Drew Barrymore plays Candy Black. She started as a carpenter, was called in to work on a movie, and when the actress who was supposed to take a comedy fall didn't show up, Miss Barrymore stepped in, and rose to be the female comedy star of Hollywood, with the stereotypical problems: temperament, substance abuse. When one of her fellow actresses is injured on set, it's all about Miss Barrymore, and she walks off the set. five years later she's living like a recluse in a huge house with a front gate like Paramount, in trouble with the IRS, and under judicial order to go to rehab. Which she is too depressed to do.
Drew Barrymore also plays Paula, who was Candy Black's stand-in, and pretty much a dead ringer. So Miss Black tracks down Paula, has her go to rehab in her place. Now the public is anxious to rehabilitate Candy Black, the studios see profit, but she is not interested. She wants to stay at home and make furniture. So Paul takes her place....and her life.
Although listed as a comedy, it is not one. It is a serious movie with themes about the problems of publicity, and the issues of identity. Miss Barrymore, whose profile is looking a lot like her famous grandfather's, is up to the dual roles. If the issues of the movie are not hers, in her first movie in five years, she is certainly convincing. Unfortunately, the script does not offer much that is original in execution.
Miss Barrymore has a stand-in in this movie, Brooke Carrell. She also has two stunt doubles, Luci Romberg and Heidi Pascoe as the stunt double for "Paula". Why they needed 23 producers (including Miss Barrymore) is a mystery to me.
