bowfinger is a good movie about the making of a very bad one .
the screenplay , written by co - star steve martin , skewers everything in hollywood from cheesy science - fiction movies to chop - socky fight sequences , and all in a crafty and accomplished manner .
anyone who knows of , or has had any association with movie - making should thoroughly enjoy this clever comedy for it 's entire duration .
the central premise behind the film is an inspired and promising one .
bobby bowfinger ( martin ) , a cheapskate and small - time hollywood producer , has always dreamed of making a successful motion picture but has never attained the proper tools to do so .
a new script , an alien invasion story entitled chubby rain , has caught bowfinger 's eye .
after confronting a big - name producer named jerry renfro ( robert downey jr . )
in a restaurant , an agreement is made to finance the movie .
but first , bowfinger must get renowned action star kit ramsey ( eddie murphy ) to sign in on the project .
kit turns the offer down immediately , but bowfinger still has the intent to shoot the film .
after emptying out his life savings , the hapless producer tells the remaining cast and crew that ramsey is involved , and then prepares to film the movie without the star 's knowledge .
the actors confront ramsey on the street , saying their lines as hidden cameras peek through bushes to capture the footage .
the unknowing star , who is terrified of aliens and being abducted , is brought to believe there is actually pod people after him .
when the conditions become even more treacherous , bowfinger is forced to hire a kit ramsey look - alike named jiff ( also murphy ) , a sweet - natured dork who runs for coffee in - between shooting vital scenes .
these include attempting a suicide run across an 8-lane freeway , and one of the ` hot ' scenes involving supporting actress daisy ( heather graham ) removing her blouse .
bowfinger takes it 's sweet time getting started , but when the plot switches into high gear , great things happen .
certain scenes are so precisely executed , perfectly framing moments that are absolutely fall - down funny .
no , hilarious .
standouts include the chase through a parking garage in which ramsey , who 's supposed to be being followed , keeps checking behind him to investigate a strange tapping noise ( it 's actually bowfinger 's dog in high heels ) .
and just try not to laugh in the climactic kung - fu sequence , featuring jiff in an excerpt from another bowfinger classic entitled fake purse ninjas .
while the entire 97-minutes of bowfinger is n't always on target , individual scenes may have you rolling in the aisles .
masterful comedy director frank oz ( dirty rotten scoundrels , in and out ) , who has never made a bad movie , ensures a quality final product and is aided immensely by martin 's sharp - edged script . however , the real on - screen star is eddie murphy .
this is the actor 's finest work since his breakthrough into the hollywood market in the early 80 's . murphy excels at every corner , not only succeeding with presenting believable paranoia in the eyes of kit ramsey , but in creating a likable buffoon in jiff as well .
these three talented comic minds have squeezed every morsel of potential out of this premise , and the reward is a virtually guaranteed helping of hearty laughs .
steve martin generates the power behind bowfinger , but murphy fuels it .
this is a summer - time comedy that , unlike something such as american pie and south park , does n't break any rules .
but it 's still just as uproarious , or perhaps even more side - splitting than anything we 've seen this season .
the supporting cast , including christine baranski as a work - loving actress and jamie kennedy as the cameraman ,
all perform well within their limits .
the only presence that demands real attention when placed next to martin or murphy is the beautiful heather graham , as the young film star who has plans to sleep her way to the top .
graham , attempting to further her stardom after appearing as the new powers ' girl in ap2 , displays a cheerful but naive persona that nicely corresponds with the wackiness of the screenplay .
i would n't be caught dead buying a ticket for chubby rain , but watching how it all came about is certainly entertaining enough .
finest work excels at every corner , not only succeeding with presenting believable three talented comic minds the reward is a virtually guaranteed helping of hearty laughs great things happen . certain scenes are so precisely executed , perfectly framing moments that are absolutely fall - down funny . no , hilarious . standouts include individual scenes may have you rolling in the aisles . masterful comedy director the central premise behind the film is an inspired and promising one all perform well is certainly entertaining enough should thoroughly enjoy this clever a good movie the real on - screen star is ensures a quality final product and is aided immensely by martin 's sharp - edged script