Rating: PG-13
Starring: Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest
Directed By: Christopher Guest

• Official Site

Synopsis: Debut feature director Jay Berman (Christopher Guest), steers cast and crew through a typically tumultuous independent film Home for Purim, an intimate period drama about a Jewish family's turbulent reunion on the occasion of the dying matriarch's favorite holiday. When Internet-generated rumors begin circulating that three of Purim's stars -- faded luminary Marilyn Hack (Catherine O'Hara), journeyman actor and former hot dog pitchman Victor Allan Miller (Harry Shearer), and ingenue Callie Webb (Parker Posey) -- may be perpetrating Award-worthy performances, a rumble of excitement rattles the cast.

Once "Hollywood Now" anchors Chuck Porter (Fred Willard) and Cindy Martin (Jane Lynch) pick up the buzz, Award fever infects the entire production. Unit publicist Corey Taft (John Michael Higgins), talent agent Morley Orfkin (Eugene Levy), and producer Whitney Taylor Brown (Jennifer Coolidge) all smell the sudden potential for a sleeper hit. As does Sunfish Classics President Martin Gibb (Ricky Gervais), who suggests some last-minute changes to the film that he feels will broaden the film's appeal. Meanwhile, Purim's screenwriters, Lane Iverson (Michael McKean) and Philip Koontz (Bob Balaban) grow steadily more horrified as they watch the first film adaptation of their work diverge from their original story. As the hopeful Purim team careens toward the end of production and the upcoming Award season, tenuous relationships and brittle dreams play out in unexpected ways...

DVD Features

• Commentary by co-writers Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy
• Deleted and extended scenes and outtakes
• "Home for Purim" poster gallery
• Theatrical trailer
  

Critique

Maybe I am too young to really dig the humor of this film. My mother insists it is a fabulous film, but for me, it was a bit of a yawn. This A-for-effort production tries to bring about a subtle humor regarding the film industry; however, the plot lines and character dispersal are so far stretched it is hard to decipher the main characters and plots from the fluff. Everything seems to get a little lost.

The actors themselves gave a good performance, but the story wasn't tight enough, the direction was too rigid and the humor too subtle. Young crowds probably won't get it - or think it extremely exaggerated (and it is really). It's not a bad movie, but it is not a great movie either. I think the extra features on the DVD are much more entertaining. Watch those, or listen to the commentary as you play the film—it helps.

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No. 1 :

I didn't really like this DVD. I'd have to agree with you on a lot of your review. It was a little boring.

Submitted by James • 2007-03-07 11:30:25

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