Just a bit pretentious but not enough to make you a moron if you hate it

Rating: 5/10 (7 February 2015)

Films about actors, the theater, film-making, and "the business" always seem to get a lot of attention in Hollywood because they think we're all supposed to "appreciate" what they do for a living. I don't appreciate what they do any more than I appreciate what any other artist does; I don't appreciate their "skill" any more than I appreciate the skill of a good electrician; I don't think they're special and I don't think what they do makes them worthy of million dollar paydays. They are entertainers. That's their job. Court jesters. And in that vein, this was an interesting slice of life from that culture, a very good movie, full of great acting, and both funny and sad. It was a personality study more than anything owing to the fact that the culture is chock full of strong personalities and egocentric characters. So in light of that, it was pretentious--we're all ~supposed~ to like it because it was about our modern-day "royalty." We're supposed to oooh and aaah because then we feel like we're sensitive and "in tune" with our royalty. But the fact is we don't understand Hollywood, the business, or the dynamic any more than they'd understand us in our jobs. So the film was just okay. Anybody outside Hollywood who gushes about how wonderful it was is reaching--they want to be or understand the culture of the folks in the film so badly that they react as they've been told to react. Definitely worth a watch, but be honest with yourself in your assessment. Michael Keaton was good but I can name a dozen movies where he was better. Edward Norton was good, but again--a dozen movies where he was better. Zach Galifianakis--really? I'm supposed to take a movie seriously that casts this guy in a dramatic role? Laughable. Again--it's worth a watch, but don't go in expecting to see "Citizen Kane," "The Godfather," or "Silence Of The Lambs."