Windy City Heat (2003) (TV)

Director:

Bobcat Goldthwait

Writers:

Tony Barbieri (writer)
Don Barris (writer)

Release Date:

12 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A man caught up in the glamor of being a Hollywood celebrity has no idea that the production he's in is a fake. |

Plot Keywords:

Practical Joke

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Perry Caravello	...	Himself / Stone Fury
Don Barris	...	Himself / Big Lou
Tony Barbieri	...	Mole / Brock
Lisa Arch	...	Susan B. Anthony / Jiggly Wrigley (as Lisa Kushell)
Bobcat Goldthwait	...	The Director
Dane Cook	...	Roman Polanski
Carson Daly	...	Himself
Jimmy Kimmel	...	Himself
Adam Carolla	...	Himself
William Perry	...	Himself (as William 'The Refrigerator' Perry)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charlie Adams	...	Usher
Kitana Baker	...	Svetlana
Tammy Faye Bakker	...	Herself
Johann Benét	...	Himself
Neena Bidasha	...	Clerk's Daughter #1
Veena Bidasha	...	Clerk's Daughter #2
Scott Hartman	...	Bartolomeo Vanzetti
Tom Hughes	...	Personal Assistant
Toby Huss	...	Ansel Adams
Sal Iacono	...	Sol Steinbergowitz-Greenbaum
Tom Kenny	...	Gay Costume Designer
Subash Kundanmal	...	Convenience Store Clerk
Bob Legionaire	...	Charlton Heston
Eric Marseglia	...	Burt Ward
Paul Motley	...	Ernie Banks
Geoffrey Pierson	...	President of Show Business (as Geoff Pierson)
James Price
Colin Quinn	...	Talk Show Guest
Roger Rose	...	Reporter
Dave Sheridan	...	Travis Bickle
Laura Silverman	...	Frances Farmer
Tom Stern	...	Yurgi
Jill Sundeen	...	Nadia
Toshi Toda	...	Hiroshima Nagasaki
Vini	...	Convenience Store Clerk's Wife
Wayne Wilderson	...	Nicola Sacco
Julia Lea Wolov

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual content.

Runtime:

USA:120 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Company:

Jackhole Industries

Quotes:

Stone Fury: See, I've got a look - I mean, not to be so modest or anything, but I have a look that people just pick up and
[snaps finger]
Stone Fury: ...and they magnetize towards my look.

Movie Connections:

References Taxi Driver (1976)

Soundtrack:

Axes and Muscles

Suspend Your Disbelief and Laugh Out Loud!

I discovered "Windy City Heat" by accident while searching for another show, and thought it was worth a look-see. Within minutes, I was laughing as loud as I have ever laughed at anything on television -- and I thought I would never say that about anything with Bobcat Goldthwait.

Unknown actor Perry Caravello is the actual star, though, because he is the supposed victim of a years-long practical joke -- he is recruited to star in the non-existent action spoof "Windy City Heat" alongside fellow unknown hacks: the belligerent and jealous Don Barris, and the perpetually stoned Walter "Mole" Molinski (Tony Barbieri). Despite the fact he is a horrendous actor, Caravello takes his role as lead seriously, while Don and Mole -- who are in on the plot -- goof around, waste time, and cause chaos, placing the entire project in jeopardy of abandonment by the "producer." Also frustrating Perry is the overanxious personal assistant he is assigned. The normally spastic and irritating Goldthwait is uncharacteristically low key as the fake film's director, and lets Barris and Barbieri goad Caravello into profane rants and seething rage through endless indignities, large and small.

There are some occurrences in the finished product that will make you scratch your head, and say to yourself, "Wait, if Perry didn't know that was going to happen, why did he..." Do yourself a favor, and take the advice of the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" theme song: "Just repeat to yourself, 'It's just a show, I should really just relax.'"

If you can't buy that "Windy City Heat" IS a big scam perpetrated on Perry, pretend you are watching a movie that is ABOUT a scam being perpetrated on Perry, and give your abs a laughter-induced workout.

8/10 stars.