(rated PG-13, 120mins.)
The tag line: “a star is—created”. Not quite. In this contemporary satire of Hollywood, the question is who is Simone? Is she real or digital? When the movie ends, it’s hard to tell, nor will you care. Al Pacino plays a disillusioned director whose ex-wife (Catherine Kenner) dumps him along with the studio she runs when a human star, (Winona Ryder), walks out on his picture. With no place to turn he creates the first totally believable, synthetic, actress thanks to computers. In a world of overnight stardom with young celebrities more interested in image than art, Pacino proves he too can remain a success through his artificial actress. Always too busy for appearances, interviews or closeups, this behavior only entices agents, managers and publicists who clamor for her attention. Jason Schwartzmann annoyingly portrays one of the paparazzi rah-rah types. Written and directed by Andrew Niccol, the same man who brought us the unusual “Truman Show”, with similar flavor of a world inside a world in media fascination and pop culture. Pacino is a great actor, and gives as much as he can possibly deliver to a role that has a foolish premise in the first place. As for Simone herself, the audience won’t feel connected. But how can they be; she’s not real. (Although she’s played by newcomer Rachel Roberts.)