans as they will understand the jokes better than the average movie buff.

Personally, I still liked the movie, I got what I wanted from it. Bruce seemed to have fun with it and it's important when it looks like at least the crew had fun because the love you put into a film is what the audience could feel. I give the crew credit for trying this out, maybe Bruce will never be a huge superstar, but I think he should be grateful for some of the fan base that he has, because when you lose the stalkers, that's when you're career is really going down the drain.

7/10

1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

4/10

Tough to get through even for Bruce Campbell fans.

Anonymous_Maxine11 May 2009

Granted, I've read some reviews from epic Bruce fans who praise My Name is Bruce like it's another Army of Darkness, but sadly it's just not. By now he has pulled out all the stops in making fun of himself, but when an infamous B-movie actor ultimately ends up making a career out of his career not really going anywhere, it gets tougher and tougher to laugh with him. I should admit that I'm a huge Bruce fan myself. I'm almost 30 years old and still a die hard fan of the Evil Dead films and there are all kinds of unflattering words for guys like me, but here the cheese level is just a little too thick for me.

Bruce plays himself, as you know. A group of idiot high school kids are hanging out at a graveyard kicking over wooden grave markers when ahead of them there shined a shiny demon, as Jack and Kyle would say, who lopped off their heads and began terrorizing the entire town of, get this, Gold Lick, Oregon, population 333 in the 19th century, population 339 today. It's a booming metropolis if I've ever heard of one!

Their isolation from modern society, however, serves as a great excuse for why the entire town managed to believe that Bruce's character Ash from the Evil Dead films was who he really is. Combine that with a kidnapping by the one surviving high school kid from the beginning of the movie and Bruce expecting a surprise birthday present from his agent and you have the set-up for a town of hicks thinking they have a hero in their midst, and Bruce thinking the demon is all just an act.

This plot was fresh and hilarious in The Three Musketeers, it was rehashed in the still hilarious Tropic Thunder, but by now there's nothing new or original about it, although Bruce's cult star power is still enough to make a good Friday night comedy from it. Unfortunately the movie is full of stupid jokes and bad performances that will probably play as more of an inside joke to the people who made it. Actors who acted in the original Evil Dead and Army of Darkness movies show up but have to mention who they are and what movie they were in for anyone to notice.

But as far as a movie where Bruce makes fun of himself, I would argue that it's something of a success. My problem may be that I've read his books "If Chins Could Kill" and "Make Love the Bruce Campbell Way," both of which were funnier than this movie. It has its moments for super-fans, although I would argue that the making-of documentary that accompanies the movie on the DVD (which is almost as long as the movie itself) might even prove to be more entertaining than the actual film. It's more than an hour of the cast and crew joking around and poking fun at each other, except it doesn't have to bother to pretend it's a real movie. The documentary should have been featured and the finished film included as an afterthought, if at all!

2 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

6/10

What *Would* Bruce Campbell Do?

YouSeenThat26 December 2008

Warning: Spoilers

This film is unadulterated, straight-to-video schlock starring the one and only Bruce Campbell - arguably the greatest B actor of his generation. Think Maniac Cop... The Evil Dead... The Evil Dead 2... The Army of Darkness... Bubba Hotep... the guy who cameos in all the Spiderman films... the portly alco in Burn Notice. If you don't know the legend that is Bruce, stop reading this review right now! Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Do not attach a chainsaw to your severed hand and slice-up zombies with it.

My Name Is Bruce is definitely a film for the fans.

The plot is simple. When an obsessed Bruce Campbell fan, Jeff (Taylor Sharpe) unwittingly unleashes the Chinese God of War (and bean curds, go figure) upon the small Oregon town of Goldlick, the teenager attempts to enlist his screen idol Campbell into fighting the monster. Of course, in typical Campbell style, our smart-aleck actor is under the impression that the whole thing is just one giant birthday prank set up by his agent, Mills Toddner (Ted Raimi). Hilarity is bound to ensue - at least that would be the plan.

The film opens with a brief country tune from the mayor and police chief of Goldlick, outlining the legend of Guan-Di, a scene reminiscent of the indie zombie comedy, Dead and Breakfast. From this point we are thrust into the B-grade schlock that is My Name Is Bruce - immediately introduced to our die-hard Bruce Campbell fan, Jeff, a guy so obsessed that he can't seem to get laid due to 'the Bruce Cambell factor'. You'll know exactly what that means once he opens his mouth... well, that and the fact that he dresses like a emo tool. Within the first few minutes I almost wanted to eat a gun - every word that came out of Jeff's mouth was just a rehash of a Bruce Campbell line, lines that had already been rehashed about a million times in popular culture over the last decade. It was 'groovy' this, and 'give me some sugar, baby' that. Christ, it was so bad that I was almost about to reach for the remote control - I knew that it was meant to be a spoof, but man, this was painful. Fortunately I endured.

Once you make it through the god-awful setup, My Name Is Bruce starts to become a lot of fun.

Jeff finally drops the annoying dialog, the monster goes about its job of decapitating anyone it can find, our hero Bruce is introduced, the love interest (Grace Thorsen) is introduced, the in-jokes start flying, and even our old mate Ted Raimi pops in to pull his usual multi-character caper. Clearly the screenwriter, Mark Verheiden, has done his Bruce homework. While I'm not sure how much of the final product was influenced by Bruce Campbell's direction, the film has all the trappings of a dodgy B-grade piece of crap - the sort of junk you would embarrassingly rent from your local video store wearing a brown trench coat, baseball cap and a pair of dark sunglasses. Yes, that scary bottom-of-the-shelf territory inhabited by the likes of Dolph Lungren, Steven Seagal, and yep, you guessed it, Bruce Campbell. It's all there: bad acting, cheesy dialog, cheesy special effects, an even cheesier monster, the semi-hot love interest, the reluctant antihero. It's the bread and butter for men like BC.

Some of the most memorable scenes and lines from the film derive from a sort of Simpsons-style humor.

*** START POTENTIAL SPOILERS ***

There's an amusing scene where the townsfolk confront Guan-Di in the forest, and once Campbell finally works out that the monster is real, he decides to retreat - fleeing as he fires his gun wildly behind him. In the process he accidentally takes out a heap of innocent townsfolk with each shot, often to the screams of 'arg, my ear!' or 'I got hit!'. Worth a chuckle. There's also another classic Simpsons-style scene where Campbell jumps into the back of a random passing truck in order to flee town, all the while cursing the idiots who live there, only to have the truck pull into a car park about ten metres down the road.

*** END POTENTIAL SPOILERS ***

It's not exactly highbrow, but you could do a lot worse. Combine this humor with numerous self-deprecating digs at Campbell, ala, 'and McHale's Navy sucked!', there's certainly enough laughs to fill the running time.

Like I said at the start of this review, My Name Is Bruce is wholly and solely aimed at Bruce Campbell fans. Don't even think about renting or watching this film if you've never seen one of his films - there's just so many self-references and in-jokes packed into eight-odd minutes of running time that at least 80% of the fun will go straight over your head. Sure, it might be a mildly amusing, but really your time is probably better spent familiarizing yourself with the masterworks of Bruce Campbell, i.e. go watch The Evil Dead instead.

www.youseenthat.com

1 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

User Reviews

See also

Opinion

Details

Storyline

Did You Know?

Photo & Video

Related Items

User Lists

Recently Viewed