Bowfinger (1999)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Frank Oz

Writer (WGA):

Steve Martin (written by)

Release Date:

13 August 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A desperate plan for a desperate man

Plot:

When a desperate movie producer fails to get a major star for his bargain basement film, he decides to shoot the film secretly around him.

Plot Keywords:

Scientology Parody | Film Within A Film | One Word Title | Movie Producer | Accountant

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Steve Martin	...	Bobby Bowfinger
Eddie Murphy	...	Kit Ramsey / Jeffernson 'Jiff' Ramsey
Heather Graham	...	Daisy
Christine Baranski	...	Carol
Jamie Kennedy	...	Dave
Adam Alexi-Malle	...	Afrim
Kohl Sudduth	...	Slater
Barry Newman	...	Hal, Kit's Agent
Terence Stamp	...	Terry Stricter
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Jerry Renfro
Alejandro Patino	...	Sanchez
Alfred De Contreras	...	Martinez
Ramiro Fabian	...	Hector
Johnny Sanchez	...	Luis
Claude Brooks	...	Freddy

Also Known As:

Bowfinger's Big Thing (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sex-related material and language.

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Malaysia:U | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Iceland:L | Ireland:15 | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:M | Norway:A | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #36611) | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

380 South San Rafael Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Director Frank Oz encouraged improvisation during select scenes, and occasionally the result wound up in the film. Some instances of this are Robert Downey Jr. saying "and all this" while flipping through the script of Chubby Rain, Eddie Murphy asking his manager to find him a retarded slave role so he can win an Academy Award, and Steve Martin saying, "It could've worked" after Chubby Rain was shut down.

Goofs:

Continuity: Bowfinger takes off his fake pony tail and puts it in his left coat pocket before going into the restaurant. When he pulls out his business card and gives it to Jerry Renfro, he puts his hand in his right pocket, and the fake pony tail is attached to his card.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Robert K. Bowfinger: Wow. Great script. Great script!
[to his dog]
Robert K. Bowfinger: Betsy? It's now or never. We are gonna make a movie.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#22.14)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

And I Love You So

One of the most funniest and most original comedies of the late 1990's.

Stage actor turned Grade Z amateur filmmaker:Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) is Hollywood's least successful director. When Bowfinger decides to make an ultra low-budget film with the hottest action star:Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy). But Bowfinger will filmed his latest protect without Ramsey never knowing that he's in the movie! Bowfinger uses his crew and his actors to act with Rasmey in several scenes to pull the scam off. But Rasmey is actually a paranoid action star, who believes in aliens and other outrageous things. For Bowfinger's ingenious scheme, he decides to use a double for Rasmey, a nerdy look-alike (Also played by Murphy).

Directed by Frank Oz (HouseSitter, Little Shop of Horrors-1986, The Stepford Wives-2004) made an wildly funny comedy that is actually based on a real incident in the late 1920's with actress Mary Pickford, which it's hard to be believe. Still, this comedy manages to be quite original and also this is an underrated film. Good supporting cast includes:Heather Graham, Christine Baranski, Jamie Kennedy, Terence Stamp, Adam Alexi-Malle, Kohl Sudduth and Robert Downey, Jr. Murphy is fun in is dual role (especially in the role of the nerdy look-alike). Sharp, funny script by actor:Martin (The Jerk, Roxanne, Shopgirl). (****/*****).