Sadly, this extends to Popovich himself as well. So much about his characterization, the way he looks, and his apparent confusion by how certain things in this world work makes viewers question how he ever got to be an adult. Popovich: Road To Hollywood would be more successful in this route if he were a time-displaced silent movie star moved to modern-day, or a literal fictional character come to life a la The Purple Rose Of Cairo, though much less disheartening. That way, the only period piece would be him, so much of the confusion of the (lack of) world-building would dissipate, allowing audiences to better engage with the numerous gags, pratfalls, and dramatics on display.
Despite all the complaints just listed (though they all stem from the same fundamental flaw), the production works rather well. Namely, this is because Gregory Popovich, a Las Vegas star, is stunning in the role. Although the character as written has issues, his performance is sweet, endearing, and jaw-dropping. It takes a very skilled and highly athletic person to pull off the various feats on display, and Popovich does so with grace and ease. Some highlights include a swinging pallet of bricks being hidden from the foreman, a Keystone Cop-esque chase that leads to the statue’s destruction, and a flood of animals in the restaurant that is hilarious. At every turn, Popovich proves capable of generating laughs with nothing more than a shrug or look.
“…Gregory Popovich…is stunning…”
It certainly helps that Popovich: Road To Hollywood is populated with an equally strong supporting cast. Calcutt is charming as the caring Sarah, and Slonina plays the stiff upper crust lady with the right amount of indignation and cunning. In addition, Joey Ciccone has a rather fun cameo near the end, generating a big laugh with just one line: “I’m a theatrical guy.”
Plus, Thompson and Popovich are solid directors. The filmmakers have a lot of fun playing around with different styles. For example, when Popovich and Sarah go on a date, the film becomes a full-on silent movie, in black and white with interstitials and the like. It is a charming touch that gives the production the true throwback identity it fails at attaining in other ways. The title is less than 90 minutes long, and nothing ever drags, as it is one character beat or astonishing gag after another. Plus, their command of tone is of the utmost importance so that when the drama (a speech from Sarah to Popovich) does hit, it doesn’t come out of nowhere and feels organic to the story.
The performances in Popovich: Road To Hollywood overcome any flaws of the film, as everyone is sweet and fun. Most importantly, though, is that Gregory Popovich remarkably and admirably pulls off each stunt, gag, pratfall, and joke.
"…intentionally harkens back to comedy classics of yesteryear..."
