Hollywood screenwriter Steven Phillips (Albert Brooks) has lost his edge. (Or at least that’s what the 25 year-old executive tells Brooks over lunch.) In order to gain back his lost “edge” screenwriter pal Jeff Bridges suggests he take on a muse. Phillips meets the mysterious Sarah played by nutcase Sharon Stone. (I wonder how far off from this character Stone is in real life?)
Stone takes Brooks for a ride as she makes crazy demand after crazy demand. She drives Brooks to the brink, which is actually very fun to watch. What is funny about watching this story unfold is actually how believable it is. People in Hollywood are just superstitious enough to actually employ a muse to help them write.
The Muse features hilarious cameos in which some of Hollywood’s biggest names spoof their own careers. Everyone from Rob Reiner to James Cameron to Martin Scorsese. Cameron is told by Stone to “stay away from water.” He timidly makes it past the backyard swimming pool. Scorsese acts like he’s had about three pots of coffee as he plots to make a “remake of Raging Bull but with a real skinny guy…”
Albert Brooks is kind of like Adam Sandler for 50 year-old white guys, but that doesn’t stop me from loving his whiny, subtle brand of humor. This is Brooks at his best with plenty of stabs at Hollywood. Highly recommended.
