Being Michael Madsen

A lot to like here
Being Michael Madsen is a fun mockumentary and satirical commentary on media message distortion and tabloids.

Madsen (along with the others) leads the film in a mock interview detailing the events that led him to hiring his own team of filmmakers to catalog a paparazzi's life in the same way his life has been cataloged and intruded upon. The message here is that you can make anyone into the character you want them to be in the mass media and the general public will eat it up. As Madsen states in the film "If you read something enough times, you start to believe it's real."

What I find most humorous about it all is the way Madsen exploits this flaw in mass media while also doing the same with "Being Michael Madsen". The film is an exposition of tabloid distortion while it is really no different in-of-itself. We get to see the tables turned on the man spreading rumors about Madsen in what is presented as setting the record straight; really, it is only rewriting it...

"Michael has been perfecting that persona of 'badboy' since he was 12."
Before Being Michael Madsen was making rounds in the festival circuit, two young gals came into the store where I work asking for ANY DVD that starred Madsen. "He's just the coolest, hottest guy ever!" they gushed. I informed them that I knew of a film called Being Michael Madsen that would be released some day, and their eyes just lit up, making sure they wrote that title down. I still smile when I think of that, now having seen the film when it was screened at the Dances With Films festival in June of 2009 in Los Angeles. I can now say I agree with those gals, and while this film seems to be about Michael it's obvious everyone else is getting their share of the fun. He has some good competition with his sister Virginia here as well. Michael is so cool you want him to be your pal, though you might get the feeling he still could punch you. But you'd appreciate that he did.

Director/writer Michael Mongillo has done something I've always wished would happen: turn the tables...

Laugh until you're on the floor funny
Michael Mongillo broke the mold making this film. It is one of the few laugh-out-loud films that had me trying to catch my breath by the end. I was lucky enough to see a screening in Denver a few years ago, and I continue to talk about this film. It is an amazing take on celebrity life and some of the best material comes from Madsen's own friends & family. I've ordered my copy early & can't wait to see the film again. It is amazing!!

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