2023 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
A Taiwanese immigrant, Jerry (Jerry Hsu), has spent his entire life saving money and preparing for the future–both his and his children’s. When his life savings is stolen through a massive scam his life is turned upside down–and all that he had prepped for goes out the window. With nothing but uncertainty left, his children, Jesse, Joshua, and Jon find a way to solidify his legacy. They will create a film about Jerry Starring Jerry as Himself and they will tell the world Jerry’s story before it’s too late.
The story itself is heartbreaking. To see someone work indescribably hard for his entire life, and for all that he had worked toward disappear is just something almost impossible to fathom. Starring Jerry as Himself uses real life events to create a narrative/documentary hybrid that tugs at the heartstrings from the opening moments. There’s no time to prepare for the pain and suffering that’s just around the corner–and I believe that this was the best possible way to throw viewers into the film. Rather than create something massive prior to jumping into the narrative portion of the film, viewers must dive in headfirst, and they, much like Jerry’s sons, are allowed to experience the series of surprises that exist throughout the film.
I love the way in which Starring Jerry as Himself is framed. A narrative within a documentary allows viewers to better appreciate the story, because it becomes far more real. Viewers are able to accept the things that they see and hear, and as they are pulled further into the film, they not only believe these things, but they understand them as well.
Believability is important in the case of Starring Jerry as Himself. If we’re being honest, Jerry isn’t the best actor in the world–he's not bad by any means, but there are moments when he struggles to convey emotions accurately–and I believe that developing something real and honest around him is the key to his success. The story is well developed, and it works to support Jerry throughout. This allows him not only to be effective, but to shine in moments as well throughout Starring Jerry as Himself. Cinematography, sound, and everything in between are used in this fashion–and as they come together throughout, viewers experience a moving story, led by an unlikely hero, but one that shines brightly anyway.
In reality Starring Jerry as Himself is a little rough around the edges at times–but it stars individuals that don’t have a lot of experience in the arena of acting. A family has gathered to create something beautiful for its patriarch–and the beauty certainly shines through. Starring Jerry as Himself is a story about loss, pain, and suffering–and those sentiments, even through the comedy that exists throughout, never relent. Viewers are able to feel what Jerry would be feeling in these situations–not always because of Jerry, but because of the support that he has around him. Again, Starring Jerry as Himself is a story about some truly horrible things, but at the heart of the film is love, and that becomes the most prominent feature in the film.
Directed by Law Chen.
Written by Law Chen & Jerry C. Hsu.
Starring Jerry Hsu, Kathy Hsu, Jesse Hsu, Joshua Hsu, Jon Hsu, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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