Famous for being Famous isn't the same thing.
9 October 2002
Griffin Dunne (son of famous scribe, Dominick Dunne) seems bent on becoming famous himself. Why I do believe he'd go as far as to star in a film about a talking penis. Dunne is just one of those people who seems obsessed with that which eludes him, fame. With only one break out performance in 1981's American Werewolf in London, Dunne is simply on the fringe of success.

This is the problem with Lisa Picard is Famous.

Like Dunne's career, it is idle, has little to say and is almost -- just a hair more and it could have been -- with more time, maybe. And there you have it. Mr. Dunne's career mirrors this movie.

Chris Guest's mockumentaries, "Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show and the now legendary "Spinal Tap" is what Dunne and his co-conspirators were aiming for. Sadly, the comedy in the film is forced. The all ad-lib dialog might have worked if DeWolf and Kirk were stronger performers. But if you'll note, Kirk's only offering since this film is the flower seller in ill-fated Time Machine" and DeWolf has done nothing since.

To pull off such a crazy stunt as this, the film needed a new direction, a fresh idea on the old theme. It lacks spontaneity. It revels in stereotype. And all those friends of Dunne and Sorvino (she produced it) who made guest appearances during the film discussing fame, didn't reveal anything we didn't already know. Furthermore, their cameos felt forced and a bit of an intrusion to the main story line.

The bottom line with films such as these (mockumentaries) is liking the characters. I did not like Lisa and utterly hated the "stereotyped to death" gay actor. With this said, the only person I felt for was her boyfriend, whose name I didn't catch. Lastly, I say to the "famous people" exploited in the film, "Shame on you for associating yourselves in this fashion."
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