Superstar (1999)

A nerdy Catholic schoolgirl, Mary Katherine Gallagher, dreams of superstardom.

Director:

Bruce McCulloch

Writers:

Molly Shannon (character), Steve Koren (as Steven Wayne Koren)

Stars:

Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell, Elaine Hendrix

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Molly Shannon	...	Mary Katherine Gallagher
Will Ferrell	...	Sky Corrigan / Jesus
Elaine Hendrix	...	Evian
Harland Williams	...	Slater
Mark McKinney	...	Father Ritley
Glynis Johns	...	Grandma
Jason Blicker	...	Howard
Gerry Bamman	...	Father John
Emmy Laybourne	...	Helen
Jennifer Irwin	...	Maria
Rob Stefaniuk	...	Thomas
Natalie Radford	...	Autum
Karyn Dwyer	...	Summer
Tom Green	...	Dylan
Chuck Campbell	...	Owen

Storyline

Orphan Mary Katherine Gallagher, an ugly duckling at St. Monica High School, has a dream: to be kissed soulfully. She decides she can realize this dream if she becomes a superstar, so her prayers, her fantasies, and her conversations with her only friend focus on achieving super-stardom. Her big chance is a school talent contest; her main competition is Evian, the school beauty, who is dancing with Sky, the object of Mary Katherine's kiss dream. Mary Katherine gets some talent-show help from her fellow special education students, her grandma, and Jesus, and inspiration from secrets in her past. Watching are Sky, Evian, and a silent classmate.

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Plot Keywords:

pink bra and panties | high school | blue panties | mini skirt | white panties | 

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Taglines:

Dare to dream.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sex-related humor and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Superestrella

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$34,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,912,743, 10 October 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$30,628,981, 6 February 2000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Broadway Pictures, SNL Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

81 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Artie Lange and David Faustino auditioned for the part of Sky Corrigan.

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Goofs

In the video shop after the _Armageddon (1998)_ spoof, the man asks Mary if she's rewound the tape, and she puts it in a box and gives it him, but in the next shot, his hand is holding an unboxed tape.

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Quotes

Mary Katherine Gallagher: [to Evian] Well, you should be embarrassed because your parents named you after bottled water!

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Connections

Referenced in Live from New York: The First 5 Years of Saturday Night Live (2005)

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Soundtracks

Makin' It - Play-on #1
Written by Don Peake

User Reviews

Much better than I expected...a really funny movie!

I went to see Superstar on the understanding that some SNL movies are terrible, and I didn't expect too much...but I really thought this was a great movie. I also enjoyed the additional surprise that his film was directed by Bruce McCulloch (whose talent as a director was revealed in his Kids in the Hall sketches; i.e. "Sausages".) I think his direction was excellent. The plot was predictable (as some like to point out...predictably) but who goes to a film like this expecting wildly innovative writing? The actors were very funny and the humor quirky; it even managed to be warm, but not in a syrupy way. This is a movie I recommend!