Major Movie Star (2008)

User Rating:

3.6/10   

Director:

Steve Miner

Writers (WGA):

April Blair (screenplay) and
Kelly Bowe (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

7 November 2008 (Bulgaria)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The Few. The Proud. The Blonde.

Plot:

When fluffy, bubble gum movie star Megan Valentine suddenly finds herself broke and humiliated in the public eye, she wanders from the wreckage of a car accident and witlessly enlists in the U.S. Army hoping in vain that it will change her life. |

Cast

Jessica Simpson	...	Private Megan Valentine
Vivica A. Fox	...	Sergeant Louisa Morely
Steve Guttenberg	...	Sidney Green
Aimee Garcia	...	Private Vicky Castillo
Olesya Rulin	...	Private Petrovich
Keiko Agena	...	Private Hailey Hamamori
Jill Marie Jones	...	Private Connie Johnson
Ryan Sypek	...	Sergeant Mills Evans
Cheri Oteri	...	Private Jeter
Gary Grubbs	...	Captain Greer
Bryce Johnson	...	Derek O' Grady
Floriana Tullio	...	Camille
Katie Chonacas	...	Amber
Andy Milonakis	...	Joe Kidd
Jennifer Finley	...	Dolores (as Jennifer Paige Finley)
Harley Pasternak	...	Tony
Michael Hitchcock	...	Nigel Crew
Katherine Owens	...	Stylist
Lara Grice	...	Jinny
Travis Schuldt	...	SFC Harrison (as Trevor Schuldt)
Marco St. John	...	Morris Grey Esq.
Brent Weisner	...	Sergeant
Christopher Ware	...	Fledgling Agent
Keith Pratt	...	'8' Movie Chuck / Stoner Kid
Bill Stinchcomb	...	Station Sergeant
Ryan Glorioso	...	USO Tour Manager
Drew Waters	...	Benson McKnight
Tammi Arender	...	Reporter
Darcel White Moreno	...	Amber's Friend (as Darcel Moreno)
Bobby Washington	...	Sergeant #1
Michael Byrnes	...	Sergeant #2 (as Michael Bynes)
Karen Adams	...	Reporter #1 (as Karen Adams Barro)
Candice Jones	...	Reporter #2
DeAnna Charett	...	Butchy Sergeant
Kurt Fuller	...	Cousin Barry
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brad Dison	...	Jinny's Husband Mark
Jimmy Lee Jr.	...	Drill Instructor Godfrey
Margaret Wren	...	Family member
Michael C. 'Mike' Allen	...	Hollywood Elite 'Premier Scene' (uncredited)
John T. Billingsley	...	Family Member (uncredited)
Randy Bordelon	...	Drill Sergeant Goode (uncredited)
David E. Brown	...	Drill Instructor Churn (uncredited)
Kip Cummings	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Jon Dainty	...	Red Carpet Security (uncredited)
John F. Daniel	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Laine Dubroc	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Tammy Eaton	...	Family Member (uncredited)
John Foster	...	Red Carpet Security Guard (uncredited)
Rebecca Holloway	...	Red Carpet Elite (uncredited)
Lori Knighton	...	Drill instructor (uncredited)
Diego J. Martinez	...	Patrolling Soldier (uncredited)
Krystal Mayo	...	Red Carpet Elite (uncredited)
Lee Ann McDade	...	Family Member at the Graduation (uncredited)
Eric Kelly McFarland	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Amy McGee	...	Drill Sergeant Bivens (uncredited)
Terry Milam	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
Steven Miramontz	...	Hollywood Elitist (uncredited)
Dennis W. Murphy	...	Colonel (uncredited)
Cory Patt	...	Family Member (uncredited)
Erika Perez	...	Stylist (uncredited)
David Pitt	...	Soldier (uncredited)
Breon Pugh	...	Movie Goer (uncredited)
Colvin Roberson	...	Red Carpet Security (uncredited)
Johnny Rock	...	Recruit Goode (uncredited)
Monyetta Shaw	...	Red Carpet Elite (uncredited)
Alex Spencer	...	Jessica Simpson's Double (uncredited)
Dante Swain	...	Sergeant Bobby Harrison (uncredited)
Chuck Vail	...	Hollywood Reporter (uncredited)
Amanda Weisner	...	Stylist (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Miner

Writing credits (WGA)
April Blair		(screenplay) and
Kelly Bowe		(screenplay)
April Blair		(story)

Produced by
Chris Bender	....	executive producer
Boaz Davidson	....	producer
Danny Dimbort	....	producer
Denise Di Novi	....	producer
Stephen Emery	....	co-producer
Randall Emmett	....	producer
Michael P. Flannigan	....	executive producer
George Furla	....	producer
Bill Gerber	....	producer
Avi Lerner	....	producer
Trevor Short	....	producer
Joe Simpson	....	producer
J.C. Spink	....	executive producer
Joshua Throne	....	line producer
Jake Weiner	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Dennis Smith

Cinematography by
Patrick Cady

Film Editing by
Nathan Easterling

Casting by
Nancy Nayor

Art Direction by
Richard Fojo

Set Decoration by
Kristin Bicksler

Costume Design by
Alix Hester

Makeup Department
Kimberly Amacker	....	additional makeup artist
Kristy Horiuchi	....	makeup artist
Dean Jones	....	makeup department head
Jack Lazzaro	....	assistant makeup artist
Adruitha Lee	....	hair department head
Rose Librizzi	....	key makeup artist
Mary Phillips	....	key makeup artist: Jessica Simpson
Paul Russo	....	additional hair designer
Paul Russo	....	hair stylist
Tony Ward	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Joseph Lobato	....	post-production manager
Diego J. Martinez	....	production supervisor
Sarah Parker	....	post-production supervisor: Millennium Films
Joshua Throne	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tom Martin	....	second second assistant director
Bruce A. Simon	....	first assistant director
Laura Sylvester	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Cook Allender	....	on-set dresser
Chris Britt	....	leadman
Kevin Gaspard	....	graphic designer
Joey Gbur	....	set dresser
Stanford Gilbert	....	property master
Stanford Gilbert	....	props
Mike Herriage	....	greensman
Phillip Joffrion	....	on-set greensman
Robert Larriviere	....	art department coordinator
Amy McGee	....	additional props
Jared Pendergrass	....	art department assistant
Victoria Ramirez	....	props assistant
Janna Roach	....	first assistant prop master
Cindy Seay	....	on-set painter
John Eric Seay	....	carpenter
Hillel Chaim Smith	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Steve C. Aaron	....	sound mixer
Jeremy Balko	....	adr mixer
Alex Brazan	....	foley mixer
John B. Cormier	....	foley artist
Robert Dehn	....	sound studio manager
Jason Dotts	....	sound re-recording mixer
Levent Erdogan	....	assistant sound editor
J. Alex Faucheux	....	foley artist
Cameron O. Galloway	....	adr editor
Jason Gaya	....	sound recordist
LaToya George	....	sound editor
Judah Getz	....	adr mixer
Angela Hemingway	....	adr editor
Angela Hemingway	....	dialogue editor
Scott Hinkley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chad J. Hughes	....	sound effects editor
Jesse Kees	....	sound editor
Chris Main	....	boom operator
Andrew Morgado	....	adr mixer
David F. Van Slyke	....	supervising sound editor
Jared Watt	....	sound utility
Phillip J. Young	....	assistant sound editor (as Phillip Young)

Special Effects by
Jack Lynch	....	special effects coordinator
Richard E. Perry	....	special effects technician
Bob Trevino	....	special effects foreman
Jeffery D. Woodrel	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Simeon Asenov	....	visual effects art director
Luba Atanasova	....	video colorist
Scott Coulter	....	visual effects producer
Nina Dimitrova	....	digital artist
Ivelina Dobreva	....	digital compositor
Anton Donchev	....	digital compositor
Nikolay Gachev	....	visual effects supervisor
Nikolay Kolev	....	digital compositor
John Lands	....	visual effects supervisor
Nikolay Pachov	....	visual effect assistant editor
Nikolay Peev	....	visual effects
Nick Peshunoff	....	visual effects coordinator
Diana Simeonova	....	matchmove artist
Plamen Statev	....	visual effects coordinator
Dimitrina Torneva	....	digital compositor
Desislava Valcheva	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Kevin Ball	....	stunts
Kevin Beard	....	utility stunts
Gregg Brazzel	....	stunt coordinator
Jessika Brodosi	....	stunt double
Lena Clark	....	utility stunts
Amy Davis	....	stunt double
Lex D. Geddings	....	stunt rigger
Lex D. Geddings	....	utility stunts
Tom Harper	....	utility stunts
Danny Cosmo Higginbottom	....	stunts (as Danny Cosmo)
Fabian C. Moreno	....	stunt performer
Holly O'Quin	....	stunt performer
Holly O'Quin	....	stunts
Jane Oshita	....	stunt double
Robert Powell	....	stunts
Steve Ritzi	....	additional stunt coordinator
Christie Sanders	....	stunt double
Arielle Zimmerman	....	utility stunts
John Zimmerman	....	stunt rigger

Camera and Electrical Department
Mary Bean	....	camera production assistant
Sarah Bowman	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Stephen Crowley	....	gaffer
Sean Cruz	....	lighting technician
Brandon Dauzat	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
John Gregory Edwards	....	electrician
Rowland Egerton	....	best boy rigging grip
Robert Foster	....	camera operator
Brouke Franklin	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Kevin Gazdik	....	best boy electric
Gonzalo Gonzalez	....	best boy electric: insert unit
Franklin Jones II	....	key rigging grip
Marcos O. Lopez	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Brent Swampy Mullins	....	grip
Robert Owen	....	electrician
Declan Ryan	....	gaffer: insert unit
T.J. Sebren	....	rigging electrician
Kevin Stevenson	....	video assist
Randy Tharpe	....	grip
Tonja Thomas	....	film loader (as Tonja Greenfield)
Todd Thompson	....	grip
Daniel Tkaczyk	....	best boy electric: second unit
Daniel Tkaczyk	....	lighting technician
Tedd Underwood	....	lighting technician
Jeremy Webre	....	grip
Earl Woods	....	rigging gaffer
James W. Spradling II	....	camera production assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
John Barba	....	casting associate
Andrei Constantinescu	....	extras casting assistant
Jay DeFelice	....	extras casting associate
Ryan Glorioso	....	casting director: Louisiana
Nancy Nayor	....	casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gayle Anderson	....	wardrobe assistant
Christine Hawes	....	costumer
S. Aimee Helms	....	key costumer
Lexi Price	....	costume assistant
Giselle Spence	....	seamstress
Susan Thomas	....	assistant costume designer
Rachel A. Walker	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Prince Bagdasarian	....	assistant digital intermediate editor
Julius Friede	....	digital intermediate colorist
David Graubard	....	digital intermediate senior systems engineer
Suzanne LaBrot	....	assistant editor
Candice Levy	....	post-production coordinator
Sarah Priestnall	....	production supervisor: digital intermediate
Chris Ward	....	digital intermediate producer

Music Department
Selena Arizanovic	....	music coordinator
Ashley Miller	....	music supervisor
Larry Seymour	....	composer: additional music
Larry Seymour	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Skip Barbay	....	driver
Lance Cherniet	....	transportation coordinator: Los Angeles
Greg Faucett	....	transportation coordinator
Ken Kaplan	....	additional transportation captain
Randy Kinyon	....	transportation captain
Aaron D. Moore	....	driver
James Yeates	....	driver: honeywagon
Felicia Zamora	....	driver (as Felicia Bedingfield)

Other crew
Danny 'Dano' Anderson	....	background set production assistant
Lamonte Bell	....	payroll accountant
Kent Jude Bernard	....	production assistant
Karen Brady	....	location scout
Trang Dang	....	production coordinator
Melitta Fitzer	....	production supervisor: Los Angeles
Ashley Franklin	....	production secretary
Sylvia Frantom	....	first assistant accountant
Sherie Giehtbrock	....	additional script supervisor
Warren T. Goz	....	financial consultant
Will Greenfield	....	assistant production coordinator
Hodge Grigsby	....	production assistant
Lucia Hallett	....	production assistant
Jerad Janke	....	assistant craft service
Todd Korody	....	systems engineer
Alan J. Lam	....	production controller
Liz Landers	....	key craft service
Brooke Lehman	....	assistant: Michael P. Flannigan
Ed Lipscomb	....	location manager
Tricia Long	....	production assistant
Jamie Malungahu	....	production assistant
Amy McGee	....	writer: additional material
Stewart McMichael	....	financial consultant
Gregory McNamara	....	assistant location manager
Isaac Meisenheimer	....	assistant to director
John A. Metoyer	....	location assistant
Darcel White Moreno	....	stand-in: jill marie jones
Darcel White Moreno	....	stand-in: vivica a. fox
Harley Pasternak	....	fitness trainer
Amy Sanderson	....	script supervisor
Luke Sexton	....	production assistant
Paul Sinor	....	project officer: department of defense
Alexis Tippin	....	location coordinator
Sonia Torres	....	production assistant
Arturo Lopez Uscanga	....	scanning manager
Anthony Yuse	....	key set production assistant

Production Companies

• BenderSpink
• DiNovi Pictures
• Emmett/Furla Films
• Family Room Entertainment
• Gerber Pictures
• Grand Army Entertainment
• Major Productions
• Millennium Films
• Papa Joe Films

Distributors

• Viva International Pictures (2009) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Sunny Films (2008) (Bulgaria) (all media)
• Top Film (2008) (Russia) (all media)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  hydrascope telescoping crane arm
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  remote camera systems
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  stabilized remote camera systems
• Hollywood Trucks  entertainment transportation
• Louisiana Media Productions  production services
• Louisiana Media Services  post-production
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Private Valentine: Blonde & Dangerous (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content including references, and some drug material.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Netherlands:6 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB)

Filming Locations:

Bossier City, Louisiana, USA

Company:

BenderSpink

Movie Connections:

References Weekend at Bernie's (1989)

Predictable, easygoing comedy

I have to admit that I was drawn to "Major Movie Star" AKA "Private Valentine" mostly for the chance of seeing Jessica Simpson's fit body in a military uniform. The film itself is a predictable but painless affair. There are the expected "fish out of water" gags, the expected "rivalries that turn to friendships", and the expected "life lessons". Few of the gags show any notable wit. The film also feels prolonged, and is less raunchy than I would have preferred (some catfights are teased....but never occur). Jessica Simpson is probably one of the best things in the film. She often looks radiant, and has a million dollar smile. Of course she's basically playing herself, so no great acting stretches there! In the supporting cast, two women stand out: Olesya Rulin, who makes her nerdy character genuinely likable, and Cheri Oteri, as the toughest of the new recruits (she was actually a former sergeant who left the army but regretted it). For a comedy that's so predictable and tame, this one passes the time easily enough. ** out of 4.