So many stars?so little sympathy! Leave it to legendary Hollywood "weasel" Pauly Shore to fake his own death and chronicle the hilarious reactions from dozens of A-list celebrities in this outrageous dark comedy that raise... more »s the eternal show business question: Is it better to be a dead genius or a living idiot?« less
And not because I think P.M.S. is such a talented actor/comedian because, quite frankly, I think he sux. I'm not saying that to be mean or rude; I'm just not impressed with him -- at all! I question his talent as a stand-up comedian and as an actor.
But as a commentator / pseudo-documentarian, however....
Here, clearly, is Pauly Shore's absolute finest hour (at least until he pulls something else out of the hat at a later date). His faux "semi-autobiographical" film "PAULY SHORE IS DEAD" (aka "YOU'LL NEVER WIEZ IN THIS TOWN AGAIN") is such an indictment against the "Hollywood System" it ain't even funny -- even though Pauly presents it in a funny way.
He shows just how typical, hypocritical, backbiting and fickle the masters of the entertainment system and the arse-kissing entertainment media truly are -- how they can, at a whim, make or break a person's career in the industry, which, as Pauly shows, is committed mostly through typecasting and stereotyping.
Pauly's independently financed movie (of course! -- you think the H-Town execs would want to be compliant in their own asswhippin'?) shows the entertainment world's "two faces." Though he focuses on the "movie" & "music" industry, his expose could just as easily apply to professional sports. He uses the "celebrity wing" of a prison to show just how the pressures & politics of the industry can lead to your downfall. He lays out before us how easily we can be manipulated into following on the bogus coattails of the entertainment industry's propaganda arm (for instance, in the film Pauly becomes beloved as a 'comic genius' who dies before his time, while all we ever saw of his 'genius' was rather shallow & limited, and he matches this up with "casting" the late Sam Kinneson as his 'guardian angel' -- an entertainer who truly did die and who really was hailed as a 'comic genius who died before his time,' even though the entire scope of Kinneson's "comedic genius" was that he was just some fat guy who screamed a lot).
In his movie, Pauly is basically telling his audience that he learned too late what many others-- like Tom Hanks, Michael Keaton, Jamie Foxx, Robin Williams --either learned before him or began figuring out soon enough: that to be 'pigeonholed' is to be condemned to a slow rotting death, as it were. But, in relation to this, he also showed that "Hollywood" is not always so willing for their "product" (as they think of the people they sign on) to change its formula (which is no wonder why we get inexhaustible remakes, rehashes and sequels coming from 'Tinseltown').
I believe Pauly has real talent deep down somewhere, and could definitely express it if only given a chance to break out of the mold of the "Weasel" (which was not always meant as a term of endearment). He has clearly shown some of that talent with this movie as a writer and director -- perhaps this is his "true" calling, I don't know, but it gives me hope that he, like those mentioned above, and others like Sam Raimi, can ascend to greater & more respectable heights."
Pauly shore is alive!
paen dumartinique | culver city, ca | 01/26/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"i saw this film on the opening night here in sacramento. i thought it was great. mr. shore pokes fun at himself and the business. if you support his reinvention of himslef to be less like the son in-law and more like an adult, then you'll appreciate this movie. it's funny and has a message...and how can you not just love him?"
A lot of people do not understand this movie.
Andrew Dransfield | San Diego, CA | 03/06/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This movie is very difficult to understand, as it contains many different deep aspects. Basically it is about this guy Pauly Shore, who many people used to think was funny, and about his personal struggle to feel loved, wanted, and redeemed. With basically no budget, Pauly set out with a hi-def digital camera and made a movie that had a funny idea about faking his own death. But really, the faking of his death is just an entertaining medium for some more serious and deep questions. Pauly shore has one scene where he is praying to God in the form of a famous comedian; and while people may think its funny because pauly is crying and kneeling down, he is quite serious and quite convincing as a dramatic actor. Pauly goes further by acknowleging that he really is somewhat of a wiesel, and that part of him will never go away. In the begining we get to see Pauly rubbing one out..... He could have left that out but hey! Its reality man. I loved how pauly showed his change in prison, and the idea of another inmate teaching him to act using classic standards such as shakespere. Of course, he probably did not change in this manner, but it is a brillant way of presenting his desire to act in a low-budget manner. Basically I love this movie and i feel anyone who wants to laugh at pauly should just go and try and make a touching movie with no-budget. I have felt just like pauly, when your all alone in the world when you used to be on top and you can't understand what you did wrong. Whenever i feel like that i feel very redeemed when i watch this movie. I used to idealize pauly shore when i was like 10, and watching how someone you used to look up to could be so sad just ten years later was a real mind-bender. Just give this movie a chance and keep this in mind."
Fun Movie!
Beyondmetal | Brockton, MA | 01/25/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I Thought The Movie was original and very funny the dvd is worth picking up if you like pauly shores films."
Give Pauly Credit
B | Canada | 09/02/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I think Pauly Shore is much more talented then people give him credit for. It is not as easy at it seems to play the character he played in every single one of his films. But the problem is that he has played the same character in all the movies he made. Frankly I dont think he made this movie or started his new reality show to restart his career, I think he probably knows that he is a living joke, I feel he is just trying to give people a laugh and I'd say hes done that."