Canadian filmmaker Don McKellar picks at the scabs of a show business subculture, only to turn sentimental and defang his satire.
Everyone wants a piece of 12-year-old TV star Taylor Brandon Burns (Mark Rendall), whose about to make his feature debut in the Canadian "First Son." His handlers include his mother, Suzanne (Jennifer Jason Leigh), who equates her financial perks with his career strides, ass-kissing agent Tim (Peter Paige), who pitched the deal that's supposed to elevate Taylor beyond sit-coms, and nervous producer Phil Templeton (Dave Foley), whose future rides on the coat-tails of this High-concept adventure movie. Taylor is playing an American
President’s child, charged with rescuing his kidnapped father, but his on-set behavior is anything but heroic. Meanwhile, struggling Rick Schiller (Don McKellar), who's set aside his directing ambitions for a survival gig as Taylor’s driver, improves his career currency by sleeping with Suzanne but won't sink to kowtowing to her spoiled son. Rick, who has some distance on the situation, analyzes both the cupidity of the "suits" and the on their golden
goose. After Taylor’s tantrums drive off the mandatory tutors, Rick graduates to that position and gains the child star’s respect. During breaks in the demanding shooting schedule, Taylor confides to new father-figure Rick that he's awkward around girls. Unfortunately, Taylor’s has-been co-star, Chip Metzger (Brendan Fehr), overhears and decides to hook up the underaged twerp with hooker/model/actress Natalie (Kristin Adams). While the youngster decamps to play Roman Holiday with the bimbo, his entourage goes into panic mode. It's Rick finally locates the fugitive meal — the question is what he's going to do about it. Does he had Taylor's best interests at heart, or is he a user like everyone else in Taylor’s life?
McKellar and Michael Goldbach's astringent premise is initially refreshing in its excoriating take on the practice of of pandering to celebrities. But after pushing viewers' faces into a very sour grapefruit, McKellar sprinkles on the sugar and appeals for pity on Taylor's behalf — his failure of nerve is a shame after the promising start. --Robert Pardi
