Everybody Famous

I was in a very down mood when I went out, and this film turned me right around! Sweet and silly, (but not cloying or obviously sentimental) this film is very-well built beneath its light profile. I'm very impressed with the many decisions that must have been made to result in a film this subtle, well-balanced and delightful. Plot and characters seemed familiar at first but the film almost immediately distinguished itself with well-observed, small details of character and setting; unexpected and delightfully absurd plot twists; and the excellent, natural performances by all. All the characters had charm and a subtle full-dimensionality that's particularly refreshing these days in comedies... from the central family members --Father, Marva, Mother-- down to even the smallest roles that function like seasoning (like the bartender, and the stone-faced assistant to debbie's manager.) Characters that might have been left as stereotypes in other films (like Willy, Debbie, and her manager) surprised me with more complex -- but still believable -- behavior later in the story. Unobtrusive editing and appropriately bright/naturalistic visual aesthetic and cinematography make for an easy, pleasurable viewing experience that has left me with plenty to replay in my mind. US viewers who haven't traveled in Europe may not "get" the pop-music industry/TV details portrayed, and I'm sure there are cultural in-jokes that I missed, but I was never less than fascinated from start to finish.

The beginning promised great things .The dream of the father ,a working-class man ,to make his daughter a star ,what a good subject for a movie!There are plenty of good scenes:the song contest where the "singers " ape Madonna or Jackson and where the Otis Redding "double", with his "black" face ,takes the biscuit;the less-than-attractive fat daughter dreaming in her room;the kidnapping which increases Debbie's sales who has sold more now than Presley ,Jackson and the Beatles put together(sic).

Unfortunately,as soon as the star falls his love with her abductor,it's the beginning of the end:the script gets bogged down in clichés.The attack of the medias has been seen a thousand times or more .Finally ,what could have been a ferocious satire of the showbiz world becomes its glorification.Nothing is spared the viewer,even the ugly-duckling-turned-into-a-swan umpteenth version.Oh unlucky Manuelo!

In this very subtle satire 'losers' get a glance at stardom. And it's the way director Deruddere portrays them, that they stay authentic and win your sympathy, rather than empathy. Father (De Pauw), your average hard-working factory man, is so obsessed with the singing career of his not so talented daughter (named after Marva, a famous Belgian singing icon) that, after he's been put out of his job, he decides to kidnap a famous Belgian singer to get the attention of her manager. He wants fame, she wants it too, but doesn't know what she's in for. After the kidnapping has taken place a great satire unfolds that stays entertaining till the end, without getting absurd (well just a little). A very enjoyable little film that deserves a bigger audience than it got.

Dominique Deruddere has managed to uncover the flemish spirit with 'Iedereen beroemd!'. The actors do a great job and the story is very touching. 'Iedereen beroemd!' ranks very high among my all-time favorite belgian movies! a must-see for anyone who is in the mood for a charming tale of the love between a father and a daughter and the dreams they both have. Simply brilliant!

This movie reminded me of The Dinner Game crossed with The Castle. On one hand it had the audience laughing at the characters but on the other feeling sorry for them. Any movie that can achieve both of these things with such ease is a very good movie. The story is very well thought out and executed. And last but not least, to top it all off, Melbourne, Australia gets a mention! To quote the MIFF guide "Go see the real deal before Hollywood rips it off."