Childstar (2004)

Director:

Don McKellar

Writers:

Michael Goldbach (writer)
Don McKellar (writer)

Release Date:

11 June 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

When you're only famous for fifteen minutes, every second counts.

Plot:

Taylor Brandon Burns, a conflicted twelve-year-old TV star from the U.S., runs away from the set - and his problems...

Plot Keywords:

Film Within A Film | Mother Son Relationship | Teenage Boy | Underage Drinking | Child Actor

Awards:

6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Don McKellar	...	Rick
Peter Paige	...	Tim
Gil Bellows	...	Isaac
Victoria Fodor	...	Enthusiastic Agent
Patrick Garrow	...	P.R. Agent
Alan Thicke	...	J.R.
Mark Rendall	...	Taylor Brandon Burns
Pamela Redfern	...	Stewardess (as Pam Redfern)
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Suzanne
Danielle Miller	...	Fangirl
Michael Murphy	...	Reed Harrison
Brendan Fehr	...	Chip Metzger
Noam Jenkins	...	Sydney Mehta
Jeanie Calleja	...	Jane - 3rd A.D.
Dave Foley	...	Philip Templeman

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

98 min | Canada:100 min (Ontario)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Rhombus Media

Trivia:

The movie's producer, Niv Fichman, can be seen sitting in the audience towards the end of the movie, right after Taylor says to Rick, "Your introduction is longer than your film." He is sitting on the left.

Quotes:

[Natalie and Taylor have snuck onto the White House set to have sex]
Taylor Brandon Burns: So where do you want to do it? The Oval Office, The Greenroom, the Lincoln Bedroom ?
Natalie: It's your fantasy; I'm Canadian.

Movie Connections:

References La maman et la putain (1973)

Soundtrack:

C Minor Lament for Arnold and Willis

Hmm. Not sure about this one...

I just watched this for the first time on my cable companies free On-Demand. I would say, interesting...complicated...disjointed...but demanding a 2nd view. Jennifer Jason Leigh is somewhat under-stated in this, and the boy is believable at times, totally not at other times. Questions come up at the end of almost every scene, so that's why I probably will view this again. But, can't help feeling I'm watching a "E-True Hollywood Story" about "Family Ties" or "Growing Pains" (what with Alan Thicke in this) at times it feels like an entertainment documentary, with some added drama that I won't "spoil". The fact that this was filmed in Canada is kind of parody of itself in that they make fun of that fact, but yet are also filming in Canada. Ironic.