American Movie (1999)

Director: Chris Smith

Starring: Mark Borchardt & Mike Schank

More info: IMDB

Plot: On the northwest side of Milwaukee, Mark Borchardt dreams the American dream: for him, it's making movies. Using relatives, local theater talent, slacker friends, his Mastercard, and $3,000 from his Uncle Bill, Mark strives over three years to finish "Coven," a short horror film. His own personal demons (alcohol, gambling, a dysfunctional family) plague him, but he desperately wants to overcome self-doubt and avoid failure. In moments of reflection, Mark sees his story as quintessentially American, and its the nature and nuance of his dream that this film explores.

My rating: 9/10

Will I watch it again? Absolutely!


I just can't find enough words to adequately describe how wonderfully fucked up and fun this doc is. Mark is a hoot to watch as a man driven by his passion, held back by his limited means. His family is a riot and his best friend, Mike, is one of the unintentionally funny real-life characters that you just can't help but love.


It's an incredible insight into a movie fan's world of wanting to be a part of something bigger. You cheer him on just about every step of the way. He's fearless and selfish to a fault. He does take advantage of his aged uncle Bill but Bill's sad existence ends up overshadowing it. And it helps that Bill has some wickedly funny things to say that fail to register with his obsessed and oblivious nephew.


The emotions are all over the place but not without too many pain-inducing belly laughs to count mixed in. This doc is a scream and I cannot recommend this one enough.