Pittsburgh

Filmed in the style of Christopher Guest...kinda...this is a mock documentary (known as a "mocumentary" or "mockumentary") wherein Jeff Goldblum puts his film career (and his manager) on hold for a few months so that he can star in a live stage performance in Pittsburgh, his home town. Added into the mix are his "girlfriend," who needs a green card and thinks Jeff's presence on stage with her will guarantee her for the job and therein guarantee her green card, and Ed Begley, Jr. who seems to need small (but regular) pletoratic doses of anti-psychotics.

It is not funny, but it is witty, and actually pretends to attempt to document an actual event, at least insofar as Jeff Goldblum DID do a live stage play in Pittsburgh with the girl mentioned, and Pittsburgh IS his home town. It is not genius on film, but it does entertain and amuse. Not bad for what it is, but like Goldblum, it is an acquired taste.

It rates a 6.6/10 from...

the Fiend :.

It helps if you know the play or the film "The Music Man" to appreciate this film and how terribly miscast Jeff Goldblum is in the lead role. Trying to shoehorn his personality (or "acting choices") into the part of Professor Harold Hill gives this movie its wonderful comedy edge.

Given Jeff Goldblum's persona as an actor, he isn't the ideal candidate to star in "The Music Man", but he is a professional actor so you figure that he can pull off the role. Unfortunately (or fortunately), he can't which makes for a very funny film.

This "behind the scenes/pseudo-documentary/improvisational" film places loose with some of the facts which helps it to achieve its off-the-wall humor. Ed Begley Jr. gives a terrific, naturalistic performance which would fit easily into any of Robert Altman's best films. His spoofing of his environmentally-concerned self is a brilliant piece of comedy. Also, very good is Richard Sabellico who is directing "The Music Man." (Part of the credit should go to the filmmakers for getting just the right moments and shots of Richard as he "suffers" working with Jeff on the actual play production.) The whole film moves quickly and is a brief eight-four minutes, but the DVD has many deleted scenes which are also enjoyable. Maybe we'll see an extended Director's Cut someday. (Probably not--those extended director's cut films are usually made for the bloated blockbusters.)

Played VERY tightly to reality,with not a single "cast" member playing anything besides themselves,this wryly intended parody of show business is played like a mockumentary,and while I certainly wasn't completely turned-off by it(Jeff Goldblum is so likable playing nearly anything that in playing himself as a subtle mocking of himself,he's actually EVEN MORE engaging than usual),I still felt like this show seemed to be so dry and minimalist that it lacks much in the way of "meat" and siphons away from the comedy.

Because of his romance with a fellow actress Catherine Wreford,and her need of a work visa to stay working the stage in the United States(she's from Canada),Mr.Goldblum interrupts his film career to take part in a civic theater production of "The Music Man" back in his home town of Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Along the way,with plenty of skeptical outsiders(ranging from his oft-ignored agent to Conan O'Brien and Craig Kilborn),and his own personal doubts about the wisdom of going from reliable big screen presence to local theater,even for just a two-week limited engagement. Along the way,he manages to swing a co-starring support for the show from good friends Illeana Douglass and Ed Begley Jr.(who in turn enlists,quid pro quo,Jeff to help him do infomercials for his own patented environmentally friendly gadgets)and seems to re-connect with his old stomping grounds,though one doubts it'll be of any really lasting impression or emotional depth. Directors Chris Bradley and Kyle LaBranch don't seem to be sure if they are going for a Christopher Guest-like mockumentary(which,by using all players as themselves would suggest they weren't)or more of a meta-mocking of the biz(which they seem to not have the heart to really do by show's end),therefore making this film at best a mild curiosity with some laughs and at worst a sort of Luke-warm "inside" comedy that is going to leave plenty of viewers bored and/or displeased,even angry.

A rental curiosity really. The quick run of the show and the generally light treatment here make this not a total waste. One might be better served to not expect too much of it,though.

When watching this movie, I kept clicking on the DVD menu to see if I was stuck in a "Making of this movie" extra on the disc. It soon becomes quite tiresome watching the "how to" rather than the "real" movie. It is certainly a shame that this film takes the avenue it does because the premise contains the promise of what could be an entertainingly funny experience. I suppose the acting is good, yet one cannot sit through it constantly anticipating the movie to begin. Laborious is the one word that describes this movie. We see nothing of the city of Pittsburgh. The movie's location could have been Needles CA for all the reference it gives its title. I admit that I fully expected to watch a movie that was entertaining in the way it portrayed the relationships involved when a well known Hollywood personality joined a cast of characters in a community theater production of a well known musical. The promise that the synopsis of this movie makes leaves one frustrated when the reality of the actual plot is realized. Save yourself some disappointment and skip this one.

This movie reminds me of a Chris Guest production. Excellent cast moves the story of Jeff trying to play the lead in "The Music Man." Robert Preston he is not, but he gives it his all. I enjoyed it and if you like satire with nuance, you will too.