Jimmy Hollywood

Let me start by saying I was born in Hollywood, California and I have lived in Los Angeles all of my life thus far. In my childhood I would watch movies and hear about "Hollywood" in all its magic and glory and wonder, are we thinking about the same Hollywood? Are they SURE its the one I live in? Hollywood has always been home to me, but a home with a lot of putrescence and perversion. Yet in all its filth, and believe me it is FILTHY, I still love it...I love the movies and I believe that Hollywood was once magical, was once a place like no other. And sometimes if you block out the bothersome aspects of Hollywood, it still is. Jimmy Alto's and William's idealism in trying to make a difference in a city they love is something I immediately related to and deeply appreciated.

I love Christian Slater as William; he is such a strange but sweet character, so pleasantly lost, and Slater's portrayal is delightful.

For anyone who loves Hollywood, and movies in general, this film is a must.

Jimmy (Joe Pesci) is an actor in Hollywood, scraping a living from his girlfriend and some casual jobs waiting for his big break. Most of his time is spent with drifter amnesiac William (Slater). When they catches a thief they video him and drop him off at a police station with a note from the SOS. When the SOS is given media coverage as a vigilante group, Jimmy finds himself drawn into the role of the leader of the fictitious gang leader and finds the media recognition he's always craved. However he must continue his role in order to maintain the coverage. However as the police gradually put more resources onto finding the leader of this gang, Jimmy finds himself crossing the line of acting the role and being the role.

Levinson wrote and directed this and it is obvious he's trying to say something. It's a satire of something - I'm just not sure what. Is he trying to say that the once-great LA has been ruined by crime and bad acting? Is it a satire on celebrity - where Jimmy becomes successful for bad reasons? Is it at poke a actors who work as waiters and kid themselves that they're getting somewhere? I'm not sure but I think it's a broad satire on celebrity and the nature of LA, and as such it's not great. The main story of Pesci is not clever enough to make as many good points as it could. At times it seem that it only really has a few points to make and paints them on thick.

Pesci is good as Jimmy - but it's really the same sort of hyper character he always plays. Slater is good as William and plays the dopey forgetful type well. The problem here is not with the actors or the direction (which is good) but with the script. The film is just not a great satire - it tries to cover similar ground as "The King of Comedy" but is too baggy and unfocused to make it's point well.

Joe Pesci is no De Niro, Jimmy is no Pupkin and this is no "King of Comedy". As a film it's entertaining enough but it is a bit laborious towards the end and is not as clever as it thinks it is. Overall an entertaining film that doesn't totally deliver when it comes to putting it's points across.

I admire Barry Levinson's work very much, he's done some great movies and when "Jimmy Hollywood" was airing in my TV, I thought, remembering a complete turkey which was "Bandits" (with Willis and Thornton, directed by Levinson) that this buddy-movie won't be better and I was totally, positively disappointed. Most simple is to say, that it's a one man-show by Joe Pesci, who simply IS Jimmy Alto, a "wanna-be" actor, who continuously looking for his chance in the film capitol of the World-Hollywood. The movie is funny, well-written, good-feeling, has great acting and... cameo of one of the biggest stars of today's cinema at the end. I was very surprised by Christian Slater's role, who always plays dynamic characters, and here it's a complete opposite performance. Also Victoria Abril, known from Almodovar movies, gives here very good acting as Pesci's fiancee. If you saw the poster to this movie, I can only tell that the movie is as COOL as Pesci and Slater cool-looking while sunbathing at the pool. I just can't imagine, how such great movie could earn only $3,6 mlns!!! That's a shame for american audience. I recommend it for everyone who searches for some intelligent entertainment and for all Joe Pesci fans.

I have watched this movie about 5 times, and each time I become involved in the characters and their lives. It is a gripping plot, and the movie is well acted, Joe Pesci give another great performance. This is a movie which nobody has really seen or heard of, and that is sad to me. A movie with a good point (crime is bad and hope is good) and good acting should have made more money than any of the current Freddie Prinze Jr. or Sarah Michelle Gellar movies, but the movie world is not ruled by values and quality. I give this movie a 9.5/10 I'd even think about making this movie a perfect ten.

There is so much content on this, it is just a shame such few people have seen it. It is brilliant, funny, sometimes sad and deep, but overall a story full of quotations. Joe Pesci is even greater than the usual, never mind the long blond hair. There is an astonishingly funny performance given by Christian Slater, to me his most impressive ever. Search for it everywhere you can and see for yourself.