Bow finger (1999)

Directed by: Frank Oz | 97 minutes | comedy | Actors: Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graham, Robert Downey Jr., Terence Stamp, Barry Newman, Kohl Sudduth, Adam Alexi-Malle, Jamie Kennedy, Christine Baranski, Alejandro Patino, Alfred de Contreras, Ramiro Fabian, Johnny Sanchez, Claude Brooks

The idea for this film originated in the 1980s. Steve Martin, writer and creator of the script, carried the idea with him for over a decade before he decided the time was right to actually do something with it. Martin, of course, knows the ins and outs of the film industry and makes fun of everything and everyone. Whether it’s the dumb blonde who thinks she’s working her way up by sleeping with everyone else or recruiting Mexican refugees as a cheap film crew.

Director and friend Frank Oz did a good job of translating the script to the silver screen, giving the lead actors a free hand to improvise during filming. Especially Eddie Murphy, who plays a double role, has gratefully made use of this. Jiff’s appearance is completely his. He came up with the clothes and braces to color this character. The portrayal of Jiff is one of Eddie’s best acting performances. The other character played by him is Kit Ramsey, a paranoid and insane top actor. The two characters are at odds with each other, but he also knows how to make a beautiful creation of Kit. In addition to Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin is the one who, with his interpretation of the character Bowfinger, manages to lift the film to a high level. He knows how to portray the manipulative director in such a way that you even start to sympathize with his actions.

‘Bowfinger’ is a film that portrays the hypocritical side of Hollywood in a very humorous way, but also about a group of people who want to realize their dream at all costs. The film sometimes balances on the edge of a farce, but the strong one-liners and dialogues keep it in balance.