THE MUSE (USA Films) Starring: Albert Brooks, Sharon Stone, Andie MacDowell, Jeff Bridges. Screenplay: Albert Brooks and Monica Johnson. Producer: Herb Nanas. Director: Albert Brooks. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (profanity, adult themes, brief nudity) Running Time: 95 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
Albert Brooks has always been a filmmaker who couldn't resist a great high concept. In his debut feature REAL LIFE, he parodied the pioneering PBS documentary "An American Family;" in LOST IN AMERICA, he sent a yuppie couple on an ill-fated attempt to drop out of society; in DEFENDING YOUR LIFE, he imagined the afterlife as a spiritual courtroom; and in MOTHER, he moved back in with Mom to figure out his relationship troubles. An inspired, outrageous situation has provided Brooks with the spark to show his characters -- notably himself -- coming to terms with themselves and finding a little dignity. His concepts fueled the gags, but he never forgot to tell a story.
In THE MUSE, Brooks makes a mistake he's never made before: he starts with a situation comedy, then never moves beyond the situation. Brooks stars as Stephen Phillips, a successful Hollywood screenwriter at a career crossroads. Dumped from a studio deal for writing scripts with no "edge," a depressed Stephen seeks counsel from his friend and fellow writer Jack (Jeff Bridges). Jack offers Stephen access to what he claims is the secret of his own success: an actual, straight-out-of-mythology muse named Sarah (Sharon Stone). Though initially incredulous, Stephen finds that his collaborations with Sarah are firing his creative juices. Unfortunately, he also finds Sarah's services much in demand, including from his own wife Laura (Andie MacDowell), who finds herself inspired to pursue her own creative dreams.
THE MUSE seems to have been born as yet another Hollywood satire, poking fun at the insecurities of movie folk and ther fascination with the latest insta-cure for what ails them personally or professionally. Brooks, uses the opportunity to toss in cameos by other filmmakers who have been Sarah's "clients" (James Cameron thanks her for TITANIC; Martin Scorsese proposes a remake of RAGING BULL, "but with a really thin guy"), which are good for a couple of smiles. The insider gags, unfortunately, are about the only ones that work. More often, THE MUSE is a comedy in search of something, _anything_ funny to say. Sharon Stone's finicky diva is an idea that never quite takes off, and the supporting players often look vaguely bored with their lines. Even Brooks' usually reliable persona can't jump-start the film, because it doesn't turn into a sympathetic character. He's just an annoyed privileged guy whose annoyance at his slightly lessened privilege makes him just plain annoying.
Brooks' lack of a character is part of the over-riding problem with THE MUSE: a lack of anything substantial past the thin premise. The film occasionally looks like it could be leading Stephen towards a little growing up, whether about his career neuroses or his retro-breadwinner agitation at Laura's growing financial success as a cookie-maker. There's even the faint hope that Brooks could be offering a light-hearted look at the shove people require just to believe in their own talents. Then the film ends, and it becomes evident that there's not a shred of actual story to THE MUSE. There's no improved mutual understanding in the Phillips' relationship, no one grows, no one learns a thing -- there's not even the satisfaction of Sarah explaining her own turns of character. The whole thing just fades to black, leaving a shallow collection of industry jokes in its wake.
There are a few decent laughs to be found in Brooks' validation of William Goldman's line about how "nobody knows anything" in Hollywood. Mark Feuerstein has a nicely understated role as a tactless studio executive, and Steven Wright appears briefly as the nepotistically- advantaged Stan Spielberg. But much of the acidic humor leaves a sour aftertaste once it's clear that it's all little more than a chance for Brooks to vent. His character spends much of the film in search of a third act for his screenplay, which is ironic when you consider that THE MUSE is in desperate need of a third act of its own. It's even more ironic that in the middle of a Hollywood satire, the protagonist's brilliant script -- the one he's inspired to write after being told he has "lost [his] edge" -- is a wacky high-concept vehicle for Jim Carrey. If the lesson Brooks wants us to learn is that a writer's goal in life should be coming up with yet another mass-market yuk-fest, then maybe he's the one who has lost his edge.
On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 babbling Brooks: 5.
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