''See This Movie'' is a 2004 comedy film written by David M. Rosenthal and Joseph Matthew Smith, and directed by Rosenthal. The film stars
Seth Meyers
Seth Adam Meyers (born December 28, 1973) is an American comedian, television host, writer, actor, and producer. He hosts ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'', a late-night talk show on NBC. Prior to hosting Late Night, he was a cast member on NBC's ...
and
John Cho
John Cho (born Cho Yo-Han; June 16, 1972) is an American actor known for his roles as Harold Lee in the '' Harold & Kumar'' films, and Hikaru Sulu in the ''Star Trek'' rebooted film series as well as '' Better Luck Tomorrow'', '' Columbus'', a ...
, and also features
Jessica Paré
Jessica Paré (born December 5, 1980) is a Canadian actress and musician known for her co-starring roles on the AMC series '' Mad Men'' and the CBS series '' SEAL Team''. She has also appeared in the films '' Stardom'' (2000), '' Lost and Del ...
Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Sarah Gilsig (born November 30, 1971) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles as Meredith Gordon in ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'', Kayley in ''Quest for Camelot'', Lauren Davis in ''Boston Public'', Gina Russo in ...
, with
cameo appearance
A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
s by
Patton Oswalt
Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His acting roles include Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–2023) as adult ...
,
Miguel Arteta
Miguel Arteta (born August 29, 1965) is a Puerto Rican filmmaker known for his work in independent cinema and television. His film ''Chuck & Buck'' (2000) received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature made for under $500,000, while '' ...
, and the film's executive producers
Chris Weitz
Christopher John Weitz (; born November 30, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother Paul on the comedy films '' American Pie'' and '' About a Boy''; the latter earned ...
and Paul Weitz.
The plot revolves around two inept filmmakers who con their way into the
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival (), commonly abbreviated MWFF in English or FFM in French, was an annual film festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1977 to 2019.Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
and in
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
during and with the cooperation of the actual 2003
Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival (), commonly abbreviated MWFF in English or FFM in French, was an annual film festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from 1977 to 2019. Festival organizers gave the filmmakers access to all festival events and locations, and even programmed a screening for the film-within-a-film during which festival-goers screened an assembly cut of the film, and got to "play" the audience in the screening scene as it was being shot.
Plot
After graduating from a three-day film school, 29-year-old aspiring filmmaker Jake Barrymore and classmate Larry Finkelstein recognise Jake’s ex-girlfriend, Annie, as the Montreal World Film Festival programmer. Jake decides to go there with a new movie of theirs, to be made in the next three weeks. Larry, less optimistic about the plan, agrees to produce whilst Jake calls Annie to tell her that he has finally directed a groundbreaking film for her to premiere. Annie is however unable to take the film unless it is sent immediately, hanging up. Jake pretends to continue the conversation and tells Larry that Annie has accepted their film.
The two approach their film school teacher Martin with their film idea, a dramatic
mockumentary
A mockumentary (a portmanteau of ''mock'' and ''documentary'') is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events, but presented as a Documentary film, documentary. Mockumentaries are often used to analyze or comment on current event ...
. Jake convinces him to edit their film, assuring that they indeed have a place in the festival and that he will not screw over Martin. To convince Annie to screen his film, Jake claims that he is dying from a tumour in his head.
Jake, Larry, Martin and an actress Samantha, arrive in Montreal and meet up with Annie. Annie asks for the film, to which Larry lies that they’d sent it overnight. Jake admits he was lying about his tumour, but programs have already been printed so Annie is forced to go through with their premiere, telling Jake to stick with the lie to everyone he encounters. Checking into the festival, they find out they have also been assigned to participate in a symposium.
Jake continues to audition for the cast, whilst Martin questions Jake’s actual plan, which is to shoot a few key scenes (fight, love, and redemption), then improvise the rest of the film. Martin kisses Jake, coming out as
bisexual
Bisexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior toward both males and females. It may also be defined as the attraction to more than one gender, to people of both the same and different gender, or the attraction t ...
, and is rejected.
Production is plagued by Jake’s ego, a lack of planning, and the festival chasing them for the film itself. Larry steals a random tape and hands it in as their film, whilst Samantha pretends to be in a relationship with Jake to make Annie jealous.
At a party, a drunk Samantha kisses Jake, who abandons her to try and fail to win Annie back. Samantha then kisses Martin, who ensures footage is captured of it. Jake reacts negatively to the footage, claiming it isn’t professional.
The next day before shooting a scene, Samantha offers an irate Jake some drugs, under the guise of Vitamin E, to relax him. Meanwhile, Larry confides in Martin about his discomfort and stress as a first-time producer. Jake, now very high, shoots his scene, making out with Samantha for several takes. Afterwards, Jake and Larry arrive late for their symposium. Jake rambles passionately about filmmaking and death, to which the audience responds positively. Jake and Annie reconcile that night and have sex only for Jake to prematurely finish.
Jake apologises to Annie the next day at a bar, where she reveals she is not as serious about reconciling as he was. Jake then follows Samantha outside, leaving Annie frustrated. She then kisses and has sex with Martin. Outside, Jake confronts Sam, who is with her drug dealer, about the nature of their relationship after their love scene, and is rejected. Jake wanders the streets of Montreal. Larry tells Martin to never tell Jake about him and Annie.
The next day, before shooting their final scene, Samantha tells Jake she’s leaving, criticising Jake’s directing style, and revealing that she came to Montreal to sell drugs. Jake blackmails Samantha into staying. Whilst shooting a fight scene, Samantha’s drug dealer interrupts the scene, getting into a real fight with the cast and crew. Martin knocks him out, and Samantha, attracted to this, kisses him. Jake gets angry at Martin for ruining the fight scene, who in retaliation reveals that he had sex with Annie. Jake fires Martin, then apologises to Annie, who convinces him to keep Martin.
After being unable to find Martin, Jake, Larry and Annie meet up outside their screening, where Jake reveals to Annie that the film does not exist. Jake speaks to the audience about his insecurities as a filmmaker and as a friend, apologising for failing to have a film. To his surprise, Martin from the projection room begins screening a film: footage of the making of Jake’s initial film, proceeded by an introduction of himself accepting Jake’s humility.
Jake and Larry watch the positive reception from outside the cinema. Jake wonders why Martin stayed, and Larry reveals he had sex with him. Annie tells Jake that her colleagues are intrigued by the film and that she may get a promotion, and agrees to reconcile with Jake so long as he stops making more films.
Cast
*Jake Barrymore, played by
Seth Meyers
Seth Adam Meyers (born December 28, 1973) is an American comedian, television host, writer, actor, and producer. He hosts ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'', a late-night talk show on NBC. Prior to hosting Late Night, he was a cast member on NBC's ...
*Larry Finkelstein, played by
John Cho
John Cho (born Cho Yo-Han; June 16, 1972) is an American actor known for his roles as Harold Lee in the '' Harold & Kumar'' films, and Hikaru Sulu in the ''Star Trek'' rebooted film series as well as '' Better Luck Tomorrow'', '' Columbus'', a ...
*Martin Hughes, played by Jim Piddock
*Annie Nicole, played by
Jessalyn Gilsig
Jessalyn Sarah Gilsig (born November 30, 1971) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her roles as Meredith Gordon in ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'', Kayley in ''Quest for Camelot'', Lauren Davis in ''Boston Public'', Gina Russo in ...
*Samantha, played by
Jessica Paré
Jessica Paré (born December 5, 1980) is a Canadian actress and musician known for her co-starring roles on the AMC series '' Mad Men'' and the CBS series '' SEAL Team''. She has also appeared in the films '' Stardom'' (2000), '' Lost and Del ...
*Todd Stone, played by Rylan Wilkie
*Felix, played by
Patton Oswalt
Patton Peter Oswalt (born January 27, 1969) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. His acting roles include Spence Olchin in the sitcom ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007) and narrating the sitcom '' The Goldbergs'' (2013–2023) as adult ...
*Winner of the 2004 Malibu Film Festival Best of the Festival
*Winner of the 2004 Malibu Film Festival Andy Dick Film Scholarship Award
*Official Selection of the 2004
Sedona Film Festival
The Sedona International Film Festival (SIFF) is an annual, eight-day film festival in Sedona, Arizona. The festival was founded in 1994.
History
In 2023, the festival was listed on ''MovieMakers "20 Great Film Festivals in Vacation Destinat ...