Bowfinger

Bowfinger is a 1999 American comedy satirical film directed by Frank Oz. It depicts a down-and-out filmmaker in Hollywood attempting to make a film on a small budget with a star who does not know that he is in the film. It was written by Steve Martin, who also stars alongside Eddie Murphy in two roles, and Heather Graham as a vapid, ambitious starlet. The film was released on August 13, 1999, to largely positive reviews, and grossed $98 million.

Bowfinger
Theatrical release poster
Directed byFrank Oz
Produced byBrian Grazer
Written bySteve Martin
Starring
Music byDavid Newman
CinematographyUeli Steiger
Edited byRichard Pearson
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • August 13, 1999 (1999-08-13)
Running time
97 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$55 million[2]
Box office$98.6 million[2]

Plot

B movie film producer Bobby Bowfinger has saved up to direct a movie for his entire life—he now has $2,184 to pay for production costs. He has a script ("Chubby Rain") penned by an accountant, Afrim, and a camera operator, Dave, with access to studio-owned equipment. Bowfinger then lines up several actors who are hungry for work, along with a crowd of illegal Mexican immigrants for a camera crew; the only other thing he needs is access to a studio in order to distribute his masterwork.

He extracts a promise from a high-ranking Universal Pictures executive, Jerry Renfro, that Universal will distribute the film if it includes currently-hot action star Kit Ramsey. Ramsey—a pompous, neurotic, and paranoid actor—refuses, so Bowfinger constructs a plan to covertly film all of Ramsey's scenes without his knowledge. The actors, told that Ramsey is method acting and will not be interacting with them outside of their scenes, walk up to Ramsey in public and recite their lines while hidden cameras catch Ramsey's confused reactions.

The plan goes well at first: Ramsey (who is a member of an organization called MindHead) swallows the movie's alien invasion premise and believes he is genuinely being stalked by aliens, resulting in an exceptionally genuine and intense performance. However, the strain on his already-precarious mental state leads him to go into hiding in order to maintain his sanity, stalling the film's production.

Bowfinger resorts to hiring a Ramsey lookalike named Jiff. Jiff is kind, amiable and rather clueless. He even runs through a gauntlet of "stunt drivers" racing along a major freeway when asked. During a chat with the other cast members, Jiff mentions that he is Kit Ramsey's brother, explaining the likeness. Using this new knowledge, Bowfinger has Jiff find out Kit Ramsey's movements and the final scene to the film is readied for shooting.

The final scene is at an observatory. Though otherwise pleased with Ramsey's unscripted dialogue, Bowfinger considers his character's final line "Gotcha suckers!" to be the key moment of the film, and directs one of the actors to guide Ramsey through the scene under the guise of showing him how to get rid of the aliens. During the filming, Ramsey becomes terrified and struggles to deliver the final line. At this point, Ramsey's mentor at MindHead, Terry Stricter, has discovered evidence that Kit's "aliens" may not be just in his head. MindHead officials track Bowfinger to the observatory, and shut down production.

Bowfinger's camera crew show him B-roll footage of Ramsey they were filming off-set, just in case they saw anything they could use. The footage shows Ramsey donning a paper bag over his head and exposing himself to an amused Laker Girl Cheerleading Squad, something MindHead specifically discouraged him from doing. Bowfinger blackmails MindHead with the footage, threatening to release it and ruin Ramsey's career (which would also endanger MindHead's finances as Ramsey is a major donor to their operations). MindHead advises the star to finish the project. Bowfinger finally gets to sit at the premiere of a film he himself directed, and is awed. Following the arguable success of the film, Bowfinger receives a rare Fed-Ex envelope—an offer to film a martial arts film called "Fake Purse Ninjas" starring himself and Jiff Ramsey.

Cast

Production

The film was produced by Brian Grazer's company Imagine Entertainment, in conjunction with Universal Studios.[3] The working title for the film was Bowfinger's Big Thing.[4][5] The film was initially scheduled for a July 30, 1999, release, but in May 1999 Universal Studios pushed its release back to August 27, 1999.[6] Its final release date was August 13, 1999.[7][8] The film's costs amounted to US$44 million.[9] The executives at Universal wanted to cut the freeway scene because they felt it would be too expensive; Martin replied he would not cut the funniest scene in the film.[10]

Casting

Graham described Daisy in an interview with CNN's Entertainment News. "It's about these losers in Hollywood who want to make a movie, and I'm this naive, innocent girl who wants to be an actress. I'm willing to stop at nothing."[11] Graham stated that she has a "special attachment" to the roles she chooses, and explained "I think it's kind of like you fall in love with the person, like you fall in love with the script."[11] The character of Daisy was inspired by actress Anne Heche, whom writer Steve Martin was dating at the time.[12][13]

Themes

The fictional organization "MindHead" has been compared by film critics to the Church of Scientology.[14][15][16] Paul Clinton wrote in CNN online: "'Bowfinger' could just be viewed as an out-there, over-the-top spoof about Hollywood, films, celebrities and even the Church of Scientology. But Martin has written a sweet story about a group of outsiders with impossible dreams."[15] Andrew O'Hehir wrote in Salon that "Too much of 'Bowfinger' involves the filmmakers' generically wacky pursuit of the increasingly paranoid Kit, who flees into the clutches of a pseudo-Scientology outfit called MindHead (their slogan: 'Truth Through Strength')."[16] The Denver Post, the Daily Record and the San Francisco Chronicle made similar comparisons,[17][18][19] and the Albuquerque Journal and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram called MindHead a "thinly veiled" parody of Scientology.[20][21] A review in The New York Times described actor Terence Stamp's role in the film as "a cult leader for a Scientology-like organization called Mind Head", and The Dallas Morning News and the Houston Chronicle made similar statements about Stamp's character.[22][23][24] Writer Steve Martin told the New York Daily News "I view it as a pastiche of things I've seen come and go through the years", and stated "Scientology gets a lot of credit or blame right now, because they're the hottest one."[25] The Cincinnati Enquirer noted in its review "For the record, Mr. Martin denies MindHead is based on Scientology."[26]

The film spoofs the cult of celebrity and experiences film producers can undergo when attempting to get a movie made in Hollywood. Time Out Film Guide called the film a "satire on Hollywood's lunatic fringe."[27] The Seattle Post-Intelligencer noted that "it takes swipes at stupid action films" and "the ageism of the industry."[28] The Seattle Post-Intelligencer also noted Eddie Murphy's ability to spoof himself in the film, including "kidding his own legendary paranoia, evoking his real-life sex scandal and allowing himself to be the butt of Martin's extended gag."[28] Leonard Schwarz of Palo Alto Online described the film as "arch and knowing about the ways of Hollywood", including "producers who want to keep their cars more than their kids when they get divorced."[29] Russell Smith of The Austin Chronicle noted the film's satire of "L.A. movie culture, and brain-dead blockbuster films."[30] An article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Bob Graham wrote that "Martin the writer plants some wicked barbs in Hollywood's rear end about creative financing of movies and hoarding of profits, the art of the deal, hipper-than-thou attitudes and exploitation."[31] Laurie Scheer writes in Creative Careers in Hollywood "Steve Martin's performance as Bobby Bowfinger is one that is not to be missed, especially if you are choosing a career as a producer."[32]

Themes within the film have been compared to Mel Brooks' The Producers; a critique in the Denver Rocky Mountain News wrote that the film has "...the madcap velocity of Mel Brooks' The Producers."[33] Roger Ebert wrote that "Like Mel Brooks' The Producers, it's about fringe players who strike out boldly for the big time."[34] The New York Times wrote that "The title character in the hilarious, good-hearted Bowfinger is a tireless schemer who, like Zero Mostel in The Producers, is part of a great show-biz tradition: being ruthless, delusional and hellbent on turning lemons into lemonade."[35] Jeff Millar of the Houston Chronicle compared Steve Martin's character in the film to Edward Wood, Jr., and Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times described Bowfinger International Pictures as "a company so threadbare even schlockmeister Ed Wood would've looked down on it."[36][37] Comparisons were also made to Tim Burton's eponymous film about the director, Ed Wood.[38]

Reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a rating of 81%, based on 109 reviews, with an average rating of 7/10. The site's critical consensus describes it as "a witty commentary on modern film-making, with enough jokes to keep it entertaining throughout."[39] At Metacritic, the film holds a score of 71 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[40]

Roger Ebert gave the film three and a half out of four stars, and wrote "Bowfinger is one of those comedies where everything works."[34] The film received three out of four stars from the TLA Video & DVD Guide, where it was described as a "goodspirited, funny look at a hack Hollywood producer who will go to any lengths to get his film made."[41] The Seattle Post-Intelligencer gave the film a rating of "A−" in its review, writing "This is one terrific comedy that doesn't let up for an instant."[28] The Rocky Mountain News highlighted the film as a "Critics' Choice", and wrote that "Steve Martin takes gentle but funny aim at Hollywood" in the film.[42] In The Washington Post, Jane Horwitz described the film as a "riotous farce".[43] The Kansas City Star called it a "frequently hilarious comedy".[44] The New York Times highly recommended the film, and reviewer Janet Maslin wrote "This hilarious, good-hearted spiritual descendant of The Producers is a comic coup for Mr. Martin."[45]

A review in the Deseret Morning News was critical, giving the film two and a half out of four stars, and called it a "funny but frantic and somewhat mean-spirited comedy."[46] A review in The Austin Chronicle was also critical. Film critic Russell Smith gave the film two and a half stars, and wrote "As a diehard Martin fan, I'm still hoping for a comeback, but it'll take better efforts than this to get me back in his cheering section."[30] Leonard Maltin also gave the film two and a half stars, and wrote in his Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide "Likeable costars carry this comedy a long way; there are some good laughs throughout, but it's never as satisfying as you'd like it to be."[47]

Stacey Wilson Hunt from Vulture considered Bowfinger as Murphy's underrated classic. About that, Murphy said: "I love Bowfinger. That’s a funny one. It was all mostly on page—I don’t remember doing a lot of improvising. I kind of played what he wanted to play. It was all Steve Martin’s creation."[48]

Box office

The film debuted at the #2 spot behind The Sixth Sense, with an initial box office weekend return of US$18.2 million at 2,700 theaters in the United States.[7][49] It held onto the number two spot in its second week, earning an additional $10.7 million and grossing $35.7 million in its first ten days.[50][51][52] As of September 7, 1999, Bowfinger was at the fourth spot, with a weekend return of $7 million and a total gross of $55.5 million.[53] By September 13, 1999, the film had slipped to 5th place, with a weekend return of $3.7 million, for a total take of $60.5 million.[54] By October 11, 1999, the film had earned $65 million in the United States.[55] The film did not fare as well overseas as it did in the United States.[56]

Soundtrack
Bowfinger
Soundtrack album by
Various artists
ReleasedAugust 10, 1999
LabelVarèse Sarabande
  1. "There is Always One More Time" - Johnny Adams
  2. "You're a Wonderful One" - Marvin Gaye
  3. "And I Love You So" - Perry Como
  4. "Mambo U.K." - Cubanismo
  5. "Super Bad, Super Slick" - James Brown
  6. "Secret Agent Man" - Johnny Rivers
  7. "Betsy Chases Kit/The First Shot/A Short Ride/Dave Makes a Call/Dave Returns Camera"
  8. "Cafe Set-Up/Shooting The Cafe/Stealing Renfro's Car/Auditioning the Butts"
  9. "Chubby Rain"
  10. "Clothing Store/Daisy Rescues Kit"
  11. "The Observatory"
  12. "Finale/Fed Ex Delivers"

See also

References
  1. "BOWFINGER (12)". British Board of Film Classification. 1999-07-13. Retrieved 2012-12-22.
  2. "Bowfinger (1999)". Box Office Mojo. IMDB. Retrieved 2009-08-16.
  3. Staff (August 18, 1999). "Universal Names New Head of Production". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  4. Staff (January 6, 1999). "Coming in 1999: The Wild Wild Phantom Menace". Associated Press.
  5. Staff (May 7, 1999). "What's on summer's movie screens". Deseret News.
  6. Hindes, Andrew (May 26, 1999). "U's 'Bowfinger' pushed to August: Martin- Murphy starrer gets some breathing room". Variety. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  7. King, Susan (August 17, 1999). "Weekend Box Office; 'Sixth Sense' Pulls Big Dollars and Cents". Los Angeles Times. p. 5.
  8. McNary, Dave (June 24, 1999). "Hollywood Sizzles: Box Office Heat Wave Breaking Summer Records". Los Angeles Daily News.
  9. McNary, Dave (May 11, 1999). "How Big A 'Menace'? 'Phantom' Not The Only Game In Town". Los Angeles Daily News.
  10. Semlyen, Nick (March 2009). "In conversation with Steve Martin". Empire. p. 116.
  11. Vercammen, Paul (June 15, 1999). "Heather Graham earns adoration as Felicity Shagwell". CNN Entertainment News. CNN.
  12. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/unlikely-valentine-hollywoods-bizarre-celebrity-couples/steve-martin-anne-heche/
  13. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1999-08-12-9908110491-story.html
  14. Laforest, Kevin N. "Review: Bowfinger". Montreal Film Journal. 1998–2007 Montreal Film Journal. Archived from the original on 2009-01-13. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  15. Clinton, Paul (August 12, 1999). "Review: 'Bowfinger' over-the-top farcical treat". CNN. pp. Section: Movies. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  16. O'Hehir, Andrew (August 12, 1999). "Bowfinger: Martin and Murphy team up for a good-natured sendup of the mindless summer blockbuster -- and just barely avoid making one themselves". Salon. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  17. Booth, Michael (July 16, 2007). "Martin skewers Hollywood". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  18. Staff (October 22, 1999). "Martin makes Murphy make magic; BOWFINGER". Daily Record. pp. Section: Features.
  19. Morris, Wesley (August 13, 1999). ""Bowfinger' has the touch. Martin, Murphy make mincemeat out of Hollywood as a down-and-out producer and his "star'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  20. Staff (January 1, 2007). "'Bowfinger' Lacks Chemistry Between Martin, Murphy". Albuquerque Journal.
  21. Staff (January 21, 2000). "Hollywood looks in the mirror, and laughs". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  22. Staff (October 23, 1999). "Actor Terence Stamp makes the most of his film roles". The Dallas Morning News.
  23. Holden, Stephen (September 3, 1999). "CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK; Laughs, Schmaffs. Does It Have an Edge?". The New York Times.
  24. Millar, Jeff (October 15, 1999). "Good acting gives hard-to-follow `Limey' a boost". Houston Chronicle. pp. Page 4.
  25. Staff (July 28, 1999). "Steve Martin on Scientology". New York Daily News.
  26. McGurk, Margaret A. (August 13, 1999). "Murphy and Martin: Commandants of comedy strut their absurdist stuff in 'Bowfinger'". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  27. Tch. "Bowfinger movie review". Time Out Film Guide. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  28. Arnold, William (August 13, 1999). "'Bowfinger' hits the comedy jackpot". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  29. Schwarz, Leonard (August 1999). "Movies - Review: Bowfinger". Palo Alto Online. pp. Section: Movie Screener.
  30. Smith, Russell (August 20, 1999). "Calendar: Film listings - Bowfinger". The Austin Chronicle. Austin, Texas: Austin Chronicle Corp. Retrieved January 10, 2008.
  31. Graham, Bob (August 13, 1999). "Bowfinger Pokes Hipsters In Hollywood". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  32. Scheer, Laurie (2002). Creative Careers in Hollywood. Allworth Communications, Inc. p. 135. ISBN 1-58115-243-4.
  33. Denerstein, Robert (August 13, 1999). "Follywood Tinseltown Takes it on the Chin in 'Bowfinger'". Denver Rocky Mountain News.
  34. Ebert, Roger (August 13, 1999). "Bowfinger". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
  35. Maslin, Janet (August 13, 1999). "FILM REVIEW; A Genuine Fake in a World of Make-Believe". The New York Times.
  36. Millar, Jeff (March 11, 2004). "Movie reviews: Bowfinger". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on January 15, 2009. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  37. Turan, Kenneth (August 13, 1999). "Bowfinger: Murphy's Rich Man, Poor Man: On Target". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 24, 2009. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  38. Grady, Pam. "Bowfinger (1999)". Reel.com. Movie Gallery US, LLC and Hollywood Entertainment Corporation. Archived from the original on November 2, 2005. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  39. "Bowfinger". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 2013-04-01.
  40. Bowfinger at Metacritic CBS Interactive
  41. Bleiler, David (2004). TLA Video & DVD Guide 2005: The Discerning Film Lover's Guide. New York City: St. Martin's Griffin. p. 80. ISBN 0-312-31690-9.
  42. Voelz Chandler, Mary; Pearson, Mike; Saunders, Dusty; Denerstein, Robert; Mehle, Michael; Shulgold, Marc; Thorn, Patti (August 15, 1999). "Critics' Choice: The best of the arts this week, compiled by News entertainment writers and critics". Rocky Mountain News.
  43. Horwitz, Jane (August 20, 1999). "A Comedic 'Mickey'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2007-12-18.
  44. Staff (August 20, 1999). "Eddie Murphy doubles the laughs in 'Bowfinger'". Kansas City Star. pp. Section: What's New.
  45. Maslin, Janet (September 10, 1999). "Movie Guide: Now Playing". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
  46. Staff (December 10, 1999). "Playing at local movie theaters". Deseret Morning News.
  47. Maltin, Leonard (August 2003). Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide 2004 Edition. New York City: Penguin Group (USA) Inc. p. 168. ISBN 0-451-20940-0.
  48. Hunt, Stacey Wilson (December 2016). "Eddie Murphy on Making His First Indie Movie, Celebrating Pluto Nash, and Returning to Stand-up". New York City: New York Media.
  49. Natale, Richard (August 16, 1999). "Sense' Scares Off Challengers; Box Office.Thriller holds onto No. 1 spot, keeping 'Bowfinger' comedy at bay". Los Angeles Times. p. 1.
  50. Klady, Leonard (August 23, 1999). "B.O. dollars & 'Sense': Thriller tops for 3rd week at $24 mil; 'Mickey' taps $10 mil". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
  51. Staff (August 23, 1999). "Blame It On The Rain". The Boston Globe.
  52. "`Sixth Sense' tops box office for third week". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Associated Press. August 23, 1999.
  53. Klady, Leonard (September 7, 1999). "'Sixth Sense' takes fifth, powers holiday: 'Bride' on honeymoon". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
  54. Klady, Leonard (September 13, 1999). "'Stigmata' bleeds BO: 'Sense' slips to second; 'Stir' in mix". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
  55. Lyman, Rick (October 11, 1999). "Universal Hopes 1999's Hits Will Silence the Rumor Mill". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
  56. Groves, Don (December 16, 1999). "America's pics find foreign B.O. hit, miss puzzle: O'seas box office doesn't always follow U.S. money-makers". Variety. Retrieved December 18, 2007.
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