Pittsburgh

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.

Contrary to most, I must say I did like this movie. At first I thought I wouldn't as it seemed just a documentary, but after a while it became engrossing. Maybe because I started out in show biz myself and in these regional type of productions too, so it all came back as realistic to me. I wouldn't have thought Jeff Goldblum could pull it off as a song and dance man, after seeing him in The Fly and Jurassic Park, but he did rather well, I thought. Maybe a bit too much mugging off stage as well as on, but on the whole, viewable and he worked very hard on this. I wondered what is it with the gum chewing all the way through? The movie gave a true sense of theater life on the amateur, regional level, and I suppose, other than Jeff and Ed Begley, none were Union and so were not paid, certainly not the children. I noticed the choreographer, who also acted a bit, is uncredited, yet every child no matter how insignificant is sure to be named. That's Civic Theater for you! Oh, he is listed on the movie credits at end of film but not on this site, but they often don't give the choreographer credit and if they do it's listed even below the location driver! Not fair at all! I well remember the film of Music Man with Robert Preston but could never figure out how 76 trombones would fit on any stage! But with a bit of stagecraft they did. I saw Music Man back during the 70s in the London West End with Van Johnson (sadly now (December 2008) gone at age 92) in the lead role.

I had to look up this movie, just to make sure it wasn't a documentary. As one description said, it really tightropes the line between mockumentary and movie. At some points, you think the stars are being very self absorbed, as opposed to being self-effacing. And you start to wonder if it is funny or sad, in a Hollywood "out of touch with reality" sort of way. All you have to do is pay attention to the Ed Begley Jr. segments to see that this is at once, a vehicle for the actors to promote their true feelings, and a way to promote them in a mockumentary format.

It is very much is the improv style of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". As a viewer, if you put yourself in this mode, I think you will find this movie very funny,.

The premise is that Jeff Goldblum is miscast as the lead a hometown production of The Music Man, but he takes it so seriously it doesn't feel like a joke. Not to mention that he's not even that bad. It sets itself up like it's going to be a great prank, but the whole thing might as well be real. Nobody ends up more than mildly flustered with Goldblum's performance, and the production itself ends up getting a standing ovation. Who is the joke supposed to be on? The whole affair ends up being too real. It's truly as boring as watching a bonus feature documentary on a Hollywood actor doing a small production musical.

The 2 is for a handful of lines that made me chuckle, but even Goldblum fans should skip this. I recommend it to no one.

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.