Windy City Heat

This is easily the most creative idea for a movie I have ever seen, but just as important; it's the funniest.

If you like the Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla, Crank Yankers, and just prank jokes in general, let alone an on-going rank that lasts over 11 years to create this masterpiece, this movie is for you.

If you think any specific scenes in the movie are not real just go ahead and post it here. As many times as I have seen it, I just don't think it's possible for Perry to pull the majority of the movie off if he knew it was all a joke.

Cheers.

I have read some unfavorable reviews of this film and I have to say that these have puzzled me.

If true, this is one of the funniest practical jokes of all time. The bizarre nature of Perry, the lead, and his crew, as well as the subtle nuances made this an excellent flick.

With charachters named Roman Polanski, Hiroshima Nagasaki, and this joker Perry buying it all was too much.

Some people have commented that this film might not be true and even Perry's lines were scripted. I actually think it is real judging from the guy and the fact that I have met some people sort of like Perry before.

Enjoy it, it's a fun one.

I discovered "Windy City Heat" by accident while searching for another show, and thought it was worth a look-see. Within minutes, I was laughing as loud as I have ever laughed at anything on television -- and I thought I would never say that about anything with Bobcat Goldthwait.

Unknown actor Perry Caravello is the actual star, though, because he is the supposed victim of a years-long practical joke -- he is recruited to star in the non-existent action spoof "Windy City Heat" alongside fellow unknown hacks: the belligerent and jealous Don Barris, and the perpetually stoned Walter "Mole" Molinski (Tony Barbieri). Despite the fact he is a horrendous actor, Caravello takes his role as lead seriously, while Don and Mole -- who are in on the plot -- goof around, waste time, and cause chaos, placing the entire project in jeopardy of abandonment by the "producer." Also frustrating Perry is the overanxious personal assistant he is assigned. The normally spastic and irritating Goldthwait is uncharacteristically low key as the fake film's director, and lets Barris and Barbieri goad Caravello into profane rants and seething rage through endless indignities, large and small.

There are some occurrences in the finished product that will make you scratch your head, and say to yourself, "Wait, if Perry didn't know that was going to happen, why did he..." Do yourself a favor, and take the advice of the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" theme song: "Just repeat to yourself, 'It's just a show, I should really just relax.'"

If you can't buy that "Windy City Heat" IS a big scam perpetrated on Perry, pretend you are watching a movie that is ABOUT a scam being perpetrated on Perry, and give your abs a laughter-induced workout.

8/10 stars.

I watched this movie when it first came out on Comedy Central several years ago and just rediscovered it again. It is a very funny and elaborate prank played on an aspiring actor named Perry. Perry is part of a comedy group known as the Big 3. The other members are Don Barris and another actor that goes by the screen name Mole. These two comedic actors "discovered" Perry at the comedy store in 1992 and have been messing with him ever since.

I advise you to give the movie a chance. And if you enjoyed the high jinx in the movie, try listening to the Big 3 podcasts, where Don and Mole continue to mess around with Perry.

As to whether or not the movie is "real" or not, I am not sure you need to have that question answered to enjoy the movie. However, I have listened to many of the podcasts and it seems pretty apparent Perry is not in on the joke. It seems as though he has a narcissistic personality disorder, is very gullible, and, rather unfortunately, has a low IQ. He was in a car accident as a teenager and this may have stripped him of some intelligence or he may have just had this personality disorder from birth. Either way, the result is hilarious.

While the pranks and personal nature of the jokes Don and Mole pull could be viewed as cruel, Perry's racist, misogynistic and xenophobic behavior make the viewer OK with the pranks. If you give the movie a chance and enjoy the pranks, I suggest you give the podcasts a listen!

The premise itself is only mildly amusing--Perry's friends play a massive practical joke on him, making him believe he's the star of a major motion picture--and the project's grandiose scope could have easily become depressing if the joke were to fall flat. But it doesn't.

Comedically, what makes this film work is the unflinching posture of Perry's co-stars, who maintain their composure as the level of insanity rises. Cinematically, it works because of the onslaught of inventive gags, many of them subtly plausible (like mis-spelling Perry's name on the marquee). Altogether, Perry's friends/tormentors create a scenario that closely resembles real life, exaggerating the minor annoyances that make life hell to, well, to make Perry's life hell. And it is absolutely hilarious! In short, it's "Spinal Tap" for the film industry, only this purports to be real.