jotix100
We get a whiff of the "child star" of the title on the flight that is bringing Taylor Brandon Burns to Toronto to play one of the starring roles in a movie project. Not only is he rude to the flight attendant, his own mother, a cheap wheeler dealer, capitalizes on the fact that it's the attendant's word against her son and demands compensation in the way of extra mileage points and upgrades. These two are a rotten pair!Don McKellar, the talented writer-director, pokes fun at the Hollywood movie industry and the arrogance and lack of professionalism when they go to different parts of the world to appear in front of the cameras, something most Canadians involved in the process of making movies have probably witnessed a lot.We caught with this film not too long ago on a cable channel. It was a lot of fun because Mr. McKellar, who also appear in the film, takes the viewer behind the scenes to show what really go on. Mark Rendall, who plays Taylor, bears a similarity with Macauley Culkin, is one of the best assets in the picture. A subdued Jennifer Jason Leigh, with her usual style is also effective as Suzanne, the manipulative mother of the child star.Don McKellar also appears as the driver assigned to take Taylor around. Dave Foley seems to be having a good time playing the producer and Michael Murphy is seen as the actor playing the father to the egotistical Taylor. Kristin Adams has an excellent opportunity as the love interest of the young star.
pix_chick
(Spoilers are quotes from movie) I loved this movie so much I watched it all over again the minute it ended. What a funny, intelligent film. A biting commentary on the film industry -- one of the (many) best scenes is when Rick deals with studio "heavies" who attempt to threaten him late in the film -- an absolutely hilarious hospital bed performance from writer/director/lead Don McKellar. Jennifer Jason Leigh is phenomenal as a cagey, manipulative childstar mother-- another actress might not have been able to pull off such a loathsome character who somehow captivates and charms us. Great Canada jokes (well more like US jokes really) throughout. Great scene in the beginning as writers pitch the script to the studio - I can't give it away but the scene is hilarious from start to end with lines like "Are they funny terrorists?" and in reply to "It's patriotic as s**t" -- the producer replies "It shoots in Canada".See this flick!!
BernieBear
Don Mckellar is a comic genius, as long as dry wit with an accent is your kind of laugh-a-thon. It is mine, so I loved this movie. Mckellar plays an endearing character who has just divorced the love of his life, for whom he has shot an independent film which has no backing as his on film love letter equates romantic love to ADHD images erratically juxtaposed against the nature. Since he has to put peanut butter on his bread, he begins working as a driver for a film being shot in his hometown. Thus, Mckellar's character meets 12 year old Taylor Bradford Burns, a teenage star whose fame is hanging on his ability to maintain "adorableness as a child" and thus, his film company and agents are pushing him to do another film whether it's worth doing or not (which is certainly debatable) before his "voice changes".Jennifer Jason Leigh is exquisite as always in her cooler than ever way, as the mother of the child. She's just looking to "take care of Taylor" the best way she knows how - which includes getting him the largest salary possible, living in the poshest house the studio will foot the bill for, and ensuring that he has "a male role model" by turning her responsibilities over to the first available and passably attractive guy she runs into --- who is of course, our newbie driver.It's a fun movie. Taylor Bradford Burns is played by a young man who is straddling the line between youth and a teenager with more experience than anyone under 18 should have. Worth renting. Enjoy it with popcorn.
federovsky
I just couldn't get into this. Don McKellar, who I've never heard of before, just looked like he was doing an impersonation of Peter Sellers. His deadpan approach was a leaden hand over the whole film. Every line he delivered fell flat on the ground, as in a vacuum. There was something eerily compelling about him though, I couldn't take my eyes off him - or maybe it was just that cardigan he wore under his jacket the whole time.The storyline might have not invited criticism were it not for the fact that we were subjected to two excruciating moral lessons at the end (on parentalism and on the childstar issue). Mmm, thanks, I so need to be preached at - NOT.Unfortunately, Taylor Brandon Burns wasdislikable even when he wasn't supposed to be, and his blonde girlfriend character was just a cardboard cut-out. How were we supposed to care? Well, we were all probably there looking for laughs, not philosophy. Problem is the laughs just weren't there. It was all vaguely depressing.
AD
