Contents



The Con Is On

1999



Bowfinger (1999)
   
Directed by 
Frank Oz    
  
Writing credits 
Steve Martin    
  
Cast (in credits order) 
Steve Martin ....  Bobby Bowfinger  
Eddie Murphy ....  Kit Ramsey/Jiff Ramsey  
Heather Graham ....  Daisy  
Christine Baranski ....  Carol  
Jamie Kennedy ....  Dave  
Barry Newman ....  Kit's Agent  
Adam Alexi-Malle ....  Afrim  
Kohl Sudduth ....  Slater  
Terence Stamp ....  Terry Stricter  
Robert Downey Jr. ....  Jerry Renfro  
Alejandro Patino ....  Sanchez  
Alfred De Contreras ....  Martinez  
Ramiro Fabian ....  Sanchez  
Johnny Sanchez ....  Luis  
Claude Brooks ....  Freddy  
Kevin Scannell ....  LA Cop  
John Prosky ....  MindHead Executive  
Michael Dempsey (I) ....  Camera Security Guard  
Walter Powell ....  Federal Express Man  
Phill Lewis ....  Actor at audition  
Marisol Nichols ....  Young Actress at Audition  
Nathan Anderson ....  Clothing Sales Clerk  
Brogan Roche ....  Renfro's Executive  
John Cho ....  Nightclub Cleaner  
Lloyd Berman ....  Camera Store Clerk  
Zaid Farid ....  Kit's Limo Driver  
Aaron Brumfield ....  Kit's Bodyguard  
Kevin Grevioux ....  Kit's Bodyguard  
Kimble Jemison ....  Kit's Assistant  
Alex Craig Mann ....  Studio Executive  
Laura Grady ....  E Channel Interviewer  
Reamy Hall ....  Farrah  
Michelle Boehle ....  Laker Girl  
Kimberly Baum ....  Laker Girl  
Megan Denton ....  Laker Girl  
Janet Jaeger ....  Laker Girl  
Hope Wood ....  Laker Girl  
Addie Yungmee ....  Laker Girl  
Andrea Toste ....  Laker Girl  
  
Produced by 
Kathleen M. Courtney   (associate)  
Brian Grazer    
Karen Kehela   (executive)  
Bernie Williams   (executive)  
  
Original music by 
David Newman (I)    
  
Cinematography by 
Ueli Steiger    
  
Film Editing by 
Richard Pearson (I)    
  
Casting 
Margery Simkin    
  
Production Design by 
Jackson De Govia    
  
Art Direction 
Tom Reta    
  
Set Decoration 
K.C. Fox    
  
Costume Design by 
Joseph G. Aulisi    
  
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director 
Basil Grillo ....  second second assistant director  
Michele Panelli-Venetis ....  first assistant director  
  
Sound Department 
Martin Raymond Bolger ....  sound mixer  
Marko A. Costanzo ....  foley artist  
Matthew Haasch ....  foley mixer  
Nicholas Renbeck ....  dialogue adr editor (uncredited)  
  
Stunts 
Bud Davis ....  stunt co-ordinator  
Clark Tucker ....  stunts  
  
Other crew 
Molly Allen ....  location manager  
Bohnie Avanzino ....  title designer: New Wave Entertainment  
Susan A. Burig ....  graphics designer  
Kevin A. Canamar ....  set medic  
Kathleen M. Courtney ....  production supervisor  
Carmen Cuba ....  casting associate  
Andrew Dorfman ....  assistant music editor  
Shannon Dunn ....  extras casting  
Scott C. Garrett ....  draper
set dresser  
Anthony Genovese ....  stand-in: Adam Alexi-Melle  
J.J. George ....  music editor  
Mike Gerzevitc ....  rigging electrician  
Les Gobruegge ....  set designer  
Jamie Kehoe ....  craft service  
Keira March ....  payroll accountant  
Karl J. Martin ....  set designer  
Pilar McCurry ....  music supervisor  
Melissa Mollo ....  art department co-ordinator  
Nina Saxon ....  title designer: New Wave Entertainment  
Dawn Snyder ....  set designer  
Michael Tolochko ....  rigging best boy electric  
  
 


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BOWFINGER
RATING: 7.5 / 10 --> Very good movie

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Eddie Murphy is back and I for one am glad for it! Who can blame the guy for straying towards a couple of kiddie flicks that garnered him millions in cash ($17M for DR. DOLITTLE), while slowly losing his real fan base of people who grew up with him on TV's "Saturday Night Live", and his earlier "funny" movies? I certainly did. But with his two superb performances in this film, and the wonderfully original script written by Steve Martin, it doesn't look like I need to worry so much anymore...at least...for now.

PLOT: Down-and-out producer of films, Bobby Bowfinger, has a good script written by his Indian accountant, and he wants one of the biggest Hollywood stars, Kit Ramsey, to star in it. When Kit turns him down flat, Mr. Bowfinger decides to shoot the movie anyway, by secretly following Kit around with cameras, and shooting his scenes without his knowledge.

CRITIQUE: A very entertaining and inventive script tagged alongside some fresh and revived performances by Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin, turn this film into an enjoyable time at the cinema. This movie is based on a very funny premise, features plenty of laughs, great acting and a fun soundtrack. I had recently given up on Eddie Murphy and his capacity to make me laugh in his latest pictures, but boy was I wrong, as this humorous film quite clearly indicates. Murphy apparently improvised some of his lines in this film, and he is just a wonder to behold. He is perfect as the over-the-top paranoid superstar Kit Ramsey, and just as hilarious in his other role as Jiff, the nerdy looking loser who is hired to shoot Ramsey's wide shots. The rest of the cast is also diverse and a joy to watch, with writer Martin holding them all together with his absolutely patheticly charming character.

The one reason I didn't score this film any higher than I did was because the premise of the film is essentially the whole film. There isn't much more to it than that, and despite never being bored, I did find myself wanting a few more surprises than I ultimately received. That being said, I am happy to report that the chuckles did not cease spewing out of my mouth during this film's entire run, with many potshots at Hollywood types sprinkled throughout, and a surprisingly sweet ending. Certainly the most original summer comedy of this hum-drum season, with the prime return to form of Eddie Murphy, an inventive and Tinseltown-skewering script by Steve Martin, and an overall fun time at the movies.

Little Known Facts about this film and its stars: The part of the stalked actor, Kit Ramsey, was originally written for a white actor, but with Murphy's help, Steve Martin rewrote the script, and turned his neurotic thespian into an action star, who is an angry black man with a doozy of a conspiracy complex. Steve Martin dated actress Anne Heche for two years before she turned into a lesbian and began dating comedienne Ellen DeGeneres. Up 'til now, actress Heather Graham has dated director Stephen Hopkins, actors Elias Koteas, James Woods, and is currently snuggled up to actor/director Edward Burns. The Eddie Murphy "running across the freeway scene with zooming cars flying by" was actually not as scary as it looked in the film, since many of the speeding autos were actually added later in digital mode. Despite that, the scene still took months to be approved by leery L.A. highway officials. Eddie's real-life middle name is Regan. Now despite brewing up the idea for this film about 10 years ago, according to Steve Martin, the script for BOWFINGER grew our of his recent playwriting success with "Picasso at the Lapin Agile". It is only after he had written "Picasso", that he thought about writing a screenplay in that same spirit, where he would not care or think about anybody ever seeing it. I don't think he has to worry about that with this film! Director Frank Oz is also known throughout the universe as the eternal voice of "Yoda" in the STAR WARS movies. His full name is Frank Oznowicz. Actor Jamie Kennedy, who plays Dave the movie-camera-stealing friend of Bowfinger in this film, may be remember by some of you from his quirky roles in the two SCREAM movies. Robert Downey Jr. is a very good actor with serious drug problems (but I guess that isn't really a "little known fact", eh? :)

Review Date:       August 4, 1999
Director:                Frank Oz
Writer:                   Steve Martin
Producer:              Brian Grazer
Actors:                   Eddie Murphy as Kit Ramsey/Jiff
                               Steve Martin as Bobby Bowfinger
                               Heather Graham as Daisy
Genre:                   Comedy
Year of Release:  1999
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Have I seen this movie: Yes
And what did I think: Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy finally team up together and as expected, they make a pretty good team together. Frank Oz, who worked a lot with the Muppet Movies, and as Yoda in the Star Wars movie directs here. Steve Martin is a broke film producer called Bobby Bowfinger who needs to make a movie or he's finished. He picks a painfully bad script written by an accountant called "Chubby Rain" a bad alien movie. After promising his crew that he got Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy), the most famous actor in Hollywood to star in his movie, he didn't have the heart to tell them that Ramsey refused. So he gets the bright idea of filming Ramsey without him knowing it, or most of his crew either. Because Ramsey is "slightly" paranoid about aliens, it makes for some humorous scenes since the movie Bowfinger making is about attacking aliens. The actors have to walk up to him in public and say their lines, except they think that he is aware he's in the movie when he's not. Eventually Kit Ramsey goes into hiding for a few days and in order to finish the movie, Bowfinger wants to find a look-alike to play him. Eddie Murphy plays a dual role here as Jiff Ramsey, Kit's nerdy brother who works in a pizza place. Eddie's great playing both roles, but I had more fun watching him as Jiff. In addition to the fine roles by Martin and Murphy, Heather Graham co-stars as a girl who comes to Hollywood to become a movie star. Supposedly she is innocent, but as the movie goes on, you find out she is the total opposite after sleeping with about the entire crew. This movie is a lot of fun, but it has some faults in the plot. I wondered why Bowfinget just didn't use Jiff Ramsey in the movie since he looks just like his brother. Also you can tell the movie is pretty bad, yet it has a big Hollywood premier and everyone seems to love it. I suppose that's just for the Happy Ending. However, the final part which shows the bad, but funny martial arts picture is a hoot to see. This is definately worth renting if you haven't seen it.

I give Bowfinger 3.5 out of 5 stars
Review written January 21, 2000
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