Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2001)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Michael Rauch

Writer:

Eric Bogosian (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A screen adaptation of Eric Bogosian's one man show, 'Wake Up and Smell the Coffee.' |

Cast

Eric Bogosian

...

All

Runtime:

76 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

InDigEnt (Independent Digital Entertainment)

Movie Connections:

References The Matrix (1999)

Forget the rich and famous - wake up and smell the coffee.

It's really just astounding to me that this film has this low of a rating. This is probably the most profound one man show I have ever seen committed to film. Its profundity is even increased by the fact that Bogosian admits that he doesn't have the answers - he is just honestly exposing his own confusion and dismay with the modern world, and juxtaposing it to the confusion and dismay that we ALL feel. There is a fault in the film, but it is not in Eric's astounding performance - it is the utterly horrible direction. Watching the way this thing is shot is like watching someone trying to perform a great song by literally acting out its lyrics. Instead of relaxing and watching this live performance in front of an audience, the camera constantly asserts its existence, reminding viewers of how annoying poor attempts at clever editing can be during what is essentially a stand-up act. Future one man show directors can look to John Leguizamo's "Freak" and the late Spalding Gray's "Gray's Anatomy" for help in doing it right, and to this film for how to do it wrong. Nevertheless, underneath the occasionally distracting exterior is an unforgettable performance for the ages, one that should launch Bogosian into a world of fame and riches...if only he were a little less reluctant to be a part of that world. If the mishandled exterior keeps him relegated to late nights on IFC and to the life of a struggling artist, both he and the audiences he entertains may be better off.