The Muse (1999) User Reviews

very funny

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 30 December 2016]

"The Muse" from 1999 is an Albert Brooks film, starring Brooks, Sharon Stone, Andie MacDowell, Bradley Whitford, Mark Feuerstein, Jeff Bridges, and cameos by the likes of Wolfgang Puck, Rob Reiner, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Jennifer Tilly, Lorenzo Lamas, and others.

Brooks plays Steven Phillips, a Hollywood screenwriter who has written 17 films. When he goes to a meeting at Paramount, where he has a deal, he's basically told that they want him off the lot by 5 p.m., his deal is cancelled, he's lost his "edge", and his script is terrible. And by the way, so were the last couple of films.

Discouraged, and at his wife's (MacDowell's) suggestion, he goes and talks to his best friend Jack (Jeff Bridges) who explains that he used the services of a Muse, Sarah Little (Stone) for inspiration. He calls her for Steven and Steven rushes to see her.

Well, this Muse is an earthly pain in the you know what. Anyone who goes to see her has to bring a gift from Tiffany. She wants to be put up at the Four Seasons, have a limo at her disposal, and health foods purchased for her. She spends perhaps five minutes with Steven, who does get an idea for a script. Meanwhile, unable to sleep, she's moved into the guest house/office on his property. She's also turned his wife into the second Mrs. Fields by encouraging her to market her cookies.

Very funny comedy with the hapless Brooks nearly driven out of his mind by this woman. And the film has a delightful twist.

Someone mentioned the party Wolfgang Puck throws for Steven's wife (Puck is serving her cookies). Steven gets into a conversation with a man who can't understand English and misinterprets everything he says. It is hilarious.

This isn't considered Brooks' best, but given for what passes for comedy today, it's practically Pulitzer Prize material. Well worth seeing.

Amusing for movie buffs

[Quinoa1984 · 7/10 · 30 April 2000]

Albert Brooks's The Muse may be under-rated, but I found it OK. Brooks has always made movies that are good for a feel-food time, and this is a good example. Brooks plays a troubled writer who needs help to get his edge, so he gets a Muse (Sharon Stone is not her best, but good at being annoying) who inspires to do things. Cute comedy has many cameos some movie buffs might find hilarious. I find it entertaining. Cameos include James F. Cameron, Jennifer Tilly, Rob Reiner, Steven Wright (not as himself but he gives the funniest part as Stan Spielberg) and in the best cameo of the year, Martin Scorsese as himself, who interests Brooks in a remake of Raging Bull "Thin and Angry." Worth a gander, but not as many laughs as Bowfinger. A

Funny, if a bit below what one expects out of Albert Brooks

[KUAlum26 · 7/10 · 25 March 2006]

Writer/Director/Star Albert Brooks and co-writer Monica Johnson's somewhat jaundiced view ofachievement and success in Hollywood is the inspiration for this movie. While a bit gimmicky and aimless,it is still quite funny and satisfies in a way he's known for doing(Lost in America,Defending Your Life and Mother spring to mind for me personally).

Writer Steven Miller has won what seems to be his umpteenth Humanitarian award for his work in the industry,and being a longtime veteran of penning scripts that get critical acclaim but receive little or no commercial reward,he finds himself at a crossroads for his career. In a moment of personal breakdown in front of his friend Jack(Jeff Bridges,very good in something just a little bit more than a cameo here) recommends that he use the services of a beautiful and spoiled woman named Sarah(Sharon Stone,very fine here),whose exact job is to be a Muse,or inspiration,for artists to do their most successful work. Reluctant at first,Steven takes the Muse in and,after running through hoops for her in ways that seem not worth the effort,his script inspiration takes a commercial(if not quality)turn for the seemingly better. Things complicate when Steven's wife Laura(Andie MacDowall,who rarely seems different in any role she does anymore)ferrets out Sarah,thinking he's husband is having an affair with her. He isn't,and the two become friends,and Sarah's artistic inspiration rubs off on Laura as well.

A skewering of the Hollywood industry is served up in the first half of the movie,followed by the last half being somewhat of an actualization story. Uneven? Sure. But the material is kept light enough to please anyone's dry grown-up humor,particularly one who value's Brooks' style.

Best laugh in years

[lamara_andre · 15 May 2003]

Albert Brooks at his best. Very very funny. The short appearances of James Cameron and Martin Scorcese are hilarious, but the best laugh I had in years was the short conversation of Albert Brooks (Steven) with Mario Opinato (European man) at the party. Although it already passed 30 minutes from that scene I was still laughing, and still do whenever I think of it. Despite Brooks latter works, The Muse is somewhat inferior, but still hilarious... and what´s the point in a comedy? To make people laugh, and I sure did laugh with this one.

A Decent Attempt by Brooks!

[namashi_1 · 6/10 · 14 April 2014]

Albert Brooks makes a Decent Attempt with his 1999-comedy 'The Muse'. Its a light-hearted film, that doesn't tax your brains.

'The Muse' is a comedy about a neurotic screenwriter & his modern-day muse.

'The Muse' is entertaining, but only in portions. While the first-hour is funny & well-paced, the second-hour takes a dip. The Writing isn't tight, nor is the pace. Brooks's Screenplay succeeds in the first-hour, but later-on, everything slows down. Brooks's Direction, on the other-hand, is very well-done.

Performance-Wise: Brooks can never be doubted as an actor. He's exceptional, as always. Sharon Stone enacts the nagging/materialistic chick delightfully well. Andie MacDowell is natural to the core. Jeff Bridges is winsome in a cameo. Martin Scorsese & James Cameron are fun in one-scene appearances.

On the whole, If you want to get Amused...Watch 'The Muse'.

OK But Brooks Has Done Better

[gbheron · 7/10 · 26 August 2001]

"The Muse" treads the same landscape as "The Player", contemporary Hollywood in all it's supercilious, shallow glory. But while the "The Player" is a precise skewering of the hypocrisy and cruelty in Hollywood's executive suites, "The Muse" focuses on the problems of a single person, a whiny middle-aged screenwriter. Played by Albert Brooks, his specific problem that he 'has lost his edge', and is fired because of it. Into his life comes one of the mythic Muses, still alive and very real, to help him get it back. This is an interesting set-up, and should have made for a better movie than it is. Sharon Stone's portrayal of the Muse is one of the film's highlights. But the rest of the cast don't fare as well. Albert Brooks' portrayal of the schlub screenwriter is the same as all his characters, and has done much better in other films. Andie McDowell, as Brooks' wife, doesn't add anything, but doesn't take anything away either. It's not a bad movie, and it definitely has its moments. But Brooks has done better.

Humourless whine

[Pelakh · 3/10 · 4 August 2003]

Albert Brooks spends two hours whining and feeling sorry for himself, and noone else helps this script. Various semi-celebrities walk in and out of the scenes, for no reason at all - it seems the director was grabbing whoever was walking by to fill in the time. Skip it.

Fanciful

[triple8 · 6/10 · 24 July 2005]

SPOILERS THROUGH:

The Muse is an odd sort of comedy, definitely not your run of the mill typical Hollywood comedy. I thought it was OK. They took an unusual premise and made a movie about it, with big name stars. It had some genuinely funny moments and the premise was a good one.

The Muse is a likable movie in a lot of ways but does suffer from very slow pacing. There are some really funny moments but also moments when the movie tries to hard. The cast for the most part was good. But I was a bit baffled by the casting of Stone as the muse.

The main thing about This movie: The Muse is that, for a movie with such a whimsical storyline, it lacked a certain fanciful quality. I'd have liked this to be more of a fairytale and in that regard, it was hard for me to see stone in the part of Muse. Not because she isn't talented or beautiful which she is, but because she is very intense and there's an edge to her. I'd have liked to see someone softer, more delicate in the role. Likewise, Andy McDowell seems miscast as the wife. I think it would have been better if Andy had played the Muse. She does have a more ethereal quality then Stone. The Muse could have been such a whimsical movie but I did feel the female casting was off even though the movie is above average in general. I'd rate this a 6.5 of 10.

Very thin and weak

[Buff2001 · 3/10 · 28 August 1999]

Increasingly there are two kinds of movies: 1. Movies that you see and really enjoy because they offer something new to you and 2. Movies that are hyped so much and reveal so much of the movie in trailers and talk show clips that seeing them is a waste of time.

Muse is very definitely in category 2!! I had seen every really funny line and surprise cameo before I ever even walked in the theater. Unless you missed all the trailers and hype, save your money. On second thought, save your money for video. The big screen doesn't do a thing to save this dull, flat effort.

Of course, McDowell and Stone are pleasant on the eyes but their considerable talents are wasted here!

Veritably Hilarious Comedy With Good Performance

[hcandersonliu · 6/10 · 17 May 2002]

Catherine Tramelle. Carly Norris. Sally Eastman. May Munro. Ellen the gunwoman. Nicole Horner. Cindy Ligget. Elizabeth Halperin. Gwen Dillon. Princess Bala. Ginger McKenna. From Merciless killer to shrewd mistress. Sharon Stone wasn't much of a comedian. In this "The Muse", I see a completely different Stone and her talent in comedies. Ever since "Sphere", Stone has been giving different but good performances. She actually can be very versatile and has the ability to try different roles. As for the rest of the actors, Jeff Bridges is better than Albert Brooks and Andie McDowell.

I would say that Sharon Stone's best performance ever is Ginger McKenna Rothstein in "Casino". However, even though I do not consider this one the best film of hers, I do enjoy this very first comedy that she did her best in. The Muse = the intriguing!

Hollywood screenwriter + lady airhead = snooze-o-rama

[tommythek · 5/10 · 26 June 2001]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** Anyone settling in to watch "The Muse" should first make sure he or she has had a good night's sleep. If one starts to watch this movie wanting for sleep, one will quickly find same.

The main premise of "The Muse" is that a slumping Hollywood screenwriter (Albert Brooks, who also directed and co-wrote the screenplay, as per usual for him) turns to a mysterious woman -- a "muse" (Sharon Stone) -- to help salvage his latest screenplay, not to mention his entire Hollywood career. The idea is that she is going to, somehow, thru some kind of magical and mystical conjuring, turn defeat for the poor sap into victory thru vegetables. With the help of a Waldorf Salad. Or something! Who knows?

The biggest problem with "The Muse" is its ridiculous plot. No, not the fact that he would turn to a "muse" for help. That's the most believable part of the plot. What is truly unbelevable are the absurd extremes our friendly schmuck will go to in order to get and keep her on his side, so she will help him. Such as buying her a present from Tiffany, before he's even met her, thereby paying to her the initial homage. Such as putting her up in a deluxe $1,700.-a-night suite in the Four Seasons Hotel. Such as agreeing to stock her suite's refrigerator with food -- not from a plain old supermarket, mind you, but from a health food store. Such as agreeing to take her clothes to the cleaners for her (For $1,700. a night in a high-end hotel, wouldn't they have a concierge or somebody to take care of stuff like that?). Such as agreeing to be at her beck and call 24 hours a day -- for ANYTHING! And on and on.

Added to all this is the idiot delight's wife (Andie MacDowell). After some initial reservations about her husband's mysterious involvement with a beautiful woman, she eventually decides all these shenanigans between her husband and the lady conjurer are just fine with her. ANYTHING that will help her husband's career. In fact, she, too, avails herself of the services of the female from another mythology to open her own cookie store. Honestly!

As hokey and silly as all these goings-on are, one might possibly -- POSSIBLY! -- buy it all (assuming it was on sale for half off at K-Mart!) if Brooks' character was in love with the "muse." We all know that people in love do some awfully nutty things for their beloved(s). But he's not even in love with her! He loves his wife! What an outdated and goofy concept for a movie!

In the past, I was a big fan of Albert Brooks' films (generally speaking, of course). Just as I once was of Woody Allen's. Just as I once was of Mel Brooks'. Now Mel is way too old to do much of anything, Woody has become a caricature of a caricature of himself, and as for Albert, if "The Muse" can be used as any kind of guidepost, he seems to either be out of fresh ideas or, if he does come up with one, he can't figure out how to bring it to an entertaining fruition.

Ironically, the screenplay in the plot of "The Muse" might very well have been the real-life screenplay for this movie. Just as Brooks' character had to call on Stone's character in the movie to save his screenplay, it's too bad Brooks had no real-life "muse" to call on to save his script for this movie.

Gets funnier every time I watch it

[soccin · 8/10 · 10 July 2009]

Brooks is the West-Coast doppelganger of Woody Allen, despite the fact that he's about twenty years younger & takes on characters decidedly white-bread Middle American Gentile. All of Brooks' movies are about him entering a critical transition period of life (or death). Like Allen's films, his variations on this familiar theme range in quality. 'The Muse' is a solid effort. Most Brooks films have funny zingers; this one has a whole filmful plus a clever story to boot, and a big-budget cast. The more you know about Hollywood and the motion picture industry (I recommend 'The Big Picture' by Epstein), the more true-to-life you understand the film to be, and thus the funnier the jokes become.

I'm not sure why it did poorly, and reading others' comments yields little insight. All I can say is that Brooks is never a fully sympathetic character--he is always at least partly to blame for his predicament--never quite the "aw-shucks" underdog. At least this time he and Johnson introduce other characters who are even more sympathetic to generate audience goodwill. Not to mention that the two leading ladies are both stunningly good-looking. Plus the whole Hollywood self-referencing is a lot of fun. Bottom line is, I believe that this is among the best of Albert Brooks' films. It has many winning qualities which permit it to transcend the Brooks formula. It shares a certain affinity with another wry comedy, "Being There"; both are stories about people being drawn in by the mysterious among us.

Light, frothy fun

[rudyardk · 7/10 · 5 March 2002]

Stone is surprisingly funny as the completely self-absorbed title character. Who knew she could do comedy so well? Also, a very funny cameo from Steven Wright, and some very quotable lines from writers Brooks and Johnson. Lots of great in-jokes, so add a point or two to the IMDb users rating if you're actually in the biz.

"The Muse. The Muse. The G#@damn Muse !"

[j_graves68 · 5/10 · 20 October 2006]

I have read so many negating reviews of this film, and quite honestly, this film does not seem to age well- so I am in slight agreement. This film is very insular, and does not cater too well to those outside of the entertainment industry with its scope of Hollywood insider jokes that would only range from the Westside to a mile outside of the L.A. basin.

Its premise involves successful screenwriter Steven Phillips (Albert Brooks, who is still able to maintain the same whiny shtick for all these years)slowly losing his "edge" that everyone around him notices but himself. After whining about it to his agent, his wife, and anyone who would listen, he goes to his fellow Oscar-winning screenwriter friend Jack (Jeff Bridges) for advice. Jack refers him to the services of a "Muse" (played by Sharon Stone) in order to help him become "inspired" again. Andie MacDowell plays Brooks's wife in her usual cardboard performance, and the more colorful characters are oddly enough, the supporting actors and the cameos. Josh the studio executive was a slick schmuck and Martin Scorsese's appearance was cool. Hal (Bradley Whitford) as Brooks's agent was nothing more than a token sit-com character, and there was lazy writing in delivering some of the jokes in this film. This is any and every dwindling artist's fantasy that works for a corporation whose purpose is to manufacture creativity.

I saw this in the theatres in 1999 and then rented it on video months later on. And oddly enough, the film began to feel more and more dated like cheap wine quickly turning to vinegar. And when I watched this the other night on cable, I couldn't believe that I really dug this when it came out. Even though this film pokes fun of the entertainment industry, it also seems to succumb to it, invisibly presenting itself as a slave to it. The film is not bad, but in no way is it very memorable. The jokes and humor are passable, but once again, it would appeal more to an Angeleno than it would a Texan.

Brooks is brilliant !

[luludavis · 13 December 2004]

Albert Brooks is funny. He has an interesting and unique way of telling story with humor, wit and sincerity. He is not afraid of appearing to be 'un-hip'. Actually that is the charm of most of his work. He has been compared to Woody Allen but I

think that his work is much more universal. Woody's giant persona gets in the way of his stories whereas Brooks actually becomes a character. He does not

play himself and does not comment of things. He 'plays' characters like a real actor. The Muse is just as brilliant as Defending Your Life and Across America. Andie MacDowell is good when a good script guides her. Sharon Stone was

made for the role of the Muse. Her energy is sexy, ditzy as well as forceful. There are some cameos in this movie that are priceless and lend an air of

authenticity to the side of Hollywood that most people have no access to. I have seen this movie a hundred times and it never fails to make me laugh.

Lightweight comedy with a point

[FlickJunkie-2 · 7/10 · 26 February 2000]

Every few years Albert Brooks declares himself God and creates a little universe in his own image and likeness in the form of a film he writes, directs and in which he stars. "The Muse", his latest creation is a harmless jab at the Hollywood filmmaking industry. The story is not particularly new or fresh, but it is effective satire in Brooks' inimitable sardonic style. The comedy mostly works, but sometimes falls flat with excess as Brooks can't seem to judge when a gag becomes too much of a good thing.

Brooks plays Steven Phillips, a veteran writer who has "lost his edge". At least that is what he is being told by everyone else. Upon relating his frustrations to his best friend Jack (Jeff Bridges), Jack confides in him that his career was saved by a muse and promptly offers to set up a meeting with her and Steven. Enter Sarah Liddle (Sharon Stone), muse extraordinaire, who in return for her inspiration requires lavish and continual attention and has an insatiable appetite for luxuries.

Steven becomes her shameless lackey as does his wife (Andie MacDowell) in hopes that she can bring both of them fame and fortune. Ultimately they discover that she is not actually a muse, but something else entirely.

As always, Brooks casts himself in the puling nebbish role, full of self deprecation and sarcastic pokes at everyone and everything. The movie makes the satirical point that everyone in Hollywood is looking for an edge and will do just about anything to get it. In typical Albert Brooks style, comedy is used to make an introspective point. If one looks deeper, the philosophical point is that "the edge" is a perceptual concept. If one is affected by the industry's negative opinion of one's work, the loss of confidence will cause him to lose his edge. This is obvious by the fact that the muse had no real powers, yet she helped every person she met. The only thing that changed was each individual's belief in the talent they had lost faith in.

The story meanders from scene to scene with no real flow and shamelessly throws in dozens of cameos of all Brooks' Hollywood friends. From a directorial perspective, this film show why it is not a good idea for a writer to direct his own material. He is too close to it and can't see the little flaws that make the movie choppy.

The acting was mixed. I'm convinced that Albert Brooks is not really acting when he stars in movies he writes. He is just being Albert Brooks, saying the words he would say if he were in this fantasy situation of his own creation. While his whimpering style can be funny in minor roles as a foil to some other character, a full feature dominated by his whining gets more than a little tedious.

Andie MacDowell never ceases to be fresh in the nice girl role. She just beams with enthusiasm and vitality as Steven's wife who, inspired by the muse, turns her love of baking into a Hollywood cookie empire.

Sharon Stone dominates and energizes the story in her role as the muse. This is the type of role she plays best, the ultimate femme fatale, a siren of fantasy and desire. She exudes feminine superiority and gets her way through guile and manipulation. No one can resist her magic and she makes slaves of them all.

I gave this movie a 7/10. All in all, it was entertaining, with some funny gags and plenty of Albert Brooks ironic jaundice for life. If you can't get enough of Albert Brooks, you will want to see this movie.

Somehow Amusing!

[meeza · 7/10 · 9 May 2000]

There were some parts of Albert Brooks' new film " The Muse" that really amused me. However, there were others that did not amuse. This somewhat creative and witty tale is about a veteran screenplay writer who turns to a Muse for inspiration. Brooks plays the screenplay writer and Sharon Stone is the Muse. My first basic instinct was dubious when I found out that Stone would play this character. However, I do have to admit after watching the film that Stone's performance was very inspirational. Brooks' screenplay is enriched with cleverness and insights into the very competitive writers' hollywood. The one story that the narrative could have done without out was the Muse's role to inspire Brook's wife, dolefully played by Andie Mcdowell, to start up a cookie business. It was just one big cookie monster disaster that is not characteristic of Brooks' ingenious writing. Another drawback was its sudden unrevealing climax that could have been written up a little bit more creatively. Now! Albert don't get neurotic now! Besides these little quirky points, I do give the marginal thumbs up for everyone to cruise and go check out "The Muse." *** Average

Horrible, self-congratulatory waste of film

[Newsense · 1/10 · 12 March 2009]

Albert Brooks is funny. A good comedic actor and voice-over talent. Some of the funniest scenes involve Mr. Brooks. But what a total piece of doodoo is this.

Why? 1. PRETENTIOUS. I hate movies that show people living perfect, rich lifestyles with syrupy families. How many shots of Albert driving a $75k black Mercedes to his mansion in BH do we need? 2. Shameless cameos by middle-aged bloated actors. Gee, aren't I cool? I'm making a movie about the movie business, wanna do a walk on? We'll nosh after wards. Don't schwitz it! 3. Sharon Stone. Is there a more selfish, untalented actress who forced her way on to the screen that this lady? Yeesh. She's stinks as an actress and her looks are the kind of scary, barren ice queen variety that reminds me of a parasite who sucks the life force out of stupid men in Porsche's. Hideous choice.

4. The story. Gee, do I care that a Hollywood screenwriter is having writer's block and can't crank out the same drivel and trash that is making America even dumber so he can support his completely vapid, boring and lazy trophy wife (nothing against Andie McDowell just talking about the story line kids)? Not to mention the weak 2nd story line of his wife becoming a cookie making sensation! Wow how novel. Another yenta wife of a rich Hollywood star making cookies! Writing a cookbook! Wow! How super! Never mind that it happens in second. Never mind that trying to sell a new chocolate chip cookie in a completely saturated market would be harder than achieving cold fusion in your garage.

Anyhoo.

5. Albert Brooks is one arrogant guy. He loves to be the smartest guy in the room, doesn't he? He thinks he's Einstein. Yeah, I know.

6. Did I mention how completely selfish, arrogant, phony and unsympathetic the characters and the entire situation is? Just checking.

If you want to see Albert Brooks at his best, see Defending Your Life, Lost in America, Broadcast News or Finding Nemo. But forget The Muse.

Unless you want to waste over an hour watching obnoxiously insipid rich people cavort around LA whining about their little club of film making members. Ha ha ha. NOT.

Good Film!

[geraldcoffey · 7/10 · 1 June 2007]

The Muse is a good example of a feel-good comedy/drama. The cast is big named with stars Al Brooks, Sharon Stone, Andie, etc.

Great film about Hollywood. Loved the scene with the guy who couldn't speak English - brilliant.

Also, shows the fraternity of Hollywood which is not good. We need more diversity.

Loved the crisp writing.

Loved the acting, especially Brooks.

Overall the movie is a good feel-good comedy and I enjoyed it. Look for the boy in the window. the ghost. Rating 9 out of 10.

Big Nothing!!

[rshane · 1/10 · 19 February 2000]

I went to the film with high hopes, being an Albert Brooks fan and truly enjoying his humour. I was sorely disappointed though in the production values and the performance of the terrible Sharon Stone. There were so many glaring continuity errors and technical glitches that what ever humour remained in the production was quickly lost. Here's hoping for a better effort from Brooks the next time. Jeff Bridges is totally wasted in the movie!!

Typical Brooks script lifted by dead-on Hollywood portrait

[dfranzen70 · 6/10 · 19 March 2000]

Like many inside-Hollywood movies, this film sometimes assumes its audience knows more than it does. This is in direct opposition to the way most of the other Hollywood movies, which assumes the audience knows next to nothing. The difference is that these inside-Hollywood movies tend to rely too much on jokes and clever asides that only make sense to someone involved with the making of movies. I'm sure Albert Brooks was clapping himself on the back after he turned this script in to the studio. Trouble is, most of us DON'T make movies. I know, Hollywood, it's tough to comprehend, isn't it?

Anyway, Brooks is a struggling screenwriter who's seen better days. The studio is releasing him from his lucrative contract and says he's over the hill and has lost his edge. Luckily, Brooks has best pal Jeff Bridges (not playing himself) to offer him a way out: a muse. Now, it's time to suspend your belief...Enter Sharon Stone, playing an elegant, presumptuous, magnanimous dilettante, who offers to 'inspire' Brooks to help him regain that valuable edge. Is she a muse or not? She needs to be put up at the Four Seasons, then their guest house, then their bedroom. She has specific dietary requirements. She's finicky about everything. And while she's supposed to be helping poor Albert, she's spending more time with everyone else - including Brooks' wife, Andie MacDowell!

How much you like this movie will depend on your tolerance of Albert Brooks. He's still the poor man's Woody Allen, but his humor can be both dead-on and deadening. Go with the premise, and you'll be a happier viewer.

In Need of a Muse

[bigswede1295 · 1/10 · 17 December 2000]

Albert Brooks should have let life imitate art and hired himself a muse before deciding to torture us with this crap. A great cast (including the usually much, much funnier Mr. Brooks)and a solid concept are wasted here. All of those directors (Reiner, Scorsese, Cameron) must have owed Brooks huge favors ... there is no other way that they would have agreed to cameos here. The reviewer who called on us to take a vomit bag was very right indeed.

Hollywood satire - but it's Albert Brooks instead of Larry David

[redcrossaint · 9/10 · 11 August 2022]

The Muse (1999)

3.5/4

"Daddy" Steven's daughter says to him, "what's a humanitarian?" "It's somebody who's never won the Oscar," Steven says cheerfully.

"The Muse" is about Steven (Albert Brooks), a struggling screenwriter, who, according to his manager, is "past his prime" even though he just won a Humanitarian award. To help bridge himself back together, he meets a writing 'muse' (Sharon Stone) to help him, from the recommendation of his friend Jack (Jeff Bridges). Things go awry from there, as the 'muse' begins to help everybody around Steven but him with his desperate screenplay.

I've already seen "The Muse" twice - it's a real triumph for Albert Brooks. It is hilariously on the mark, yet incredibly entertaining. There's a lot of things I like about this movie, especially the celebrity cameos, like ones from Martin Scorsese and James Cameron. When they show up, this movie is truly awesome. The movie has a lot of laughs, also, and a particularly clever idea and a brilliant ending. I wouldn't say "The Muse" is top form Brooks, but this is an example of a brilliant lesser effort. "The Muse" isn't perfect, but it's a gem. I like movies like "The Muse" - you laugh, you laugh some more, you're entertained, and by the last 15 minutes, you wonder what's gonna happen next. Seeing it a second time, I had the same experience as the first time - it's a savory, superb, unpredictable Hollywood satire that's a little ahead of its time. The movie reminded me of Larry David and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" - I don't need to say anymore, do I?

The script is witty.

[macpherr · 7/10 · 11 May 2000]

The Muse is a fun movie. I like the writing of Albert Brooks and Monica Johnson (Mother). Their writing is witty, fun and simple I would say. Even " The Muse" was very believable. Of course Sharon Stone was nominated for A Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an actress in a Motion Picture Comedy/Musical for the part. On a personal note, Sharon seems to be so much fun as a person. She is brilliant and funny not to count beautiful. I watched her interview on the series "Inside the Actors Studio." The casting by Victoria Burrows was great. She got the best in the industry in this movie: Rob Reiner, James Cameron, Martin Scorsese, and the list goes on. The music is original music by Elton John. Are those people the coolest?

I would have preferred "The Muse" being "Zeus's Daughter" rather than a psychotic, but that does not diminish the story plot. Normally, if you will, artistic and creative people because of their sensitivity are neurotics to some extent . One way or the other the muse helped both the husband and his wife "Sarah Liddle" Andie MacDowell (Michael). She also was a talented baker helped by The Muse. Favorite Scenes: The little guest's house that the muse was staying at the beginning of the movie was adorable. Martin Scorsese's lines. Favorite Quotes: Steven Phillips": Did you see " The Shining?" I am jealous of him. He at least had one sentence. I don't have that. Surely he repeats it too much but at least was a good one. " Steven runs errands" I could write that.

It would be more entertaining showing Al Gore wetting himself.

[jappyhew · 2/10 · 12 October 1999]

What can I say? This time, Brook's missed. I am a zealous Al Brook fan. But this sloppily written movie should replace the "Virgin Mary" picture and have elephant dung smeared on it. Then it would be at least interesting. On several occasions, Brooks failed to use obvious plots and instead, put nothing. His over-acting added to this potion of dog-doodoo. And while Sharon Stone, for once, did a fine job as the spoiled Muse, Andie McDowell did not back up the female supporting role. Her lines were bad, her acting was bad. She was just- well, bad. Nothing good. And I love her. But she stunk up the movie theater. And I am ready to say that she did not stink it up alone, the guy behind me smelled too. I am a disappointed movie goer when Al Brooks fails to give me pleasure. And this time, he failed.