Bowfinger 1999

Critics score:
81 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Susan Stark, Detroit News: The funniest, most knowing and, at heart, sweetest movie about making movies since Tim Burton's larky classic, Ed Wood. Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: A sharp, often hilarious ensemble! Read more

Janet Maslin, New York Times: Hilarious, good-hearted. Read more

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader: This is enjoyable but thin, which is no doubt what was intended. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: Murphy is able, with the help of writer and co-star Steve Martin, to create two completely different characters whose cumulative comic impact is overwhelming. Read more

Jeff Millar, Houston Chronicle: The movie's funny enough. But you can't help thinking it might be funnier. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Bitingly funny but tolerant, bemused rather than bitter! Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: This is his first screenplay since L.A. Story, yet you get the sense that Martin has lost some of the artistic aspiration he once brought to the movie business. This effort feels like it's just business. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Powered by a hilarious, high-octane performance by Eddie Murphy and a witty, boisterous script by his co-star, Steve Martin, Bowfinger offers 90-plus minutes of solid entertainment. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: Martin is also at the top of his form! Read more

Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com: Martin may express himself more gracefully than Bobby Bowfinger does, but the two share a certain quality of vagueness or absence that has plagued Martin's entire career as an actor and writer. Read more

Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle: Martin the writer plants some wicked barbs in Hollywood's rear end about creative financing of movies and hoarding of profits, the art of the deal, hipper-than-thou attitudes and exploitation. Read more

Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine: The best thing about Bowfinger is the way the script by Steve Martin is tooled to his own and Murphy's comic strengths. Read more

Time Out: Preposterous and utterly self-absorbed, this has la-la land down to a tee. Read more

Todd McCarthy, Variety: Explosive hilarity! Read more

J. Hoberman, Village Voice: Bowfinger never hits a note of high hilarity. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: The comedy you've been waiting for all summer! Read more