American Movie

A behind-the-scenes documentary about a man in Wisconsin who is trying to make a movie. He gets all his friends and family involved, borrows large amounts of cash to fund it, and it becomes his whole life for three years.

There’s no doubt that is this an offbeat cast of characters for a documentary, it’s almost too good to be true and feels more like a mockumentary. There’s the overly serious writer/director. The spaced out best friend. The grumpy uncle reluctantly financing the whole thing. The long suffering parents giving up their house to be used as a film set.

Initially I wondered it if it might be a little exploitative - it’s easy to sneer at the delusions of grandeur on display. However you quickly realise that the film is rooting for its characters rather than laughing at them. It’s really funny and really weird, but is also a sensitive and carefully made look into these people’s lives.