Y'know, I like Mike Binder's films. I think THE UPSIDE OF ANGER is the best of the recent bunch, and I'm looking forward to REIGN O'ER ME, but in the meantime, this is a pretty decent little entry about an agent in search of substance.
Ben Affleck has taken a lot of shit over the years, but I think he's a really funny guy when you cast him in just the right role. HOLLYWOODLAND was a great fit for him, and this is, too. This isn't a particularly profound film, but Binder knows how to stage smart farce, and he keeps things moving at all points in the film.
It's got a supporting cast including Adam Goldberg, Rebecca Romijn, Jerry O'Connell, and Amber Valetta, who does a very funny recreation of the Sharon Stone interrogation scene from BASIC INSTINCT. Throw in Bai Ling, Gina Gershon, Kal Penn, and John Cleese as the guy who pushes Affleck toward his epiphany, and you've got a really solid comedy cast who all do nice work.
Overall, this one's worth at least a rental if you'd like to see a story about a pompous Hollywood douchebag laid low, or if you want to see Affleck working hard to redeem some of the bad choices he's made in the past.
