Monday, May 7, 2007 The TV Set (Jake Kasdan, 2007) - B Ricky Gervais recently covered this territory to somewhat funnier effect in Extras, but Kasdan's movie is worth a look too. It's a bit mean-spirited in the way it caricatures selectively: Sigourney Weaver's single-minded tv executive is a complete horrorshow, if a funny one ("He's not coming; he had an emergency and had to go to the hospital." "He's not coming?"), while Ioan Gruffud is humanized despite being painted as a similarly ratings-minded tv business superstar; the male and female leads of the show respectively exhibit the same dynamic. It's as if Kasdan took his cast of characters and pitted them against each other, with half being put-upon artists trying to eke out a career in a brutal industry and having to navigate their way around a gaggle of tin-eared buffoons (the other half). Still, great to see Weaver and David Duchovny doing comedy (both are terrific), and though the movie is mostly a blunt instrument, it has some first-rate zingers. Query: If I'm actually curious to watch "Slut Wars," am I part of the problem?
Monday, May 07, 2007 "The TV Set"---a movie review Currently: Fort Lauderdale, FL 77°F, 41% humidity ° Partly Sunny There are two good things about "The TV Set", the first being Sigourney Weaver and the fact that it wasn't (or as bad) as Spiderman 3! The premise is excellent but it isn't executed entertainingly. Possibly it would be more fun for an 'insider' of what goes on behind the scenes at TV shows but though a lot was familiar to me I don't feel I learned anything new. Sigourney's dad was a big CEO in the early days of television so I assume she knows what goes on behind the scenes as does Jake Kasden, the writer and director of the movie, having been involved as a creator of a TV show called "freaks & Geeks". I admire Sigourney as an actress for her wide range and her ability to get a character across. Here she is a foul mouthed (What is it about a mature woman like Angela Lansbury, currently on stage, using foul language?? Is it suppose to shock?? Suppose to be funny?) version of Faye Dunaway in Network and even hints at the sexual angle. I was disappointed in her performance in this movie, a lot to do with the 'outer' trappings: horrible red hair, angles that made her face look like it had work done--(Or did she, especially her nose?)--almost everything to disguise her beauty except in one quiet scene with her daughter where it shines through. Most of the players are bland including David Duchovny, Judy Greer and Fran Kranz with a couple standing out which includes Ioan Gruffudd and Lindsay Sloane. It has a running time of 90 minutes and, in a rare instance for me, will probably play better on the small screen. I am ready for a good movie after 2 bombs---ohwell, I can always go back to looking at Dreamgirls!! LOL Posted by Greatmartin at 3:59 PM
The Tv Set Is a Classic American Tragedy By Milan Paurich Although The TV Set is advertised as a satire about television, it's actually more of a cautionary tale. Mike Klein (David Duchovny), an idealistic screenwriter with a finely tuned social conscience, stands by and watches as his semi-autobiographical sitcom pilot gets focus-grouped to death by meddlesome network suits. A classic American tragedy, writer-director Jake Kasdan's bracing new film shows that compromising one's artistic vision is the surest way to a lucrative career in the entertainment industry, and the fas-*test*-('") route to an ulcer — or worse. The conduits to Mike's ill-fated journey down that slippery slope are network president Lenny (Sigourney Weaver, deliciously channeling Faye Dunaway's man-eating virago from Network) and newly appointed head of prime-time programming Richard McAllister (Ioan Gruffudd, last seen as the saintly William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace). With Lenny, Mike pretty much knows where he stands: on thin ice. She's a motor-mouthed megalomaniac who says things like, ""Original' scares me a little; you don't want to be too original," and, "Suicide is depressing to 82 percent of everybody." It's wolf-in-sheep's-clothing Richard whom Mike should really be worried about. A BBC recruit hoping to make a name for himself in La-La Land, poker-faced Richard starts out by reluctantly playing Lenny's hatchet man. Soon, however, the Brit expatriate develops a taste for blood and begins wielding the axe himself. THE TV SET 1/2 Opens Friday at the Cedar-Lee Kasdan, who cut his teeth writing for TV's Freaks and Geeks, clearly knows whereof he speaks, and the movie's verisimilitude feels awfully close to one of those hidden-camera reality shows. Mike's pilot — inspired by the suicide of his kid brother — becomes "a little Northern Exposure, a little Ed," once Lenny, Richard and their minions have had their way with it. By the time the "creative process" is over, Mike barely recognizes his own "baby." But, hey, he's got a commitment from the network for the fall season! Besides uncommonly smart dialogue and impeccable comic timing, Kasdan also brings out the best in his eclectic cast. Duchovny, Weaver and Gruffud deliver spot-on performances, and there's terrific supporting work from the usually annoying Judy Greer (as Mike's disingenuous, glad-handling manager) and former teen star Justine Bateman (superb as Mike's understanding, if pragmatic wife). The TV Set is the savviest expose of the television industry since HBO's The Larry Sanders Show went off the air. While probably too "insider" to be more than a niche hit in theaters, Kasdan's vitriolic comedy should find plenty of admirers once it hits TV, er, DVD. Sort of like Freaks and Geeks. film@freetimes.com
An insider’s look at how a TV pilot gets made. 3 Jake Kasdan (son of Lawrence Kasdan) surprised people with his first film Zero Effect. Since then he’s had mild success both on TV and film. His la-*test*-('") won’t exactly have people lining up to see his films, but it is a fun way to kill some time. The TV Set gives us the lowdown on how difficult it is to get a TV pilot launched. Working from an insiders perspective, unless you’re somewhat savvy, most of the intricacies will be lost the general audience. Mike Klein (David Duchovny) has a great new concept for a television series. “The Wexler Chronicles” is an autobiographical comedy-drama about a young man attempting to cope with his brother’s suicide. Almost immediately Mike’s concept is perverted. An egocentric actor named Zach (Fran Kranz) is horribly miscast. The networks don’t want the brother to be dead but in prison and instead of a low key comedy-drama, “The Wexler Chronicles” becomes a broad sitcom so it can compete with shows like “Slut Wars.” As Mike deals with his vision being destroyed, he must also suffer with a debilitating back problem and the monetary needs of his family. Kasdan has worked in television on such shows like “Freaks and Geeks.” He understands how a fresh idea becomes watered down and perverted from its original concept. It wouldn’t be surprising if he wrote most of the script based on his own experiences. The film rings true but lacks any fresh moments that make if feel original or different. It’s not big news that studio executives are mean people more concerned with the bottom line than artistic expression. Sigourney Weaver gets most of the laughs as the network president who depends on her 14 year-old daughter to make decisions. Ioan Gruffudd stretches a little as an executive that wants to help Mike fulfill his dream. Justine Bateman pops up as Mike’s pregnant wife who is a constant reminder that he must succeed. If you enjoy “insider” films like The Player or Network, then The TV Set should be right up your alley. While there are several very funny moment, it’s a bit too insider-ish without adding any real insight into how things work. Kasdan once again shows he has the makings of a good director if given the right script. Due to it’s playing in small art houses, you’ll probably have to wait for DVD to see The TV Set, which is probably the best way to see it.
Ioan Gruffudd, as a former BBC exec turned US suit, represents the saner side of the biz. But when the movie ends, you'll wonder why he was necessary.http://www.star-telegram.com/147/story/105050.html
The TV Set Review Posted by Jacob Ziegler on 05.19.2007 See it if you can find it... THE TV SET April 6, 2007 Mike Klein: David Duchovny Lenny: Sigourney Weaver Richard McAllister: Ioan Gruffudd Alice: Judy Greer Laurel Simon: Lindsay Sloane Natalie Klein: Justine Bateman THINKFilm presents a film written and directed by Jake Kasdan. It is rated R for language. The running time is 87 minutes. BY JACOB ZIEGLER, 411Movies I never watched “The X-Files” when it was on. As a matter of fact, to date I’ve only seen one episode of the vaunted Fox show that ran from 1993-2002; I’ve also never seen The X Files movie. I’ve only seen a handful of movies starring David Duchovny, so my experience with his work is rather limited. It thus came as a mild and totally pleasant surprise to watch Duchovny totally control a film as he does with Jake Kasdan’s “The TV Set.” He plays Mike, a writer living in Los Angeles that has been trying to catch on with the right people for a long time. He finally gets a pilot (which is basically a -*test*-('") episode for a show to see if it catches on with audiences). The show is based on a man who loses his brother to suicide and how he deals with it. The dramatic content is something Mike is very proud of and very attached to. Network executive Lenny (Sigourney Weaver, in her best role in years) disagrees. She wants to give the show a lighter tone, and she also wants to cast younger, more attractive people rather than the better actor for the parts. She says she wants input from Mike, but she wants to make changes that will render his original work basically unrecognizable. Her arguing techniques make it hard to disagree with her; when Mike explains that the suicide is essentially the crux of the entire story and he can’t imagine the story without that having taken place, she responds with, “but what if it wasn’t?” Mike watches on seemingly helplessly as Lenny and other network executives destroy his show. Kasdan never overwrites the scene, and while the changes made to Mike’s show are ridiculous, it’s fairly easy to envision real TV executives behaving in such a manner. Kasdan uses a number of insider terms that those not in the industry may not be familiar with; Kasdan no doubt learned a lot about the world of television from his unappreciated and cancelled-too-soon work on “Freaks & Geeks.” Perhaps the Detroit native is trying to exorcise some of the demons of his bad experience in TV, as one cannot help but sense similarities between Mike and Kasdan. These often result in the most interesting characters, because oftentimes when writers see themselves in a role it seems that much more real. While Duchovny carries the film and Weaver nearly steals it, “TV Set” also benefits from strong supporting performances by Ioan Gruffudd (“Fantastic Four”) as the one network executive who wants Mike’s show to go on as written, and Judy Greer (who also has experience with a cancelled-too-soon TV show from her time on “Arrested Development”) as Mike’s agent who tries to avoid confrontation at all costs by sugar-coating everything she tells her client. Speaking of “Arrested Development,” Justine Bateman (who guest starred on one of the final episodes of the series) appears as Mike’s supportive wife Natalie. It doesn’t seem as though “TV Set” is going to reach a wide audience, and that’s a shame. It’s funny and intelligent, and offers some insight to the entertainment industry without being too preachy or pretentious. This one is well worth seeking out on video.