Screen Scenes: The Impostors

Chris is sick this weekend, so I'm getting to spend some time going through DVDs I got at the local Hollywood Video's going out of business sale. One of the gems I found was something I've been looking for ever since I first borrowed a copy from the library: The Impostors.

I have loved Stanley Tucci ever since I first saw him as Muerte in Undercover Blues, so discovering this gem (written and directed by him) was a real treat for me.

If you read the reviews at IMDB, it should become clear very quickly that people either love or hate this movie, with a small handful giving credit for the attempt. I think it's brilliant. It is filled with slapstick, witty dialog, and subtle details that make it even funnier the second time around.

For me, this movie works on several levels. It is an homage to the legends of early film comedy: Chaplin, Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Abbott and Costello, and the Marx Brothers. Perhaps more importantly, it is a self-aware celebration of the craft of acting.

My rating: 5 stags.