Review: THE IMPOSTERS

ART HOUSE POPCORN

(reviewed on video, Wednesday, May 26th, 1999)

    Most people know what a ‘popcorn’ film is. It’s the kind of summer film that provides mindless fun. Big stars, massive f/x, minimal plot. For me, the last really good popcorn film was “Jurassic Park”. The past few years popcorn films have really sucked (“Independence Day”, “Armageddon”, etc.). This is why the new Star Wars film seemed like a miracle. Back in ’77 “Star Wars” revolutionized the movie going experience. It created the summer popcorn flick. But it wasn’t just that…it was a smart popcorn flick. A fun popcorn film
    Everything went out the window when “The Phantom Menace” showed up. It didn’t just suck, it blew. It was awful. It was boring, dull, and lacked every good aspect the original trilogy held. With the bad-word-of-mouth popcorn flick, “Wild, Wild West”, looming in the distance, it seems like the good popcorn movie is long gone.
    Or is it?
    Stanley Tucci has written, directed, and starred in a fantastically fun art house popcorn film titled “The Impostors.”
    What a suitable title. It plays out like the definition of a popcorn film. It has twists and turns, laughs and suspense, action and sly wit. It’s a very fun film. I enjoyed myself while I watched “The Impostors”. The difference? It’s a small budgeted 30’s style comedy with no huge stars and no special effects.
    “The Impostors” is the first art house popcorn movie I’ve seen. I hope I don’t see the last.
    Tucci and Oliver Platt (“Bullworth”) play acting buddies who need work. They attempt to scam a bakery worker for free food but end up receiving free tickets to a New York Broadway rendition of Hamlet. The bad thing is the actor playing Hamlet is a hack. The worst.
    Eventually the acting pals are accused of attacking the hack actor and hide away in a crate on the docks. They awaken and find out they aren’t on the docks anymore, but on a cruise ship bound for Paris.
    The original title of the film was “Ship of Fools”. That was a much, much better title. Every character on the boat is either crazy or nuts. There are a variety of fools; two American spies pretending to be French, a suicidal singer whose name is Happy, and a crazy terrorist planning to blow up the ship.
    The stowaway actors eventually use their acting talents to attempt to thwart the enemies and save the day.
    Tucci is a vastly talented man. He co-wrote and directed the indie hit “Big Night”, which was interesting but lacked energy. “The Impostors” is full of life. It’s silly and off the wall and funny and entertaining and makes you truly enjoy film making. Yes, it gets a little full of itself towards the end, but it makes you believe again in the popcorn film. Fuck Lucas, praise Tucci. ***