Extreme Close-Up
Extreme Close-Up

Movie spotlight

Extreme Close-Up

1990
Movie
93 min
English

Innovative drama mixing film and video, with a teenager obsessed with watching his late mother, killed in an auto accident, on tapes he recorded of their daily lives. The mother is seen in extreme close-up only on tape.

Insights

IMDb5.7/10
Rotten Tomatoes25%
Director: Joe DanteGenres: Comedy, Horror, Mystery

Plot Summary

A struggling adult film actor finds himself entangled in a murder investigation when a famous director is killed. As he tries to clear his name, he navigates the bizarre and often dangerous world of underground filmmaking and quirky characters. The investigation leads him down a rabbit hole of eccentric personalities and suspicious circumstances.

Critical Reception

Extreme Close-Up received mixed to negative reviews from critics, who often cited its convoluted plot and uneven tone. While some appreciated its dark humor and unique premise, many found it to be an undercooked and unsatisfying thriller. Audience reception was similarly lukewarm, with the film struggling to find a significant following.

What Reviewers Say

  • Panned for its convoluted and nonsensical plot.

  • Criticized for its inconsistent tone, veering between comedy and horror.

  • Some found elements of dark humor and a unique premise, but these were largely overshadowed by narrative flaws.

Google audience: Audience reviews for Extreme Close-Up are scarce, but available feedback suggests a divided reception, with some viewers finding it a quirky, cult-worthy film and others dismissing it as a confusing and unengaging mystery.

Fun Fact

Director Joe Dante reportedly had creative differences with the studio during the making of the film, leading to a more compromised final product than originally envisioned.

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