They Shoot Movies, Don’t They?

They Shoot Movies, Don’t They? was evidently the source of some controversy when it premiered on the IFC Channel a few years ago, as many viewers were unaware that the film – which often feels like a fairly convincing documentary (despite some seriously amateurish performances) – is actually a complete work of fiction. Once the viewer is aware of that fact, however, it becomes almost impossible to overlook the movie’s various deficiencies, which ultimately lend the proceedings an air of interminable pointlessness. Filmmaker Frank Gallagher introduces us to Tom Paulson, a fledgling writer/director who has recently completed principal photography on his self-financed debut. Problems emerge when Paulson realizes he doesn’t have enough cash to finish the movie, forcing the would-be filmmaker to hit up his friends and family for a series of loans. There’s not much within They Shoot Movies, Don’t They? that works, primarily due to the incredibly meandering pace with which Gallagher has imbued the film. And though there are a few intriguing moments here and there – mostly involving Paulson’s struggle to get his film seen – the movie generally comes off as a short that’s unnaturally been expanded to a feature. Gallagher’s overly solemn directorial choices serve only to exacerbate the film’s problems, but really, the bottom line is that Paulson just isn’t a compelling enough figure to base an entire documentary (real or fake) around.

*1/2 out of ****