Hollywood North (2003) User Reviews

SPOILER: Satire Needs Sharper Edge, But Has Great Moments

[[e-mail] · 6/10 · 2 February 2004]

I saw Network the night before I saw Hollywood North, so I went into it expecting something along the same lines. As a satire, Hollywood North doesn't swipe its targets with a scalpel; the movie doesn't commit to its subject matter enough to cross the line from comedy to satire.

This is too bad given the great performances in this movie. This is the first movie I've seen where I didn't hate Matthew Modine, and the rest of the cast is great, especially Deborah Kara Unger and John Neville. . The faults with this movie are in the writing, which failed to take very many chances.

But this movie is well worth sitting through for the finale. After the funniest armed standoff I've ever seen, the big American star, modelled on John Wayne, blows up his own trailer, bringing the production of the movie within the movie to an end.

Pretty darn bad

[smatysia · 4/10 · 25 May 2006]

Ouch! This one was a bit painful to sit through. It has a cute and amusing premise, but it all goes to hell from there. Matthew Modine is almost always pedestrian and annoying, and he does not disappoint in this one. Deborah Kara Unger and John Neville turned in surprisingly decent performances. Alan Bates and Jennifer Tilly, among others, played it way over the top. I know that's the way the parts were written, and it's hard to blame actors, when the script and director have them do such schlock. If you're going to have outrageous characters, that's OK, but you gotta have good material to make it work. It didn't here. Run away screaming from this movie if at all possible.

Just calm the heck down!

[MBunge · 4/10 · 21 September 2010]

The people who made this movie should have sat down and taken some Ritalin before they began.

The story concerns the efforts of Bobby Myers (Matthew Modine), a Canadian lawyer in 1979, to make a movie out of one of his homeland's most beloved novels. It fancies itself as a funny and slightly biting critique of the business and art of making movies and it could have been that if it had just been able to calm the heck down. It seems like when they wrote the script they just threw in every single possible idea anyone could come up with that fit the movie's theme, with the result being a film that can't give any story element the proper attention.

Here's a list of the things Hollywood North tries to take on – the distorting effect big stars have on how a movie is made, the Canadian film industry as a tax write-off, how well meaning filmmakers are changed into manipulative bastards by the demands of just getting the movie finished, the capricious and totally nonsensical way scripts are rewritten, the dominance of Hollywood over filmmaking in Canada, a big American star (Alan Bates) who's jingoistic and paranoid over the Iranian hostage crisis, a leading lady (Jennifer Tilly) who lives and dies on the set and dislikes real life, the lure of celebrity and the evolution from a good-hearted and hopeful filmmaker to a toady and enabler of the big star, a young actor (Fab Filippo) getting his first big break and an old director (John Neville) trying to prove he can still cut it, an aspiring filmmaker (Deborah Kara Unger) trying to shoot a documentary of the big budget production while also filming her own movie on the weekends, a scam to use the big movie's resources to get the small movie made, the reasons for on set romances, an out-of-left-field romance between Modine and Unger's characters, the unending stream of rationalization that is used just to keep a film project moving forward and a happy ending that doesn't relate to any of the other things in the movie.

That's just too much weight for an 89 minute long comedy to carry. There's not enough time, so almost everything in the film is either too short or too fast to develop in any way. Characters have to say out loud what scenes are about, things that should be important moments in the story come and go and are never heard from again, Matthew Modine's character has to change from frazzled and overwhelmed movie neophyte to cynical and fast-dealing shark and back again at least 3 times because that's what a scene demands.

If they could have just relaxed and decided to leave some things out, this could have been a much better film. When Alan Bates character goes nuts at the end and starts punching out extras because he thinks the movie is real, it's pretty funny. John Neville has a really nice scene as the old director trying to pump up the confidence of his nervous young star. There could have been a very nice dynamic between Modine's naïve first-time producer losing his innocence and Unger's more hard-headed artist trying to preserve her self-respect. But is all gets sort of lost in the jumble.

Hollywood North lacks a central purpose. Instead of being a movie about one thing, it tries to be everything anyone could ever think of and ends up being something that very few folks would ever want.

Jennifer Tilly comes out on top ...

[beingofsoundmind · 21 November 2003]

Never have I seen the beautiful Jennifer Tilly look as luscious as she does in Peter O'Brien's "Hollywood North". I saw the film at this year's Toronto International Film Festival and the movie is still on my mind. That's because "Hollywood North", a comedy about the 'movie biz' actually delivers the cinematic goods.

The movie's tech credits are slick all-round and directed with a steadfast assurance by O'Brien, a notable producer of some merit during the Canadian 'tax-shelter' movie scene of the early '80's and '90's, winner of numerous Canadian film awards while giving a break to many up and coming actor/writers. Now its his turn to helm the action and he has turned in a sophisticated and wry comedy about a movie scheme that unexpectedly takes a turn for the worse.

Ms. Tilly is quite unforgettable as a sex-starved actress, performing in a low-budget movie titled "Flight To Bogota", with one particular hot scene that rivals Kim Cattral's love-making from another Canadian classic "Porky's". Meanwhile the beautiful Deborah Kara Unger pops in and out of the film sets with a documentary camera crew, putting the finishing touches on HER movie about the making of THIS movie.

Matthew Modine is quite hilarious as a befuddled newbie producer, John Neville as an assured, yet doddering director, Kim Coates as a hot-headed actor, Fab Filipo as the young leading man, Joe Cobden as Modine's frizzy-haired co-producer and Alan Bates, as a crazed, gentlemanly actor from the old school.

But the real star of this show is Hollywood North itself : the fledgling Canadian film industry of the 1970's searching for culture, indentity and a quest for respectability ...

This is an entertaining feature that deserves a wide theatrical release...

meta but not funny

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 25 May 2021]

It's 1979. Newbie Toronto movie producer Bobby Myers (Matthew Modine) options a Canadian book hoping to make a Canadian movie based in Toronto. He's told to get an American movie star lead and heads off to Hollywood. It's Hollyweird and he's forced to compromise at every turn.

This is a movie about 70's Hollywood and the inferior complex in Toronto. This is a moment in time as the film industry morphs into something different in the 80's. This is trying to be a satire. The problem is that it's not actually funny. It's a little tiresome. The mockumentary isn't actually interesting. Modine is a functional movie lead. In a way, he's the American lead in a movie about Canadian film industry. It's meta but it's not funny and therefore it's not compelling. For a comedy, there are few comedians here. At best, there are a couple of comedic actors. It's all rather flat.

The barbarian invaders

[jotix100 · 7/10 · 27 September 2005]

"Hollywood North" is an euphemism from the movie industry as they went to Canada to make movies because of tax breaks and cheaper costs in a civilized city like Toronto, in this case, later in Vancouver. Peter O'Brian, the director, probably saw a lot of the invaders from California that this movie seems to be the right way to deal with the arriving personalities trying to capitalize on the economics that Canada presented.

Needless to say, "Moon Lantern", the successful novel written by a Canadian author is turned into "Flight to Bogota", which has nothing to do with the original film. A great egotistical has-been, Michael Baytes, who is obsessed with what is happening in Iran, is offered the lead part, which turns to be a disaster.

The film seems to be saying that too many cooks have spoiled the broth, which seems to be the case with the ultimate product, which is saved by its producer, Bobby Myers. With the help of Sandy Ryan, who has been around making a documentary of the film being shot in Toronto, parts of the film are transformed into a cohesive movie at last.

The filming process is hilarious, and the acting, in general, is good.

Low Budget movie making meets No Budget movie Making

[criticaljim · 7/10 · 16 March 2005]

I recently saw this film and enjoyed it very much. it gives a insight to indie movie making and how much work is really involved when you have a low budget yet need a name actor/actress to get people, any people to come see it and give the movie exposure. Bobby Myeres played by Modine and his partner Saul - Paul Linder make an excellent combination finding eccentric Miachel Bates, a "NAME" actor played by Alan Bates was a perfect casting decision in the movie and for the movie. My favorite cast member was Sandy Ryan played by the magnificent and underrated Debra Kara Unger with her own special performance again in the movie within the movie. If you enjoy thinking when watching a comedy then this one is for you. Low budget meets lower budget with High laugh content.

Masterpiece of Comedic Timing

[fairytales_forever · 10/10 · 8 August 2005]

I rented this movie on DVD without knowing what to expect - and as I am about to study film-making in Canada of all places, I most certainly will bring this up in class.

The story, centered around the probably most unlucky film team in the history of film itself, is brilliantly written and the very talented actors manage to deliver every single pun on time.

If you simply couldn't laugh during "Hollywood North" I suggest seeing a psychiatrist right away - you might have serious issues.

Besides the wonderful script I also noticed the great chemistry between actors Deborah Kara Unger and Matthew Modine - where they really just acting? Jennifer Tilly (playing a hilariously bad actress) and Martin Landau, also delivered a very edgy, yet funny performance.

Great film, even better cast.

Brilliantly Funny Mock Documentary

[BrandtSponseller · 10/10 · 13 January 2005]

A mock documentary about a pair of Canadian producers, Bobby Myers (Matthew Modine) and Paul Linder (Saul Rubinek), trying to make their first film in the late 1970s. Hollywood North is the comic tale of their struggle to pull everything together, despite a number of conflicting threads.

Hollywood North works as a film in a way very similar to why This Is Spinal Tap (1984) works so well. Namely, although exaggerated in some ways, it is very close to the truth, and the truth consists of "behind the scenes" facts that are very different than the public face of the industry. It isn't easy to make a film, and it must have been especially difficult in Canada in the late 1970s. Films involve tens, if not hundreds, of people. Many have incompatible desires, motivations and personalities. Especially crucial are the financiers and the on-screen talent, as if either drops out or becomes undependable at any stage while the film is in production, it could jeopardize the whole affair, either necessitating extensive reshoots or abandoning the film altogether.

So it's not surprising that Hollywood North focuses on those kinds of relationships. The result is an excellent film that is both hilarious and tragic at the same time. The script is flawless and the performances are top notch. This is a must-see for any budding filmmaker and anyone with a serious interest in the craft of film-making. It should also be more than entertaining for any viewer with a modicum of intelligence and a sense of humor.

A 10 out of 10 from me.

an amusing and thoughtful piece from one of Canada's top directors

[freakout-1 · 10/10 · 2 February 2004]

This movie captures the absurd essence of an overbearing American patriot actor -- one that believes his work (and politics) are as crucial to the American people as the opinions of the President himself. Alan Bates captures this mindset perfectly as Michael Baytes, and I will immortally remember Bates as this character. This is a movie for Canadians and Americans alike. It is a valuable piece of cinema, that which is able to take its audience through the magic of making a film and reveal just how easy it is for the producer and director to lose complete control to the will of the actors and innumerable outside forces. Wonderfully, "Hollywood North" does not suffer from the subject that it portrays: Peter O'Brian directs with precision and complete control, and commands both the serious 'behind-the-scenes' portion of the movie, and the movie-within-the-movie, "Flight to Bogota" with clarity and insight. If you are at all interested in the wit and strength of Canadian cinema, "Hollywood North" is a great place to start.

A fun ride through Canadian Cinema: The Early Years

[ellew33 · 23 September 2003]

From start to finish, this little flick about big time film making in 1979 Toronto is a riot. The cast is simply perfect. The dialouge "tongue in cheek". The angst and humor on high. Anyone interested in the Hollywood "machine", whether it be in California or with our northern neighbor will get a kick out of this satirical look at what happens behind the scene's when making a movie.



Though I did look at it as more a satire on the "Good Ole' Boys" club that is ever present in Hollywood and beyond. 8 out of 10, easily. Lots of fun, lots of laughs and Jennifer Tilly/Alan Bates/Fab Filippo are a GREAT one-two-three punch!

A satirical look at film making in Canada in the 80's

[Proud_Canadian · 8/10 · 14 September 2003]

Hollywood North is a satirical look at the time in Canadian film history when the Canadian government offered huge tax breaks for films made in Canada. Most of the time it was treated as a tax shelter or a cheap way to get American films made. For example, Porky's came out of it. Anyways Matthew Modine plays a novice producer who wants to make an adaptation of a beloved Canadian novel. However, in order to get the money he needs a American name star. He gets a loose cannon and learns he has to compromise to the point where the film no longer resembles the book it was originally based on. It plays well in Canada but may not be understood outside of the Great White North. Americans will think we're satirizing ourselves but will miss the point that we're actually satirizing them. For Canadians 8/10 for the rest of the world 5/10.

Ripe subject, but lacklustre results

[Wizard-8 · 28 September 2010]

There's no doubt that the Canadian tax shelter filmmaking era could be satirized, but this movie doesn't support that. The movie doesn't really go into depth about the system - I suspect that many viewers (even Canadian) won't know anything about the era, and will be confused by some parts of the movie. (I was fortunate enough to know about the era and the Canadian film industry, so I was able to understand these parts.) Part of this can be blamed on the frequent hurried and rushed feeling of the movie - there is long narration at the beginning instead of showing us what the narrator tells us, for one thing. Movie has a poor sense of time - you never feel this is 1979, and at one point, snow starts falling in the area but later the events of the movie are happening in the late summer! What really sinks the movie are the portrayal of most of the characters. They are thin, but for the most part they are so goofy we can't believe what they do. The few characters that stay serious are good (John Neville does well as the past-his-prime director character), and we see that a movie that would have been more serious and done things that COULD and DID happen would be more engaging (and would probably be a lot more funny.) The movie is also hampered by a low budget that gives the movie a murky and dark look.

From the closing credits, it appears that the Canadian government (via the Telefilm Canada film funding agency) financed this movie. This movie is just one example of the millions of dollars Telefilm has spent in financing bad movies no one wants to see. What the Canadian industry really needs is a movie that will savagely attack Telefilm and its questionable practices.

The film was more Canadian fluff...

[derra · 9 October 2004]

Hollywood North's storyline was good (A producer buys the film rights of a

famous Canadian novel known as "Latern Moon" and plans the production, but

everything doesn't go according to plan when Hollywood gets involved and the

documentary filmmaker catches the whole debacle of film.) and the film had

much potential, but most of the acting lacked depth. Hence, the characters were not believable and flat. Unfortunately, they spent a lot of money making a film that did not make very much money in he end. The actor in it that did a great job was Kim Coates.