# Muse, The (1999)

### reviewed by
Mark R. Leeper

                                   THE MUSE
                        A film review by Mark R. Leeper

                   Capsule: A screenwriter who has lost his edge
              meets a real muse, a spirit said to inspire
              artists.  The price of the muse's services is to be
              constantly pampered in some of the most exquisite
              ways possible.  Albert Brooks once had a great ear
              for how people talk and a great eye for how they
              behave, but he himself may be losing his edge.  In
              spite of a few very clever moments this is far from
              Brooks's best or his most perceptive comedy.
              Rating: 5 (0 to 10), low +1 (-4 to +4)

In his new film Albert Brooks plays a screenwriter who can still write funny material but is losing his "edge." He does not know what it means to be losing his edge, but he is losing it nonetheless. Sadly, the script of THE MUSE itself is often very funny, but Brooks seems to be losing his own edge. The Albert Brooks edge was to be able to write dialog that is both funny and true. In LOST IN AMERICA when his wife gambles away "the nest egg," part of the punishment that Brooks thinks of on the spur of the moment is she is no longer allowed to use the words "nest" or "egg." She must order fried THINGS for breakfast. If she sees a bird's home she must call it a round STICK. This is very funny material because it is so ridiculous and at the same time so possible. But that very real sort of humor is missing from THE MUSE. In this film that kind of dialog is lost in all the sarcasm.

Stephen Phillips (Albert Brooks) is a Hollywood screenwriter who may be just getting to be past his prime. When his latest script is rejected he starts worrying about how to feed his family. He goes to his friend, the fabulously successful screenwriter Jack Warrick (Jeff Bridges). But who is this beautiful woman kissing Jack good-bye? It isn't his wife. This is a side of Jack that Stephen has not seen before. Eventually Jack admits reluctantly that this woman is not his mistress but really his muse. Literally she is a muse. She is one of the nine daughters of Zeus. If you treat her like a queen she will inspire you to your most creative ideas and your best work. Stephen decides that he has nothing to lose and decides to make her his muse. Her name is Sarah.

Stephen starts seeing the Sarah (Sharon Stone) and taking up the responsibility of keeping her happy. Things that appeal to her tastes do not come cheaply. It costs tens of thousands of dollars a week to keep her in the style to which she expects to live. But she apparently is the real thing and Stephen starts getting story ideas that may all be worth the effort of keeping the pampered, spoiled, conscienceless brat happy at all hours of the night with expensive snacks. He will indulge her even if it wrecks his marriage. And it nearly does as his wife Laura (Andie MacDowell) foolishly jumps to the conclusion her husband is having an affair and then (surprise!) she very cleverly realizes that explanation does not explain the strange behavior. Again the film parallel its own story when Stephen complains that his new screenplay is lacking a third act and then he chooses one that seems tacked on. The ending is clearly the weakest part of the film. Brooks ties things up, but not in at all a satisfying way.

Sharon Stone clearly is enjoying herself behaving pampered and spoiled the way most people secretly would like to be. Brooks is his usual irritable character, but he has played this character too often before. He has also arranged an impressive lineup of familiar film personalities to flesh out his story.

What is unfortunate about THE MUSE is that Brooks walked right by the best use of his concept and he never even noticed it. The real story is not the Muse's relationship with Stephen Phillips. The story to tell is how does a Muse establish herself in a cynical town like Hollywood. How does she make her first conquests? How is her reputation established? This may be a story more in the realm of Thorne Smith, but it is certainly where the interesting ideas are. THE MUSE is rated PG-13 for language and a moment of totally pointless gratuitous nudity that apparently is present only to avoid a PG rating. Speaking of rating, I give THE MUSE a 5 on the 0 to 10 scale and a low +1 on the -4 to +4 scale.

                                            Mark R. Leeper
                                            mleeper@lucent.com
                                            Copyright 1999 Mark R. Leeper

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