Windy City Heat (2003 TV Movie) User Reviews

Suspend Your Disbelief and Laugh Out Loud!

[LN_Smithee · 8/10 · 19 October 2003]

I discovered "Windy City Heat" by accident while searching for another show, and thought it was worth a look-see. Within minutes, I was laughing as loud as I have ever laughed at anything on television -- and I thought I would never say that about anything with Bobcat Goldthwait.

Unknown actor Perry Caravello is the actual star, though, because he is the supposed victim of a years-long practical joke -- he is recruited to star in the non-existent action spoof "Windy City Heat" alongside fellow unknown hacks: the belligerent and jealous Don Barris, and the perpetually stoned Walter "Mole" Molinski (Tony Barbieri). Despite the fact he is a horrendous actor, Caravello takes his role as lead seriously, while Don and Mole -- who are in on the plot -- goof around, waste time, and cause chaos, placing the entire project in jeopardy of abandonment by the "producer." Also frustrating Perry is the overanxious personal assistant he is assigned. The normally spastic and irritating Goldthwait is uncharacteristically low key as the fake film's director, and lets Barris and Barbieri goad Caravello into profane rants and seething rage through endless indignities, large and small.

There are some occurrences in the finished product that will make you scratch your head, and say to yourself, "Wait, if Perry didn't know that was going to happen, why did he..." Do yourself a favor, and take the advice of the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" theme song: "Just repeat to yourself, 'It's just a show, I should really just relax.'"

If you can't buy that "Windy City Heat" IS a big scam perpetrated on Perry, pretend you are watching a movie that is ABOUT a scam being perpetrated on Perry, and give your abs a laughter-induced workout.

8/10 stars.

This is amazing!

[TheGlamReaper · 8/10 · 13 October 2003]

The premise itself is only mildly amusing--Perry's friends play a massive practical joke on him, making him believe he's the star of a major motion picture--and the project's grandiose scope could have easily become depressing if the joke were to fall flat. But it doesn't.

Comedically, what makes this film work is the unflinching posture of Perry's co-stars, who maintain their composure as the level of insanity rises. Cinematically, it works because of the onslaught of inventive gags, many of them subtly plausible (like mis-spelling Perry's name on the marquee). Altogether, Perry's friends/tormentors create a scenario that closely resembles real life, exaggerating the minor annoyances that make life hell to, well, to make Perry's life hell. And it is absolutely hilarious! In short, it's "Spinal Tap" for the film industry, only this purports to be real.

Funny, Cruel & Twisted

[shark-43 · 6/10 · 13 August 2007]

Friends told me I had to watch this crazy DVD and so we did and I was definitely amused. But there are times when you do realize that in the long run, it was a very cruel joke to play on this guy - even someone as clueless and egotistical as Perry. He kind of reminded me of the DeNiro character in King Of Comedy - a guy who was going to pursue celebrity and fame no matter what (as in - no matter that I don't even have a shred of talent). The film touches on that and the thirst for stardom and Perry shows to be quite a jerk and yet the other two, Don and Mole are even bigger jerks because let's be honest - it's not that hard to pull something over on such a dim guy like Perry. That's like cheering because you outran an old lady or took something from the blind guy's newsstand. I mean - so what??? That's not to say there aren't BIG laughs in this - there are. I was entertained as I watched it but also felt like part of a mob afterwards.

I know for a fact WCH was NOT fake

[SimplyDonTheName · 23 October 2003]

I know that WCH was not fake because I was Don Barris in the movie and this has been going on for over eleven years. Get in touch with me if anyone cares to and you can ask me questions. I'll share things that will make you believe that it is real. I'll also let you in on future plans for the project which will explain why there wasn't a satisfactory ending where we explain to Perry what happened.

Cult classic.

[bodegamedia · 10/10 · 4 March 2011]

Having taken some time to re-watch and ruminate over Windy City Heat (I've seen it four times and counting), explaining the enduring appeal of it is still tricky. First of all, it's funny. It's blindingly funny. It's tip a cow then kick a duck up the arse funny. It's also fantastically original in it's conception and treads heavily where few might dare to tread at all. The mark in this; possibly the most elaborate prank ever, is the fabulous Perry Caravello. Arrogant, sexist, homophobic and gullible. He is hilariously short tempered yet naive and lovable. Our catalysts and instigators are Don and Mole who according to the film have been messing with Perry for over a decade now. The setup is to have Perry, an aspiring actor and comedian in Hollywood, audition for a part in a film and win it. They go on to shoot the actual film over the course of a week, only it's all part of the setup and every scene is just another opportunity to provoke Perry's wrath while the cameras are rolling. There is physical comedy, humiliation, and provocation. It's great. When watching the film you will recognise names and faces. The in-jokes are endless. Perry gets none of the references. I do get twinges of pity for Perry as he falls for joke upon joke. Half the jokes are just to sell or justify a previous joke or fabrication. Some of the setups seem so contrived that it's hard to believe anyone would fall for it, but Perry sees no problems. It's humour is maybe a little cruel and sadistic in spirit, which in turn provokes thought on edgy comedy as an elaborate web of ethical dilemmas. Fortunately, any uncomfortable doubts about what you're watching are put to bed when you understand the relationship of Perry with Don and Mole. Perry is working, making some money and gaining the fame his so craves. Though it's clear someone like Perry can be (and has been!) taken advantage of in a town like Hollywood, I'd go as far to say Perry is protected by Don and Mole and there's obviously some affection there. The underlying fascination of WCH has percolated to the depths of my subconscious and left me quite frankly, obsessed. If there were ever a film cult I was part of than this is it. It is continued now with the excellent ongoing podcast (The Big Three podcast) and the unfolding drama and windups over facebook and other online forums. WCH triumphs where a film like I'm still here totally failed. There is no holier than thou Hollywood smugness. It is well planned and improvised and thick with gags from the most base to the marvellously subtle. It runs hand in hand with An idiot abroad as the most hilarious and startlingly real tragi-comedy out there. Comedy on film is often about levity and escapism but on the other end of that spectrum lies WCH, something that's real and engaging, provocative and most importantly, deeply and lastingly funny.

both funny and terrible

[dorianwatson · 7/10 · 19 July 2005]

i really got a kick out of this movie. i love practical jokes. but near the end of this movie, as perry is watching the premier of this movie, i got really upset.

especially with the look on his face as this auditorium was filled with people cheering him heroically. i suddenly felt terrible thinking about the moment when this poor guy would be told the whole thing was a hoax.

most practical jokes involve really bad situations where the victim is later relieved that is was not real. this is the opposite and to an extreme degree. this guy was crying and seemed to feel his entire life was validated. what a rug to pull out from someone's feet just for the sake of the public's (yours and mine) laughter.

i can only hope he was a good sport about it. after all, his dream of being a star did come true, in a way.

again, i thought the movie was very funny for obvious reasons, but did anyone feel the things i just described?

I have not laughed this hard since I first saw "Airplane".

[gilmourw · 10/10 · 19 January 2005]

I do not care about the arguments about whether this movie is authentic or not. It is freaking funny.

It was by "accident" that I even saw this movie. It was a late night, and my girlfriend and I were snuggled up on the couch and channel surfing. I had never heard anything about this film before I stumbled upon it that night on Comedy Central.

It has been a long, long time since I have laughed so hard. I won't spoil it by giving details, but the scene with the baseball bats almost killed me. I was laughing hard, and it kept getting FUNNIER! I could not stop laughing, and I was in pain! My girlfriend had to turn off the TV for a couple of minutes so I could regain my composure.

If you have the chance to see this film, ignore all that you might have read about it being staged. It might be a fake, it might not be. But if you suspend all disbelief as you watch it, you will not be disappointed.

THIS MOVIE NEEDS TO BE RELEASED ON DVD!

Just RELAX, and see it for what it is.

[dtburr · 7/10 · 13 July 2005]

Nobody in their right mind will believe that this is a "documentary of a real prank", because there are too many nonsensical events. Instead, just enjoy the craziness and unadulterated (and often unsophisticated) comedy in this film.

I think Perry Caravello completely steals this show. To put it another way, I would go so far as to say that everyone *but* Caravello absolutely stank in this movie. But that isn't a fatal flaw - because all the funny moments are HIS moments and the rest of the people are just there converting oxygen into CO2.

The biggest knock I have on this movie is that it isn't, well, "tight". I really wonder about the evolution from story to screenplay to shooting to production and where the heck the focus was lost. As soon as about halfway through the movie, everything starts falling apart into a series of seemingly random events, as if they either 1) got tired of making it, or 2) butchered the thing in editing to make a time limit.

A bit of an annoyance is Tony Barbieri's insistence that he bring his "Niles Standish" voice (as J.Q. Adams) into the movie, as if that is some sort of gold standard that will add credibility to the movie. For him to have to leave the room each time Niles (er, "Adams") came on the line was basically a silly ego trip on his part. Who cares who does that voice? Keep it over at Crank Yankers.

Lastly, several reviewers seem to think that Perry Caravello is not a "real" person. Perry is real, and interestingly enough, if you check out his web site at http://www.scaryperryproductions.com and spend time there, you'll see that there seems to be a big similarity between the real Perry and the movie character. The real Caravello is slogging his way through the business, trying to make it in the same manner. Once you spend time on his site, you'll probably want to watch the movie again because the insight will offer a new dimension. You start rooting for the guy in real life, too!

Hysterical

[VeritasNYC · 10/10 · 13 October 2003]

I have read some unfavorable reviews of this film and I have to say that these have puzzled me.

If true, this is one of the funniest practical jokes of all time. The bizarre nature of Perry, the lead, and his crew, as well as the subtle nuances made this an excellent flick.

With charachters named Roman Polanski, Hiroshima Nagasaki, and this joker Perry buying it all was too much.

Some people have commented that this film might not be true and even Perry's lines were scripted. I actually think it is real judging from the guy and the fact that I have met some people sort of like Perry before.

Enjoy it, it's a fun one.

fake but funny

[supr_dave23 · 7/10 · 20 October 2003]

The movie that Perry is appearing in is a mixture of the movies The Adventures of Ford Fairlane and Stone Cold. Both of those movies were great, I thought, so I like this as well. It's definitely fake though. Perry has a tendency to set himself up and follow along nicely with too many of the jokes.

Laughed until I cried though.

The Real Perry...

[himissy · 1/10 · 29 March 2005]

Didn't see the televised prank on Perry, but heard all about it. What Jimmy Kimmel didn't know when he chose Perry as his easy target, is that the real Perry Caravello has qualities that Jimmy Kimmel would kill or die for...: Perry was physically beautiful, funny, witty and popular - he loved punk-rock and skateboarding. Perry was was in a head-on car collision with a person who entered the freeway from an off-ramp. Perry slipped into a coma after the accident and didn't wake up for months - when he did, it was a miraculous moment, however Perry showed signs of major brain-damage - he wasn't the same, didn't talk or walk the same and was very child-like. Since the accident happened in high school most of us were too selfish to remain friends with the "new" Perry and he spent most of his time in his mother's care - until she died. Now Perry has no one to protect him and it is sad to see that the bullies discovered him and decided to put him into the Gladiator's arena so that we can watch him fight a losing battle against the pathetic rodeo clowns of t.v.

Hilarious!

[returnofthejudy · 10/10 · 28 January 2005]

One word--hilarious! Despite what you may have read from one other IMDb user, this is a positive and funny film that has done more for the unwitting lead actor, Perry Caravello and his career than anything else. Clever and amazing in its duplicity, this movie is one of the best comedies ever made!

Without giving too much away, everyone in the film is in on the joke except for Perry. Led to believe that he is the star of a major motion picture, Perry soon reveals the rude and annoying personality that has probably helped prevent his successful entry into 'real' show business over the past decades.

The fact that Perry remains completely unaware of the trick being played upon him (the producer of the film is named John Quincy Adams and production assistants unflinchingly introduce themselves to Perry as 'Frances Farmer' while even 'Ansel Adams' shows up on the set to photograph Perry), only serves to amaze the audience as to how dumb one actor can possibly be.

Do yourself a favor and ignore those who criticize this film as mean-spirited--the fact that we now know the name Perry Caravello is proof that this film only served Perry Caravello's unrelenting self-serving personality.

Terribly unfunny, unless you're a total ***hole

[jjchiappelli2 · 1/10 · 5 December 2004]

You know, I hate to have to reduce my criticism of a movie into the simple phrase, "It's mean." But "Windy City Heat" is so terrible that I really can't find a better way to describe it. It's mean, and it's a bad movie because it is mean.

As you probably know already, the plot revolves around Perry Caravello, a struggling actor (and an unlikeable personality) who desperately wants to be a celebrity. A couple of his "friends" devise a scheme to make him think he's part of a big-budget action movie and they film the results as Perry continues to swallow all the lies he's fed.

The movie is supposed to be funny because it's an impressive prank that's being pulled on an incredibly stupid, gullible, and unlikeable person.

Instead, it's incredibly unfunny and depressing because it's a malicious prank. "Windy City Heat" could only be less funny if the premise was that two guys kidnapped Perry's wife and made him think that she was dead for 11 years, then constantly filmed him while setting him up on "dates" with cross-dressers.

Perry isn't a likable person, but that doesn't excuse what the movie does. What they've done is taken a man's dream, strung him along for eleven years while building up false expectations, and then played them up for cheap (and I mean REALLY CHEAP) laughs. You'd think that if they were going to be such jerks, they might try to come up with something funny to do to him---but instead, all they can come up with is sixth-grade, juvenile humor. Like putting him in a room with an over-the-top gay stereotype, or pretending that they're going to dump feces on him.

There's really only one group of people who could possible think this movie is funny: total ***holes. If you yourself are a complete jerk, then maybe you'll laugh at this. If you think something as stupid and annoying as "Crank Yankers" is funny, then you'll probably like this.

But if you are even remotely human, then you'll probably just end up feeling depressed at the idea of this movie. Whether the movie is real or not doesn't change its badness---even if Perry was in on the joke for the whole movie, the concept of torturing a guy like this is simply not funny.

If you want to know whether or not you'll think this movie is funny, think about this premise: A man dying of AIDS is told by his brother and father that he will be cured if he spends the next two weeks letting people sodomize him with broomsticks on camera. If you think that idea sounds like it would be hilarious, then by all means watch "Windy City Heat." But if you think it sounds cruel, disgusting, and just plain stupid, then stay away from this movie. And congratulations on not being a cynical, mean-spirited jerk.

If fake - 100% amazing, If real - 200%

[Tarnished123 · 12 October 2011]

This is easily the most creative idea for a movie I have ever seen, but just as important; it's the funniest.

If you like the Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla, Crank Yankers, and just prank jokes in general, let alone an on-going rank that lasts over 11 years to create this masterpiece, this movie is for you.

If you think any specific scenes in the movie are not real just go ahead and post it here. As many times as I have seen it, I just don't think it's possible for Perry to pull the majority of the movie off if he knew it was all a joke.

Cheers.

One of the funniest movies I have ever seen.

[sammykiy2004 · 10/10 · 1 September 2012]

I'm going to be brief. One night I woke up around 11pm or after, the TV was still tuned in to Comedy Central, and Windy City Heat was on TV. This was the premiere on Comedy Central. I glanced at the TV because it was on when it's usually off, and the moment I realized what I was looking at, and what was going on, I could not go back to sleep. I was laughing so much my girlfriend remembers me watching this movie while she was having her sleep interrupted. I wanted to see it again but it was no where to be found.i wanted this movie so bad, just to watch it again, I scoured the Internet and found someone had it on eBay. This was months later, and the movie wasn't even on disc at the time. Someone else knew how good of a movie it was and capitalized on it. Sorry for not being brief.

Very Funny Prank Movie

[Jazzy31133 · 9/10 · 19 October 2015]

I watched this movie when it first came out on Comedy Central several years ago and just rediscovered it again. It is a very funny and elaborate prank played on an aspiring actor named Perry. Perry is part of a comedy group known as the Big 3. The other members are Don Barris and another actor that goes by the screen name Mole. These two comedic actors "discovered" Perry at the comedy store in 1992 and have been messing with him ever since.

I advise you to give the movie a chance. And if you enjoyed the high jinx in the movie, try listening to the Big 3 podcasts, where Don and Mole continue to mess around with Perry.

As to whether or not the movie is "real" or not, I am not sure you need to have that question answered to enjoy the movie. However, I have listened to many of the podcasts and it seems pretty apparent Perry is not in on the joke. It seems as though he has a narcissistic personality disorder, is very gullible, and, rather unfortunately, has a low IQ. He was in a car accident as a teenager and this may have stripped him of some intelligence or he may have just had this personality disorder from birth. Either way, the result is hilarious.

While the pranks and personal nature of the jokes Don and Mole pull could be viewed as cruel, Perry's racist, misogynistic and xenophobic behavior make the viewer OK with the pranks. If you give the movie a chance and enjoy the pranks, I suggest you give the podcasts a listen!

My favorite movie of all time

[mike-57253 · 10/10 · 2 May 2020]

No exaggeration. But it's not for everyone. This is one of those movies that you get more out of by watching multiple times. If you get really into it, there's a whole universe with a diehard fan base but, sadly, a decade too soon for mass appeal.

Just plain mean

[Scroobious · 2/10 · 22 July 2010]

I would say this practical joke was cruel, if it seemed to have actually fooled the butt of the joke; Perry. But the "reveal" of the joke, which is hidden in the special features, proves Perry is not surprised in the least.

There are arguments over whether this is "real" or not. But, I'm mainly concerned with how aware Perry is of the joke. Either way, it's a failure of a "practical joke." Either he's aware of what's going on, which negates any gotcha aspect, or more dubiously he isn't, and it's just plain mean.

Aside from awareness, Perry proves a boring lead, and costars like The Mole--a terribly unfunny, watered-down version of a Jim Breuer caricature of a stoner--are lame and unbelievable. Simply, the whole practical joke is so unconvincing, that one would have to be far stupider than fall-guy Perry, to actually fall for the prank.

Going down the Youtube Rabbit hole brought me here and I couldn't be happier

[Xtian101 · 10/10 · 9 July 2022]

It started with Cart Narcs. Cart Narcs is a YouTube channel that hangs out in shopping plaza parking lots busting people for not putting their shopping carts back.

One episode of Cart Narcs stars none other than Perry Caravello. I was fascinated by his reaction to being called out on not putting his cart back while shopping at a Costco.

So here I am, watching quite possibly the funniest movie I've seen in years. This move was WAY ahead of its time for 2003. This might just be the first "prank" style film made? Truly underappreciated and for sure underrated.

If you don't find this movie funny AF, we can't be friends.

The most unfunny thing I've ever seen.

[loogslair · 1/10 · 23 October 2003]

*Warning - Spoilers*

When playing a practical joke - fictitious or not (given the reality of the characters coming into question recently) - you need to follow one cardinal rule: Don't be mean. When all is said and done, you want the person you've pranked to laugh with you. I watched a significant portion of this movie (more than half), and not once did I think that any of the so-called "pranks" played on the lead were the least bit funny.

Not only was this person robbed of time that he could have spent pursuing an actual role in a film that actually existed, but during this he was subjected to some of the most cruel, demeaning, and malicious stunts by people that were supposedly his friends. In one scene, the main character is thrown into a dumpster filled with fecal matter several times. In another, one of his "friends" throws a basketball full-speed at his face. In yet another, he is entrusted with protecting a craft services table, only to have the same "friend" knock it over after being told repeatedly to stay away from it.

In still another sequence, the lead and his "friends" have 45 minutes to get ready for a screening of their film, and the lead gets locked out of his hotel room by his "friends" for 20 minutes. Then, on the drive there (bear in mind they have approximately 15 minutes to reach the theater or else their movie won't be released according to a taped message), the other "friend" demands that the driver stop at a convenience store and buy the exact kind of bottle water he likes. As if that weren't enough, they waste more time inside the store harrassing the owner's daughters, STILL more time as the driver implores the lead to listen to the driver's garage band. Eventually, the driver is given several drinks of alcohol, and RUNS A RED LIGHT before reaching the theater.

None of this is funny in the slightest. People who laugh at this would probably laugh at the same lead character getting clubbed in the knees and having his house burn down. Even if this was all fake, it doesn't alter the fact that what's displayed in this movie is pure, unadulterated malevolence towards a person who doesn't appear to deserve any of it. (Not to say that he was an angel himself, but his actions pale in comparison to what his "friends" did.) The people involved with this movie ought to be ashamed of themselves. If the events in this movie are indeed real, I hope the people who orchestrated this prank are put in stocks. Then again, I should have expected no better from Jimmy Kimmel - a man who considers vulgarity and unwarranted humiliation high comedy.

Comedy Central was once the channel of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Whose Line is it Anyway. Now it's South Park, Crank Yankers, and Windy City Heat. I am never watching this channel again, for allowing a piece of filth such as this to be greenlighted, much less aired.

WCH needs a sequel!

[getalifemike2013 · 29 April 2014]

I watched this film when it aired on Comedy Central. It was late, I was half asleep. I didn't expect to make it all the way to the end but I'm glad I did. This is one of the funniest prank films out there.

It reminds me of Impaled: Painfully Blunt! In that film, they set up a guy named Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey who's running for president of the United States. In this film, Scary Perry is being set up. Perry expects to make it big as a Hollywood action star. Instead, his buddies put him through hoop after absurd hoop.

I was expecting an angrier reaction from Perry after the film but it never really happened. I don't want to spoil anything but over all it was a funny and unique prank only because Scary Perry is a unique guy.

I highly recommend this if you're into Bad Grandpa and Borat.

One of the most bizarrely awesome movies of all time

[spiderholerecords · 10/10 · 25 May 2020]

This movie is the 1st reality based comedy I've ever come across. Perry Caravello, is a mixture of delusion and fevered ego poured into a hairy little frame. Don Barris' basketball skills on set won't disappoint & Mole is too funny for words. This movie is 100% real. Perry is unbelievable but very real. Check this weird classic out. There's another world that follows this in podcast form Thebig3podcast

This is the Citizen Kane of comedies.

[pookanator · 10/10 · 30 April 2020]

It starts out great and gets even better with subsequent viewings.

Thank you Gavin McInnes.

[Jouford · 10/10 · 5 July 2020]

Gavin recommended this film on his show, and I'll be eternally grateful for that. It was one belly laugh after another. I had to pause it for 10 minutes at one point because my stomach and chest hurt so much from laughing. It's the most original comedy movie I've ever seen, hands down. Give it a go.

Dire - no other word for it

[swivelhips · 1/10 · 2 September 2007]

Personally, I thought this was a steaming pile of you-know-what. Had the supporting actors played it straight then I might have bought into it but everyone was hamming it up so much (as actors do when they know something isn't very funny) that you couldn't possibly think it was real. Take the buffet scene, for instance. The 'star' of the film is asked to protect the food! Perry might not be a rocket scientist but anyone with an interest in the business would know that would never happen. To support their claims that the film is genuine it's been stated that Perry suffered brain damage in a car accident. Even if that was the case, where's the entertainment value in making a fool out of someone who's mentally impaired? I'm sorry, but I just don't buy into it one bit. I'd suggest that if the joke's on anyone, it's the people who believe it was real. Simply wanting something to be real doesn't make it so.