Stardom

R

Released Oct 27, 2000

1 hr. 40 min.

Comedy

Drama

List

42%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

42%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Dozens of television cameras provide a provocative expose of our fame-obsessed culture in "Stardom," a spicy and darkly humorous tale of a young model's meteoric rise. The result is a unique reflection of celebrity in which life imitates art, art imitates life, and the media imitates anything and everything. "Stardom" is about the power of beauty and more importantly, about the power of the media -- and its preoccupation with celebrity.

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dave s

Stardom proves to be a bit of a departure from what audiences have come to expect from director Denys Arcand, whose previous films, including Jesus of Montreal and The Barbarian Invasions, have been thoughtful meditations on the human condition. A condemnation of the media's ability to create stars and then dismantle them, Stardom is a mockumentary of sorts that follows the rise and fall of Tina Menzhal (Jessica Pare), a young model from small town Ontario. The primary problem with the film would seem to be the script, directionless at best and filled with stilted dialogue that never rings true. To make matters worse, Pare's performance is brutal and is matched by an embarrassing showing from Dan Akroyd as a restauranteur who inexplicably becomes a love interest for the beautiful but daft model. The whole thing feels like a lark for the otherwise accomplished Arcand, a waste of time for both the director and the audience.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Interesting, and I thought the approach worked.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

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Audience Member

Anti-cinÃ (C)matographique comme concept. Un film audacieux qui dÃ (C)molit du dÃ (C)but Ã la fin les mÃ (C)dias, les journalistes et le star systÃ¨me, pas le meilleur moyen d'avoir de bonnes critiques. Haha!! Mais il a la tÃªte dure Arcand! Impossible de s'attacher au personnage principale qui n'est pas trÃ¨s brillante et seulement trÃ¨s jolie. J'ai vu ce film Ã nouveau rÃ (C)cemment et j'ai pensÃ (C) aussitÃ´t Ã Kim Kardashian, Ã quel point des personnalitÃ (C)s banales sont mis sur un piÃ (C)destal par les mÃ (C)dias. Pour les vrais cinÃ (C)philes, un excellent film. Mais ceux qui aiment le cinÃ (C)ma plus traditionnel, commencez par Le DÃ (C)clin de l'Empire AmÃ (C)ricain pour vous initier au cinÃ (C)ma de Arcand.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

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Audience Member

I really don't know why so many people disliked this movie. I honestly LOVED it!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Despite strong acting by many (especially Dan Aykroyd), and a few good cameos (Arcand really likes them), the movie in itself is slow and uninteresting. Once again, Arcand tries to play the sociologist by expressing his opinions clumsily, using the same techniques over and over again since his first movies. I think that he is not the great intellectual he wish he were. The storyline, which follows rising star Tina Menzhal, doesn't bring any new or particularly original insight into the shallow and transient world of fashion.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Can't get enought of it! Ã chaque fois qu'il passe Ã Fashion Television, je l'Ã©coute. Bon, ce n'est pas un film fantastique mais je l'aime pour l'aspect vÃ©ridique de l'histoire. On y croit. Avant de faire commercialisation de la mode, je pensais que le monde de la mode Ã©tait comme Ã§a. J'ai appris que ce monde vaut mieux que son image. Oui, le train de vie est fou et il est basÃ© dans la superficiabilitÃ© mais il vaut mieux que Ã§a!

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/14/23

Full Review

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Denys Arcand

Director

Jessica Paré

Tina Menzhal

Dan Aykroyd

Barry Levine

Charles Berling

Philippe Gascon

Thomas Gibson

Renny Ohayon

Frank Langella

Blaine de Castillon

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2/4

Mar 22, 2002

Full Review

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Sep 1, 2001

Full Review

Jae-Ha Kim

Jae-Ha Kim

A model stares at the camera. She is beautiful and her expression is blank. “It was fun,” she says of her life. “It was all fun, until it was not fun.” For the viewer, “Stardom” is not so much fun.

Rated: 1/4

Jul 28, 2023

Full Review

Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

A clever and biting satire from Denys Arcand.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 5, 2007

Full Review

Jason Gorber

Film Scouts

Arcand succeeds by being both intimate and detached from his subject matter, namely, listening to the repetitive beats from the heart of the American star making machine.

Rated: A+

Jun 21, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

Dozens of television cameras provide a provocative expose of our fame-obsessed culture in "Stardom," a spicy and darkly humorous tale of a young model's meteoric rise. The result is a unique reflection of celebrity in which life imitates art, art imitates life, and the media imitates anything and everything. "Stardom" is about the power of beauty and more importantly, about the power of the media -- and its preoccupation with celebrity.

Director: Denys Arcand
Screenwriter: Denys Arcand, Jacob Potashnik
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Ministère de la Culture/Communication, Government of Ontario, Alliance Atlantis Communications, SODEC, Cinémaginaire Inc., Super Ecran, Centre National de la Cinematographie, Serendipity Point Films, Le Studio Canal +, Téléfilm Canada, The Movie Network (TMN), Quebec Film and Television Tax Credit, Ciné B
Rating: R (Sexual Content|Language)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 27, 2000, Wide
Release Date (DVD): Aug 19, 2003
Box Office (Gross USA): $10.6K
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)