The Muse (1999) Reviewed by Eugene Novikov http://www.ultimate-movie.com Member: Online Film Critics Society
*** out of four
"You have to turn around, park in the lot and walk to the building. You don't have a drive-on." "Excuse me?" "You don't have a drive-on, you have a walk-on." "Is that the worst a person could get or is there like a crawl-on?"
Starring Albert Brooks, Sharon Stone, Andie McDowell, Jeff Bridges. Rated PG-13.
The movie is about Muses: descendants of the Gods said to be able to inspire artists. I think Albert Brooks is a God. He hasn't made a bad movie in his entire career (granted, a 6 film career, but six good films in a row is a streak any filmmaker should be -- and is -- envious of). At their worst his films are funny; at their best they are masterpieces of comic precision and intelligent, tasteful humor.
The Muse, his new film, is a delightful experience. Charming, hilarious and very Brook-ish, it is a worthy addition to what has been an inordinately successful 20-year directing career. Brooks handles his tricky material perfectly, cooking up an impeccable combination of the supernatural, the off-beat and the Hollywood inside jokes.
Our protagonist is Steven Phillips, a heretofore successful screenwriter who has just been fired. Why? Because he has "lost his edge". Understandably Steven asks what that means. I began to wonder myself. You hear that so often in the movie, tv and book business that it has become a staple phrase and yet I don't know what the "edge" is and how one can "lose" it. That is what everyone tells Steven when they read the latest script and yet nobody is able to explain what it means. They all advise that he take a year off work, get that mystical "edge" back. That's not an option for him because he's no billionaire and he has a family to feed. He's left up the creek without a paddle; he has no idea what's wrong with his work or, more importantly, how he can fix it.
He pleads with his enviably successful screenwriter buddy Jack (Jeff Bridges) for help. Jack divulges that he employs the services of a Muse. That's right -- a Muse -- the mythical woman said to be able to breathe inspiration into anyone with writer's/painter's/actor's/author's block. The Muse's name is Sarah, and she's a tough cookie. First you have to get her to "take your case", mainly by showering her with lavishly expensive gifts. If she does decide to take you on you have to obey her every command in return for alleged inspiration. She takes Steve on. She orders that he put her up in a suite at the Four Seasons, run countless errands for her and attend to her every wish. If he does, she insists, he'll write a script that will make him so much money he may neverh ave to write another one again.
The relationship between Steve and sarah gets weird. Brooks, bless his soul, never lets The Muse develop into a romantic comedy. What he does do, however, is have Sarah move in with Steve. At that point, various guests come to Steve's home looking to use the Muse; people like Martin Scorcese (who wants to remake Raging Bull with a really thin guy) and James Cameron (no Titanic sequel for him, poor fella) all showing up seeking inspiration. As if that wasn't enough, Sarah decides to assist Steve's wife (Andie McDowell) in starting her own "Mrs. Fields" style baking business, a fact which deeply troubles Steve.
The film's biggest commodity, of course, is the jokes, the jokes, the jokes. They keep a-flyin', and the amazing thing is that they all work. Well, almost. As a matter of fact, the ratio of gags to laughs rivals that of Brooks classics such as the untouchable Defending Your Life. This one may not be as profound or emotionally affecting as that film, but it is at least just as funny.
Its claim to fame, however, is Sharon Stone as the leading lady in one of her only comedic roles. And make no mistake, she is wonderful as the mysterious title character. I doubt she will become a top-billed comedianne anytime soon, but "this will do" wouldn't do her performance justice. Equally successful is Andie McDowell, whom I didn't appreciate as an actress up until this movie. Albert Brooks is as good a comic as he is a director: his performance is typical but also typically effective.
Unlike most other Albert Brooks films there is not much of substance in The Muse, but that doesn't mean that it isn't good. It's even better if you know your movies: the countless Hollywood inside jokes can be easy to miss if you don't get them. Even if you're not an insider you can still enjoy this fluffy light comedy, a hilarious ode -- not a spoof but a tribute -- to Hollywood; a film that emphasizes that there's no business like showbusiness. ©1999 Eugene Novikov‰
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