EDtv
A movie review by Joe Barlow
(c) Copyright 1999
STARRING: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Martin Landau,
Ellen DeGeneres, Jenna Elfman, Rob Reiner, Dennis
Hopper, Elizabeth Hurley
DIRECTOR: Ron Howard
WRITERS: Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandell
RATED: PG-13
RELEASED: 1999
RATING: *** (out of a possible ****)
What turns regular people into celebrities? I suspect it's the public's need to adore, to project their own dreams of glamor and stardom onto others. People often become famous not because of any spectacular talent or achievement, but simply because we see them on television every day. In an era when committing adultery with the President of the United States is not punished but rewarded with book deals and invitations to Hollywood Oscar parties, it's clear that John Q. Public is willing to elevate anything that walks across the TV screen into a cultural icon.
Ron Howard's "EDtv" is an intriguing satire about this disturbing trend. Smart, involving, and howlingly funny, the movie has the courage to (subtlely) scold its audience for engaging in hero worship. A cross between "The Truman Show" and a pack of slobbering paparazzi, "EDtv" takes an unflinching look at society's preoccupation with fame, and doesn't like what it sees.
The story: a small cable network called True TV finds itself unable to break free of dismal ratings. "We're getting our butts kicked by the Gardening Channel!" frets a nervous executive. "People would rather watch soil!" But network programmer Cynthia Topping (Ellen DeGeneres) has an idea: why not take an average guy, specifically chosen to appeal to the masses, and put him on television 24 hours a day? Observing how the public tends to bond with people on television, Cynthia hypothesizes that such a person would end up as a sort of 'virtual friend' to the viewing audience... and who doesn't like to spend time with their friends?
Many people are auditioned before the network finally decides on the personable Ed Pekurny (Matthew McConaughey). Ed, an amiable loser in his thirties, agrees to have every moment of his life broadcast on television for one month. As compensation, Ed will be paid a princely sum, which he hopes will help his financially-strapped family.
The idea seems like a win-win situation, and Ed has fun with the role for a while. But when his life becomes a national phoenomenum, our hero is unsure how to handle his sudden fame. People become so addicted to watching Ed's every move that they forget to live their own lives. Everyone he knows suddenly treats him differently: his mom dresses in her finest clothes any time Ed (and the camera crew) comes to visit, while his brother Ray (Woody Harrelson) never passes up an opportunity to tell his brother about his new gym, effectively obtaining free advertising by doing so. Indeed, Ed learns that his endorsement can be a valuable commodity: when he casually orders a Pepsi on TV one day, the Pepsi Corporation makes sure Ed's apartment is filled with their products from that moment on. As in "The Truman Show," much of the humor here comes from the various attempts by people and businesses to use the camera as a way to obtain free product placement. Ed learns to use this to his advantage: when his father Hank (Dennis Hopper) finds himself unemployed, Ed offers to promote any company's product on the air if said company will give his dad a job.
But fame has its downside: everywhere he goes, poor Ed is hounded by rabid fans, and the novelty soon wears off. But as the program nears the end of its month-long run, Ed makes an unpleasant discovery: his ratings are so high that the network has decided to renew the program; due to a clause buried deep in his contract, Ed is powerless to prevent them for doing so. The feeling of claustrophobia is contagious, as director Ron Howard ("Apollo 13") has wisely chosen to shoot much of the film with oppressive close-ups, which make the audience feel as though we too are sharing Ed's nightmare.
The constant presence of the camera crew is enough to strain the budding romance between Ed and Shari (Jenna Elfman), his brother's ex-girlfriend. (How does Ray find out that Ed is dating his ex? By watching their first kiss on TV, along with the rest of the nation.) This displeases the viewing audience, who generally don't like Shari: she's too "real," and not glamorous enough for a big star like Ed. (A poll in USA TODAY reveals that most viewers think Ed should hold out for a more Hollywood-esque lover.) The network executives pay attention to the survey, and bring an actress named Jill (Elizabeth Hurley) into Ed's life. Ed doesn't realize that Jill is merely a network ploy designed to further improve the show's ratings; the poor lug thinks the beauty queen is actually interested in him. This is perhaps the scariest aspect of "EDtv": the thought that someone's life could be so heartlessly manipulated in order to garner ratings' dollars. If the market research doesn't approve of Ed's relationship with Shari, then sorry, she's gotta go.
Matthew McConaughey does wonderful things with this role, making Ed Pekurny likable and empathetic. He's a genuinely nice guy, just going with the flow as best he can. He does not ask for the flood of attention and adulation he receives; because of this, he remains human right through to the end. Nor is McConaughey the only actor doing fine work here: Rob Reiner has a terrific time as the cartoonish Whitaker, the villainous network president who refuses to release Ed from his contract after the show becomes a hit. But the film is stolen by Martin Landau's warm portrayal of Al, Ed's elderly stepfather. I was reminded of his fine performance as Bela Lugosi in Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" (for which Landau deservedly won a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar), because, just like his performance as Lugosi, Landau here is sensitive yet irreverent, serious yet zany, crass yet loveable. ("I've gotta go to the bathroom," he cheerfully informs his family at one point. "Wish me luck!")
There are a couple of minor problems. Although we're cheering for Ed to win back his independence and elude the cameras, even if temporarily, the least satisfying moments of the film are those in which our hero does just that. Without the camera crew to play against, the movie's storyline and romance feel a bit mundane. Seeing Ed and Shari share a romantic moment alone is not nearly as fun as seeing them share the same moment with millions of people. Although we want Ed to succeed, we have to admit that his story is more interesting when he doesn't.
Nor is the film's final solution to Ed's problem particularly satisfying. It's an unwarranted and inappropriate descent into potty humor, feeling like something tacked on at the last minute specifically to appeal to the same audience the film so brilliantly satirizes for the rest of its running time.
These are minor problems, however. "EDtv" is rich in pointed satire, centering around our tendency to make people into celebrities. Why do people become famous? Because they're on TV. Why are they on TV? Because they're famous. "EDtv" serves as a reminder of something we often forget: people on TV are just that: people. They needn't be placed on pedestals, worshipped, or forced to life their lives under the unwelcome eye of public scrutiny.
("EDtv" invades your local movie theater's privacy on Friday, March 26.)
E-Mail: jbarlow@earthling.net Joe Barlow on Film: http://www.ipass.net/~jbarlow/film.htm
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