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Despite quirky and original writing, the subject matter feels too removed to produce laughs.
All Critics (78) | Top Critics (25) | Fresh (41) | Rotten (37) | DVD (4)
"The Muse'' is an intelligent, undemanding comedy. Jun 12, 2018 | Full Review…
"The Muse'' is an intelligent, undemanding comedy.
Hillel Italie
Quietly, consistently amusing. Jan 1, 2000
Quietly, consistently amusing.
Philip Wuntch
There are bits in this movie that are so bright, so amusing and so truly, madly, deeply tied to a life most of us will never know, that you can't help watching the film with fascination. Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/4
There are bits in this movie that are so bright, so amusing and so truly, madly, deeply tied to a life most of us will never know, that you can't help watching the film with fascination.
Susan Stark
The Muse is as consistently funny as it is smartly tooled. Jan 1, 2000
The Muse is as consistently funny as it is smartly tooled.
J. Hoberman
The list of great moments is virtually endless! Jan 1, 2000 | Rating: 5/5 | Full Review…
The list of great moments is virtually endless!
Desson Thomson
It's imaginative enough to provide a reliable, pleasurable stream of chuckles and midsized laughs. Jan 1, 2000
It's imaginative enough to provide a reliable, pleasurable stream of chuckles and midsized laughs.
Peter Brunette
Satire, Hollywood in-jokes won't appeal to kids. Dec 28, 2010 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…
Satire, Hollywood in-jokes won't appeal to kids.
Nell Minow
Like the character he plays here, Albert Brooks needed someone or something to re-inspire him while working on this plodding comedy. Oct 30, 2009 | Full Review…
Like the character he plays here, Albert Brooks needed someone or something to re-inspire him while working on this plodding comedy.
Betty Jo Tucker
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. Aug 20, 2009 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
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.
Emanuel Levy
Brooks' gentle satire of Hollywood. Aug 25, 2008 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…
Brooks' gentle satire of Hollywood.
Rob Gonsalves
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. Mar 7, 2002 | Rating: short | Full Review…
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.
Chuck Rudolph
Squeezes out plenty of laughs at the expense of the Hollywood film community. Feb 28, 2002 | Full Review…
Squeezes out plenty of laughs at the expense of the Hollywood film community.
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Original neurotic comedy, Albert Brooks' The Muse it's not very funny, dispite being entretaining.
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.
I normally like Albert Brooks's films. Obviously Broadcast News and Defending Your Life are fantastic, and in those films, his neurotic, Woody Allen demeanor is charming, clever, and funny. But here he's just annoying and occasionally he's almost creepily over-bearing. As a film, The Muse has a lot of wasted time spent on people driving in the "beautiful" plasticity of L.A. and banal dialogue like "You should call him." [Dramatic pause.] "I'll call him." A film exploring the writing process might have been more interesting, but like his character, I fear Brooks has lost his edge.
It's gentle, warm and funny rather than being a hilarious attack on Hollywood. Yes it captures the natures of Hollywood fads and the shallow nature of the industry, but never in a convincing way. This isn't ALtman's The Player. Some celebrity cameos are quite funny with Cameron and Scorsese parodying themselves, but they do feel rather thrown in at the last minute. Not enough of Bridges, who can own any film, and Brooks just comes off as whiny and stupid. Perhaps it could have been better if the screenplay to Brooks' movie within a movie sounded any good, but all Stone can inspire is a tepid Hollywood idea like so many others.
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