Bruce Campbell:  Bruce Campbell
Grace Thorsen:  Kelly Graham
Taylor Sharpe:  Jeff
James J. Peck:  Guan-Di /
                             Cavealien Monster
Ted Raimi:  Mills Toddner / Wing /
                      Sign Painter
Ben L. McCain:  Mayor
Ellen Sandweiss:  Cheryl

Release Date: October 31st, 2008
Studio: Lions Gate Films
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R      1 hr 26 mins

CAST:

Imagine a movie that is directed by Bruce Campbell, which stars Bruce Campbell and is about Bruce Campbell.  If this sounds like your ultimate dream, wake up and gaze upon My Name is Bruce.

Perhaps the biggest homage to any actor, but then is cheapened by being directed by the actor and staring the actor it pays homage to, My Name is Bruce is pure schlock and really shouldn't be taken more seriously than the Three Stooges. The film finds a cranky, booze-loving Bruce Campbell churning his craft on the set of Cave Alien II. The movie is a disaster and Campbell is a disheveled dope.  Unhappy with this role and his manager, Bruce goes to the nearest nudie bar and decides it's time for a change.  But before he can fire his manager, Bruce is promised a real surprise for his birthday. Excited over a new project, Bruce downs a few more drinks and drives to his trailer - house trailer.  Awaiting him is the ultimate Evil Dead fan.  Jeff (Taylor Sharpe) has driven from Gold Lick, Oregon in hopes of hiring the heroic Bruce to help fight the evil demon Guan-Di. Dismissing it as a joke, Bruce goes back to hitting the bottle.  The next morn, Bruce is abducted and taken to Gold Lick where he meets a rag tag town in desperate need of his monster butt-kicking skills.  Bruce dismisses this as a birthday gag and decides to go along with it since the alcohol is free and the waitress at the bar catches his fancy. Lovin’ denied, Bruce gears up with the locals and goes out to face off Guan-Di.  Bruce finds that this isn't a prank and turns tail at the sight of the evil Asian demon.  With the town let down and Bruce headed for the horizon, the situation looks grim for Gold Lick.  But fear not, the next morning Bruce has a change of heart and decides to square off with this soul-sucking scuzzball.

Not a horror film, not a comedy, not a mockumentary, My Name is Bruce is a cinematic oddball. Bruce seems to love playing a fictional version of himself and wants every frame to be filled with a joke.  Unfortunately, the gore is light and most of the gags really don't do more than crack a smile.  The demon purposely laughable and the town of Gold Lick is beyond goofy. But with references to stuff like Brisco County Jr. and Bubba Ho-Tep, any serious Bruce fan is not going to be able to look away.

Bruce seems more than happy hamming it up on screen and behind the camera.  His direction style is very similar to his directorial debut, The Man with the Screaming Brain. The film clearly has a shoe string budget and is not meant to be taken seriously at all.  Instead, it's some weird, wacky and somewhat comedic "thank you" from Bruce to the fans of his B-movie brilliance and his two books. But if you are not a fan of all things Bruce, this film will seem like the biggest waste of time.  But if you still are awaiting Evil Dead 4 and are bent that Bruce won't be in the sequel to Bubba Ho-Tep, well, then there is plenty of references and gags you'll get.  Unfortunately they aren't that funny.

Sure, My Name is Bruce could have been better, but that probably wasn't the point.  If the gags would have been greater, this film really would have scored better.  While not as bad as the scenes of the faux-film Cave Alien II, My Name is Bruce will be a guilty pleasure and a rainy day saver for severe Bruce-ophiles and MST3K fans. 

My Name is Bruce

March 3, 2009

Reviewer: Rottenbucher

DIRECTOR:

Bruce Campbell

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