Review of American Movie (1999) by Aidan H — 19 Feb 2011
Film maker Mark Borchardt's enthusiasm for movies borders on the psychotic as his lifelong quest to create his feature film 'Northwest' goes through every conceivable hold-up on its way to the big screen.
For most of AM's hour-and-three-quarters I was so entertained by its eccentric characters, I had to check if it was really a documentary and not some hand-held experiment by Judd Apatpow. Its heartwarming tale of courage and vision in the face of adversity hits all the right marks but director Smith slows down the jokes and action around the middle which makes for a less than air-punching finale.
While not as uplifting as The King of Kong nor as relevant as Catfish, American Movie is still one of the best of the American Losers genre and, like the film Borchardt eventually made itself, worth a viewing.
This review of American Movie (1999) was written by Aidan H on 19 Feb 2011.
American Movie has generally received very positive reviews.
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