Superstar . Tucson Weekly . 10-18-99

Superstar

DIRECTED BY: Bruce McCulloch

REVIEWED: 10-18-99

In Woody Allen's Crimes And Misdemeanors, the smarmy producer played by Alan Alda spouts the maxim "Comedy is tragedy plus time," and I've never seen it proven so well as in this almost-painful comedy. Mary Katherine Gallegher, the spastic Catholic schoolgirl developed by actress Molly Shannon for Saturday Night Live, is one of the most pitiful underdogs you'll ever meet in a teen film. There's no supermodel lurking behind her nerdy glasses and bad haircut; there's just a sad, homely girl whose insecurities are entirely believable. Though it's not nearly as good as Welcome To The Dollhouse, it reminded me of that film in it's unflinching portrayal of adolescent misery. Growing up as a dumb, ugly Catholic myself, I laughed and cringed simultaneously when Mary dryhumps a stop sign with a desperation so pathetic that it would embaress a child molester. It's uneven as a comedy, but if you've ever felt that a simple kiss was as unattainable as ascending to the papal throne, Superstar will hit you where it hurts (and isn't that why we go to teen movies in the first place?).

--Greg Petix

Full Length Reviews
Superstar

Capsule Reviews
Superstar

Other Films by Bruce McCulloch
Dog Park

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South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
Mother
The Twenty Four Hour Woman

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