Customer Reviews

Everybody's Famous!

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In Europe, the Belgians are generally held to be the butt of jokes, especially by their French neighbours, in the same way that the English are always making Irish jokes. However in recent years there have been a number of films that have come from that little country which have shown a dark and wicked humour. This film, while not quite as original as the hilarious "The Carriers are Waiting" does have enough camp humour to keep viewers entertained.

Working at a bottle factory, Dad has dreams for his not-so-talented daughter, who is forever coming last in the local talent contests. He also believes he has a pop hit on his hands, with a tune that he has been humming. As chance would have it, he comes across .... What follows is a mostly funny, sometimes cruel look at the notion of celebrity and the lengths people will go to in order to achieve it - a natural bedfellow, though not in the same class as Scorcese's "King of Comedy".

The humour is not terribly subtle but scores in the talent show scenes, especially the Michael Jackson lookalike and the blacken-faced man who does Otis Redding and also with Marva, the daughter, ....

That aside, it is an entertaining diversion in the same way as "Muriel's Wedding" was, and I dare you not to hum 'Lucky Manuelo' days after watching this!

One of the nominees at the Academy Award for Best Foreigen Film category, "Everybody's Famous" gathered considerable attention of critics, but at the same time divided their opinions. That is only natural because this Beligian film is too light-weight and predictable for all its charms and sentiments. So, which side you take totally depends on your feelings.

The story is reminiscent of the underrated Robert DeNiro - Jerry Lewis comedy satire, "The King of Comedy." A Belgian father working for a bottle factory is desperate to make his 17 year-old daughter a star. But as the terrible performance at local talent show testifies, she is no talent (but she seems to have some potential, since she can really sing at a puppet show, without showing herself up before the audience). One day, however, an incredible chance visits him. He finds a super-star singer Debbie riding a bycicle alone on the road, and inspite of his better judgement, he kiddnaps her, to threaten the producer into making the much-coveted TV debut for his beloved daughter.

After these initial events, there are some plot twists leading up to the final moment. I don't know how Belgian people reacted to the film, but I, being a Japanese, found the Flemish humors (if there are) very strange and unique. Of course, that depends on you and your culture, but maybe, I am afraid, during the process of translation we have lost many things. I suspect that, whatever the reason may be, it is nearly impossible for most of English-speaking viewers to seek for the kind of laughs you find in regular Hollywood outings.

But you still can enjoy the film as it is, and the father's love for his daughter is a universal theme, which is possibly the best thing of "Everybody's Famous." The last sequence is certainly heart-warming, but I still am not sure whether I really appreciated the film in the right way. That is because the film's satires on show biz world and craze for 15 minutes celebrity are, for me, are too self-evident these days when we have so many "reality TVs" and instant celebrities around us. If only the director developed the initial premise, that's how I thought.

The father is played effectively by Josse De Pauw, and also good is Debbie played by Thekla Reuten (if you are looking at a mysterious blue-haired girl on DVD jacket, that is her). But the father's daughter, key character of the film, is played by a newcomer (auditioned for the role, I read) Eva Van der Gucht, who clearly needs more training as a professional. She is no Toni Colette, who could have easily raised the credibility of the film several notches higher.

This improbable yarn exposes the natural tendency in all cultures to bring forward the beautiful people and raise them to god like status-so money can be made, of course. The theory being, if they are pretty to look at,and talented, then we can place them before a large audience and then we will all go home laughing all the way to the bank-because we all insist on pretty people to look at, don't we? "American Idol" is a perfect case in point-my how pretty. But boy can they act like they're 5 years old! At first I thought Simon Cowell was excessively rude-insulting these kids before millions of viewers. Those kids will Never get over that as long as they live. But then on the other hand, a goodly percentage of them have no clue that they are given a multi-million dollar opportunity for free (most tragic of all is the simple fact they seem to have no clue whatsoever that they have awful voices ,and sing off key! And when booted off, immediately attempt the crying, whining pleading...like a 5 year old ) Contrary to their haughty little preteen mentalities, they do not deserve it. On any given morning on Good Morning America, it is ALL about the pretty people, the fabulous, charming, happy, slender, smiling stars. Here, in this movie is a refreshing relief from worshiping the pretty- a poor, ugly sap of a father living in a purely functional, dead plain and simple world,- translate ugly, flat, urban landscape, with not a trace of elegant architectural design, or sartorial taste anywhere - loses his meaningless job at the crumbling, rusty, tacky factory, just to go the the tacky pub, and then home to his ordinary home, and wife...and homely daughter who loves to sing. In a kind of fit of desperation, he devises a scheme to kidnap one of the famous starlets his daughter admires on TV. His scheme is to coerce the starlet's promoter of talent on said popular TV show, to promote his daughter to stardom, and he will then return the promoter's starlet in exchange for this ransom. I told you it is an improbable yarn! We would wish the same modicum of success for our homely, lanky, surly, portly son or daughter who , really, have utterly no hope of making it in life. Indeed, homely people have a pretty dismal life to look forward to. There will be no appearing on Good Morning America with our ordinary looks and our ordinary talent. And THAT is what makes this movie a Cinderella story. It strikes a deep, and resounding chord among most of us. What is supposed to be a farce, turns out to be a love story that is less likely to make you laugh as it is to cause big fat tears to roll down your chubby, weatherbeaten, ruddy cheeks, to be wiped away with your gnarled, working stiff's hands. Since you were expecting to laugh, it will take you by surprise emotionally. You'll be embarrased to find yourself glancing around furtively to see if anyone sees "beeg stdrong mahn, weeping like school girl". I suggest you do have some tissue handy, so you can pretend to cough with a cold, and blow your nose, and wipe off those cheeks.

Everybody's Famous is an entertaining film with a cute plot that will make you laugh. All the more better if you have spent some time in Belgium as many of the scenes and humor are typically Flemish and will then hit you harder. Only in Belgium would you see a kidnapper making fresh soup for his victims! A must see.

I rented this movie the other night, and I wasn't sure if it'd like it, being that it's a foreign flim. I thought it might be hard to understand and very boring. But I couldn't have been more wrong. The only real reason I picked it up was because of it's Oscar nomination, and I'm glad I did. It wasn't hard to understand at all and wasn't the little bit boring. The story is about a loving father would is desperate to do to anything to make his daughter a star. Including kidnapping the country's most popular singer. And what are his demands? Making the singer's producer make a hit song for his daughter. The story is adorable and humorous, and I recommend it to everybody.

"Everybody's Famous" is one of the best films released in 2000. It rightfully earned an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film(Belgium). Its plot is highly catchy and funny. Its highly creative scenes keep everyone's interest the whole time. Its plot about a father, whose family is in poverty, who will do anything to make his daughter famous keeps everyone's eyes wide open, especially while he's taking action. The plot of the #1 singing sensation's kidnapping builds to a fine climax and conlusion. In average movies, such chain of events would never work. The writer's brilliance makes every scene fit as one movie. The acting is wonderful. Everyone offers their own humor and seriousness in the right times. The song "Lucky Manuelo" has a great unforgettable rhythm that should have become a hit in real life. "Everybody's Famous" is a great comedy for those looking for something unique. This will please many during and after viewing.

In looking at the blue-haired Debbie on the cover, one might think, "Oh great, a bimbo picture for teenagers and young people." Think again--this is a quirky but refreshing feature from Belgium, set in Flanders. And by the way, Debbie's actually a stunning brunette with a great personality.

As for our cover girl, that's Debbie, the #1 pop sensation who's sold more records than the Beatles, Elvis, and Michael Jackson combined. Yet she seems more interested in car mechanics rather than singing, much to the chagrin of her promoter Michael.

Jean Vereecken, a worker at a bottle factory in his mid-forties, has dreams of becoming a songwriter, and thinks his daughter Marva is a talented singer. He writes songs for her but his efforts are underappreciated by his down-to-earth wife Chantal and totally unappreciated by Marva, who is irritated. Part of that comes from a lack of confidence. She is nineteen, a bit on the portly side, isn't exactly fashion model pretty, and doesn't have much of a life. Consequently, she gets low marks at the lookalike singing contests.

A crisis comes when the bottle factory goes bankrupt and all the workers get the sack. What to do? Jean's unemployment will cause him to lose more face in the eyes of his family. Jean's younger co-worker Willy, is financially supporting his girlfriend Liz, who is going to college. Any genuine feelings towards him are conspicuous by their absence. His unemployment means Liz will have to pay her own way, and that's the last thing he wants.

It's only when Debbie meets the downtrodden Jean that things begin to click a notch, and sets into motion a hairbrained scheme that draws in Willy and Michael.

Of the stars, Josse de Pauw succeeds as Jean, trying so hard, maybe too hard to please his daughter and gain her love at whatever cost. His singing attempts are clumsy but given his enthusiasm and joy at finding what he thinks is a winner is so encouraging. And if genuinely pretty and pleasant women--as opposed to fashion-model pretty--like Thekla Reuten (Debbie) were in plenty supply, this world would be a better place.

Victor Low (Michael) does a great job as a savvy businessman who's a master at artist promotion and publicity gimmicks. And Werner de Smedt plays Willy as someone who's actually sensitive and that part of him is drawn out later involving Jean's scheme.

The homages to 80's music was fun for me, as well as the lookalike contests. And there's a funny bit involving (kind of) Michael Jackson. The songs done here (not by the original artists) are Vanessa Paradis's "Be My Baby," Queen's "I Want To Break Free," and Madonna's "Material Girl."

As for the title, it's a reference to why everybody wants to be famous. Yes, it is to escape an ordinary life, but what is the result? Part of the answer comes from Debbie and involves talent. She is talented, therefore she didn't have to sleep with any managers to get to the top. And for those real-life girl singers today and yesterday who weren't talented but made it to the top? I wonder how many of those there are.

An entertaining comedy-drama that also explores the importance of being what one wants to be in one's heart, but also fighting the odds to discover that one precious dream, trying to rise above an anonymous crowd. Jean, Marva, and Debbie do just that in this charming movie.

MY WIFE AND I KEPT BREAKING OUT INTO FITS OF HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER AS WE WALKED HOME FROM THE THEATRE. IT IS THE FUNNIEST MOVIE WE HAVE SEEN IN YEARS. WE ALSO KEEP HUMMING LUCKY MANUELO.

Can it be that one of Europe's comedic masterpieces is in...Flemish?

Believe it. You take a shot on foreign language rentals and you come up with some clunkers (La Moustache comes to mind - not even the lead actors could explain the film). But it's all worth while when you run across a gem like Everybody's Famous. What starts as a small tale gets loopier and loopier, bringing in elements of reality TV, star-making producers, kidnappers polite enough to make soup and provide other (ahem) comforts to their victim, and a proud papa willing to go to extraordinary lengths to make the world sit up and take notice of his daughter's talents.

Josse De Pauw is outstanding here as the Dad (Jean Vereecken). And of Jean's daughter - Marva - as portrayed by Eva van der Gucht? Let's just say that one year after my viewing, I still find myself - out of nowhere - singing a few bars of 'Lucky Manuelo.' She's just so likable and talented in this role. You'd never know this was her acting debut. Susan Boyle has nothing on the shock that Marva provides her audience (both in her studio and those watching the DVD) when - gathering her confidence in the most raucous, nerve-inducing setting - she belts out the tune that she'd been sketchily practicing up until that point. There's a LOT more going leading to that denouement. You simply have to see it to appreciate it.

This movie starts a bit slow but give it time. You'll be happy you did.

All this and Thekla Reuten, too - what's not to love?

This is a pretty good foreign film. It is a little slow at times but the message is good. If you are looking for a movie about fatherly love this is a good pick.