“Pretty Bad Actress” is a pretty muddled movie, distinguished by vertiginous tonal shifts, wildly uneven performances, hit-and-miss satirical thrusts, and cavernous gaps in narrative logic. Indeed, it’s not entirely clear just when this strained farce — involving a fallen-from-grace former child star who may get a career boost from her own kidnapping — is supposed to take place. Conspicuous displays of VHS tapes, flip-top phones, and other period indicators appear to be hallmarks of a 1990s period piece. Sporadically, however, there are pop-culture references that suggest a contemporary timeframe. Even before writer-director Nick Scown springs a brazenly absurd third-act plot twist, it’s tempting to entertain the possibility that, hey, maybe everybody involved in this untidy enterprise simply made things up as they went along.
Despite being cast in the title role, Heather McComb actually gives a credible and creditable performance that consistently stands out as one of the film’s few saving graces.
Despite being cast in the title role, Heather McComb actually gives a credible and creditable performance that consistently stands out as one of the film’s few saving graces.
- 8/10/2018
- by Joe Leydon
- Variety Film + TV
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