Based on the writer-director Stephen D. Burrows’s real-life career struggles, this mirthless show biz fable begs the question, does our hero really deserve to make it big?
Neophyte comedian Milwaukee Steve (Stephen D. Burrows) makes a splash by starring in a commercial for a product called "Crotch Fresh," but can't figure out how to capitalize on his break and leaves Hollywood for his Wisconsin home town. His mother is vacationing in Finland, so the failed actor instead regales her tenant, Sami (Traci Lords), with his woes. To Sami, who’s stuck in a public relations job at a local brewery, Steve seems brave for following his dreams; she listens eagerly to his hard-luck stories. Steve’s first describes his failure to dazzle a casting director (Anne Meara) with his impression of an Elvis impersonator imitating Katharine Hepburn in ON GOLDEN POND. Making little progress with an acting coach, Steve backs a showcase with two other
struggling students in his class; unfortunately, such comic gems as a Donner Party Ballet don’t skyrocket the newcomers to prominence. Steve then makes a short film about his losing streak on "Wheel of Fortune," and though Merv Griffin Enterprises sues Steve over SOLDIER OF FORTUNE, the commotion enables Steve to pitch ideas to Hollywood execs. Initially, fickle producer Simon Sez (Tim Matheson) and child mogul Chuckie Self (Theo Greenly) praise Steve’s genre-leaping concept about a mother-daughter brothel frequented by a French soldier with access to nuclear weapons. But eventually Steve’s sexy action comedy screenplay falls victim to studio politics. Although Steve has lost hope, Sami
rebuilds his confidence: Can he rebound and retrace his steps along the boulevard of broken dreams?
Imagine a Woody Allen movie without Allen's personality or vision for an idea of this film's tone. Stale comedy skits and pointless relationship shtick corrode Burrows’ remembrance of his hungry years and ultimately overwhelm the film's small virtues. leave a comment --Robert Pardi
