Do you want to see ‘The Muse’?

The Muse (1999)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.9/10
Reviews Counted: 77
Fresh: 40 | Rotten: 37

Despite quirky and original writing, the subject matter feels too removed to produce laughs.

Average Rating: 5.6/10
Critic Reviews: 23
Fresh: 10 | Rotten: 13

Despite quirky and original writing, the subject matter feels too removed to produce laughs.

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Average Rating: 2.6/5
User Ratings: 6,424

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Movie Info

Actor/writer/director Albert Brooks turns his satiric gaze on the film industry in this comedy about a screenwriter who has hit a rough patch. Steven Philips (played by Brooks) has enjoyed a celebrated career in Hollywood, but one day he has a meeting with his agent, who informs him his career is suddenly going nowhere. Steven quickly finds himself at the end of his rope and is unable to put a decent sentence on paper. Desperate, he hears that there's a bona fide muse in Hollywood, Sarah (played

PG-13, 1 hr. 37 min.

Drama, Comedy

Directed By: Albert Brooks

Written By: Albert Brooks, Monica Johnson

In Theaters: Aug 1, 1999 Wide

On DVD: May 1, 2001

October Films

The Muse Trailer & Photos

Cast

Albert Brooks
Steven Phillips
Sharon Stone
Sarah
Andie MacDowell
Laura Phillips
Jeff Bridges
Jack Warrick
Mark Feuerstein
Josh Martin
Steven Wright
Stan Spielberg
Bradley Whitford
Hal
Dakin Matthews
Dr. Jacobson
Concetta Tomei
Nurse Rennert
Cybill Shepherd
Herself
Lorenzo Lamas
Himself
Jennifer Tilly
Herself
Rob Reiner
Himself
Wolfgang Puck
himself
James Cameron
Himself
Martin Scorsese
Himself

Critic Reviews for The Muse

All Critics (100) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (37) | DVD (10)

One of Brooks' most broadly entertaining films.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Top Critic

More stupefying than entertaining.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Salon.com

| Comment

Stephanie Zacharek

Salon.com

Top Critic

Smart, funny -- and edgy.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times

| Comment

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Top Critic

It's imaginative enough to provide a reliable, pleasurable stream of chuckles and midsized laughs.

January 1, 2000 Comment

Peter Brunette

Film.com

Top Critic

Typically fresh and idiosyncratic in the writing but often flat directorially.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Todd McCarthy

Variety

Top Critic

Satire, Hollywood in-jokes won't appeal to kids.

December 28, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media

| Comment

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Like the character he plays here, Albert Brooks needed someone or something to re-inspire him while working on this plodding comedy.

October 30, 2009 Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews

| Comment

Betty Jo Tucker

ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Albert Brooks' mildly amusing satire about the inner workings of Hollywood benefits from Sharon Stone's droll and sexy performance, but as a comedy it's too familiar and not funny enough.

August 20, 2009 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

| Comment

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com Source: EmanuelLevy.Com

Brooks' gentle satire of Hollywood.

August 25, 2008 Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com

| Comment

Rob Gonsalves

eFilmCritic.com

In its story of a terrible filmmaker, it almost manages to explain the madness behind why Brooks still gets to crank out excrement like this.

March 7, 2002 Full Review Source: Matinee Magazine

| Comment (1)

Chuck Rudolph

Matinee Magazine

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for The Muse

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Original neurotic comedy, Albert Brooks' The Muse it's not very funny, dispite being entretaining.

January 2, 2012

Lucas Martins

Super Reviewer

Albert Brooks tale of a Hollywood writer facing the end of his career is unintentionally ironic and kinda sad to watch. The help of major Tinseltown players do little to support a work wherein Brooks himself only comes across as bitter and alienating. Sharon Stone as the titular character: blech. Only Andie MacDowell escapes unscathed. Pass.

July 21, 2011