Very few people went to see Bowfinger. It was a big surprise because it starred BOTH Eddie Murphy and Steve Martin and both are playing their "A game". Maybe those who went to see it expected something very different from what they got. After all, the plot was a little complicated, there were no explosions and there were no exposed breasts (all the elements NECESSARY to make most comedies succeed).
Bowfinger is a man who is the modern equivalent of 50s schlock-meister Ed Wood. He tries very hard to convince those around him that he IS a big-time movie producer and director but his films are actually substantially worse than those produced by Troma Films. Amazingly enough he actually convinces many would-be actors to join him in making a sci-fi alien flick starring the totally insane Kit Ramsey (hillariously played by Murphy). The only problem is, Ramsey does NOT know anything about this--and then the FUN starts!!!
Bowfinger
1999
Action / Comedy
Bowfinger
1999
Action / Comedy
Plot summary
Forty-nine year old Bobby Bowfinger is the owner/president of a Hollywood-based production company, Bowfinger International Pictures. The company has yet to produce a film, Bobby's personal net worth is virtually zero, and the company only has $2,184 to its name, $1 invested into it personally by Bobby every week since he first decided he wanted to make a movie when he was a child. Bobby believes his fortunes will change when his accountant Afrim changes hats and writes a science-fiction alien invasion screenplay that Bobby thinks all studios will clamor for and has Oscar written all over it. He has a small stable of followers who support his vision in being part of this movie, which eventually includes Daisy as the lead actress, she a stereotypical small town girl looking to make it big in Hollywood. Having just arrived in town, she does not know her way around the Hollywood system,... except on her proverbial back. Bobby is not averse to telling bald-faced lies in his singular focus in getting the picture made and distributed all on this $2,184 as a starting point. It is using several of those lies that he is able to get a verbal confirmation from big studio executive Jerry Renfro to distribute the movie *if* it stars Kit Ramsey, arguably the biggest action star in the world. Using similar lies, Bobby, however, is unable to convince Kit to star in the movie. Kit, who has a weakness for the Laker Girls, is a self-absorbed and paranoid movie star whose life and thus career is largely directed behind the scenes by Terry Stricter, the head of a new age religion called MindHead. Bobby comes up with a scheme that he believes will get around Kit not agreeing to star: film Kit without him knowing that he is being filmed. The only person who knows of the scheme is Dave, Bobby's lowest of low level inside man turned cinematographer who has unofficial (i.e. technically stolen and thus free) access to studio camera equipment and general knowledge of Kit's general day-to-day movements through the studio system. Bobby is able to convince all the other actors that Kit's acting process involves him not interacting with them outside of filming the specific scenes he has with them. Part of Bobby's scheme involves using Kit's general paranoia that aliens truly are invading the planet to get his gut reactions to what is happening within the context of the script. But Bobby knows he has to get Kit to scream the closing lines of the movie "gotcha suckas" for the movie to be a success. Complications ensue when another of the the actors, Carol, tries to go against Bobby's policy of not making contact with Kit outside of filming, and when Bobby is required to hire a production assistant cum stunt double cum acting double, whose job in part is to stand-in for the requisite Kit Ramsey naked ass shot. Through it all, Bobby will know if he has made it in Hollywood if he gets a specific sign specifically from the heavens in the form of FedEx.
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I don't understand why this movie isn't seen as a GREAT comedy
A huge surprise.... wonderful film and very underrated
I will say right now, I do like Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy, both have done some stinkers(ie. Bringing Down the House for Martin and Norbit for Murphy) but they have also done some treasures(ie. Planes Trains and Automobiles and Beverly Hills Cop respectively). Bowfinger is one of the treasures, it is a truly wonderful and spot-on satire. And it does sadden me how underrated Bowfinger is. I personally felt it could have done with being longer, if that is a minor offering of a complaint, but everything else works. The dialogue constantly sparkles, it is funny and witty, and the story never fails to engage. The film looks great too, and the chemistry between the actors sizzles as does Frank Oz's direction. Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy both give wonderful performances(both men actually give a performance that is among their better ones) and are immensely engaging together while Heather Graham is also surprisingly good. In conclusion, wonderful and I think underrated. It is for me very funny and is effortlessly performed. 9/10 Bethany Cox
great Hollywood satire
Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) is a Z-list producer who lies, steals and schemes to make a movie out of a script written by his accountant. He gets A-list Hollywood producer Jerry Renfro to greenlight the script if he could get superstar Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) to do the movie. Kit kicks Bobby out of his car but Bobby promises his crew that Kit agrees to do the movie. His idea is to shoot the movie without telling Kit. Soon his actors are approaching Kit on the street with strange dialog. He hires hungry newcomer Daisy (Heather Graham),actress Carol (Christine Baranski),Kit lookalike Jiff (Eddie Murphy) who turns out to be Kit's brother and the cheapest crew possible. Kit is a crazed narcissist who finds counsel from Mindhead leader Terry Stricter (Terence Stamp). When actors keep approaching him with weird dialog, he starts to suspect that aliens are really after him.
This is simply a brilliant satire. Bowfinger is sleazy but with a heart. He just wants so badly to make a movie. Steve Martin is such a charming lead. I love Daisy sleeping her way up the Hollywood ladder. This is two of Eddie Murphy's best performances. The movie is hilarious. Every other scene hits it with big laughs.