Background: Burt Reynolds, Tom Berenger and the venerable Rod Steiger star in this 2001 Hollywood satire/heist thriller. The three play basically fictionalized versions of themselves, now on the back end of their acting careers, both in real life and in the movie. This was one of Rod Steiger's last roles before his death in 2002, but he certainly hadn't slowed down leading up to this role. He made at least three movies every year throughout the '90s, topping out at nine credits in 1996. Burt Reynolds wasted no time squandering all the good will afforded him by his eye opening role in 1997's Boogie Nights, starring in several TV movies and not a lot else. Tom Berenger's career has always been more about quantity over quality, though he did have memorable roles in Major League and, earlier in 2001, Training Day.
The writer, Leon de Winter (who adapted his own book into this script), and Director, Sönke Wortmann, are Dutch and German, respectively. This is particularly notable because this is, at it's core, a Hollywood satire, though neither have much of any experience in Hollywood proper.
Plot: The movie opens with Berenger and Reynolds (both of their characters have names, but you'll always just think of them as Tom Berenger and Burt Reynolds) are working together on a movie directed by Garry Marshall. It appears to be a buddy cop movie, which is the exact opposite of the type of movie Garry Marshall usually makes. The shoot goes poorly, so poorly in fact that a boozing Burt crashes his car on purpose, just to mess everything up. It's after this that Berenger's girlfriend tells Tom that she's in talks to sell her script, called The Hollywood Sign, and would have no trouble doing so if she changes the ending to be happier. This point is hammered home throughout the movie, because that's what Hollywood satires do.
Years later, the careers of Burt and Tom have tanked, to the point where Berenger applies and interviews for a job selling used cars. This subplot has absolutely no impacts on the movie and is pushed to the side and forgotten about only a few scenes later. Around this time, Berenger gets it into his head that he's gonna produce The Hollywood Sign himself. He secures a small amount of funding, which falls through when the person doing the funding gets unceremoniously hit by a truck. At the funeral, old friends Burt and Tom are joined by Steiger, an older, Oscar winning actor. They all go drinking by the Hollywood sign and there they find a body.
Steiger recognizes the body as someone with some gangsters. Turns out they stole some money from a casino with the help of Berenger's now-ex girlfriend.The plot gets really convoluted for a good long time, though it does eventually explain itself, somewhat. The three amigos want the gangster's cash to fund a new movie and the heist is underway. There's an awful lot of plot in this movie that unfurls at a sometimes glacial pace, but you get the gist of it.
Also, the ending is really stupid and doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but that doesn't really matter, most people would never get that far into the movie.
Why Was It Forgotton: Well, the movie only saw a DVD release here in the States, and none of the names on the box hold a lot of sway anymore. Though each of the three leading men had their heydays, they are long past. It should also be said that even though this movie came out in 2001 on a fairly small budget, the actual visual quality of the movie seems early 90's at best. Particularly egregious though, is the soundtrack. which is laughably overwrought and consistently overbearing. It turns a potentially touching scene where Reynolds watches an old VHS tape (Man, remember VHS tapes? 2001, man) of an old western in which he starred into an eye roller.
It should also be said that the direction is virtually nonexistent. The camera shoots what's going on in the story and that's it, really. Of the three leads, only Steiger seems to be enjoying himself. Burt Reynolds has clearly given up on trying, and Berenger is acting with reckless abandon, the supposed "straight man" in this supposed "comedy"
It should be said as well that this movie has some real strange stuff in it. Like at the producer's funeral, one of the people there to mourn is Whoopie Goldberg. She's in the movie for maybe five seconds and says nothing, never to be seen again. Also, there are a few references specifically to the film company Paramount. Paramount had absolutely nothing to do with this picture.
What Went Right? Steiger is genuine joy to watch. His performance is lively and his dialogue clever, much more so than the rest of the movie, really. Also, looking back on the plot, it is pretty clever, even if it unfolds in a way that no mere mortal can follow. That's pretty much all the went right.
Verdict: Still probably better than An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn
Score: 15%
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