Margaret Cho is a gifted comedian and in this misguided film, there are hysterically funny moments. Margaret plays the titular Celeste like a true manic-depressive. She can be sunny and upbeat one second, and then suicidal the next.
The plot, such as it is, follows her and her best friend "Bam Bam" (Bruce Daniels) (and very unclear why he was called that) as they make their way from the hellish small town they've been imprisoned in their whole lives to NYC, where they have managed to land a spot on a make-over show, which is judged by none other than their high school bullies, i.e. the beautiful blonde white people who will get everything in life.
En route to NYC, they have off-beat road adventures which involve wonderful cameos by Wilson Cruz and Jane Lynch. Kathy Najimy makes a funny pit-stop and John Cho also has a wonderful supporting part as the cruel and judgmental host of the makeover TV show.
But as funny as Margaret and the other characters were, I thought Elaine Hendrix as Jackie, the most obnoxious of the high school bullies, stole the show when she went "black" on Bruce Daniels. It was a scene-stealer.
Margaret also does double duty as her own mother, and while she does it beautifully and convincingly, she should have limited it to very short bits. She does one extended bit near the end, trying to talk some sense into Celeste's head and although it was well done, the character's heavy (and authentic) accent almost wiped out the purpose of the speech (to get her daughter to understand the value of love).
Ultimately, the film fails... and I hate to say this, because there was a lot of love put into this project... but... after all Celeste goes through, when she apparently comes to the realization that she is "beautiful" as she is, the truth is: she did not need a "make-over" (which, sorry, was a half-assed attempt to make Margaret look glamorous). Celeste is stuck somewhere in the 80s with her spiky haircut, her heavy make-up and her Cindy Lauper hand-me-down dresses. But that's who she was... and, after all the hell she goes through in this movie, the real punch should have been, "I don't need a make-over. I am beautiful the way I am."
If she had done that, it would have made this film a lot more powerful.
Margaret is definitely talented and funny and the supporting cast did a great job, but sadly the film fails because it is actually not true to itself. But for a quick, easy view and some hearty laughs, it's worth a one-time popcorn night.
The plot, such as it is, follows her and her best friend "Bam Bam" (Bruce Daniels) (and very unclear why he was called that) as they make their way from the hellish small town they've been imprisoned in their whole lives to NYC, where they have managed to land a spot on a make-over show, which is judged by none other than their high school bullies, i.e. the beautiful blonde white people who will get everything in life.
En route to NYC, they have off-beat road adventures which involve wonderful cameos by Wilson Cruz and Jane Lynch. Kathy Najimy makes a funny pit-stop and John Cho also has a wonderful supporting part as the cruel and judgmental host of the makeover TV show.
But as funny as Margaret and the other characters were, I thought Elaine Hendrix as Jackie, the most obnoxious of the high school bullies, stole the show when she went "black" on Bruce Daniels. It was a scene-stealer.
Margaret also does double duty as her own mother, and while she does it beautifully and convincingly, she should have limited it to very short bits. She does one extended bit near the end, trying to talk some sense into Celeste's head and although it was well done, the character's heavy (and authentic) accent almost wiped out the purpose of the speech (to get her daughter to understand the value of love).
Ultimately, the film fails... and I hate to say this, because there was a lot of love put into this project... but... after all Celeste goes through, when she apparently comes to the realization that she is "beautiful" as she is, the truth is: she did not need a "make-over" (which, sorry, was a half-assed attempt to make Margaret look glamorous). Celeste is stuck somewhere in the 80s with her spiky haircut, her heavy make-up and her Cindy Lauper hand-me-down dresses. But that's who she was... and, after all the hell she goes through in this movie, the real punch should have been, "I don't need a make-over. I am beautiful the way I am."
If she had done that, it would have made this film a lot more powerful.
Margaret is definitely talented and funny and the supporting cast did a great job, but sadly the film fails because it is actually not true to itself. But for a quick, easy view and some hearty laughs, it's worth a one-time popcorn night.