Available Now

Author(s): Zgamer
Location: Eagle, ID

“Available Now”

Distributed by: Warner Independent Pictures
Produced by: Karen Murphy
Directed by: Christopher Guest
Written by: Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy

Principal Cast:

Harry Shearer as Michael Finnegan
Fred Willard as Reggis Newman
Colin Mochrie as Lawrence Porter
Mena Suvari as Betty Goodman
Catherine O’Hara as Alice Robertson
Eugene Levy as Peter Washington
Christopher Guest as Gary Taylor

Tagline: "As probably seen on TV"

Release Date: February 15, 2007

Genre: Comedy

Rating: Pg-13 for sexual references, language, and some partial nudity

Synopsis: It’s the 1950’s. The entertainment industry continues its barrage on the public. Theater is the pinnacle of visual entertainment and radio continues to broadcast its music and advertisements to the public. However, this would all soon change with the invention of a new device that will put all of those mediums in their place. A small wooden box capable of both visual and audio proficiency. A device called the television.

This leads to the dilemma of one Michael Finnegan (Shearer). For many years, Finnegan Advertising has been the leader in radio commercials, providing many catchy jingles and witty banter to great commercials all over the airwaves. Unfortunately, this changed with the arrival of his producer Peter Washington (Levy) to be the bearer of bad news. Finnegan has been hired to produce a new string of commercials for a new entertainment device known as the T.V. However, not only is he not prepared for this new medium of advertising, he has to do it for one of the most unmarketable products out there…liver.

To make matters worse, the boss of the liver company (Willard) and his new T.V. producer (Guest) have caused a bit of a predicament for him. Providing him a shoestring budget and a strange assortment of actors; including a narcissistic former radio news anchor (Mochrie), a no talent beauty (Suvari) and a woman who can sing great but is has an unmarketable face (O’Hara), Finnegan has a week to come up with a new marketing campaign for his new sponsor. Can he make it work?

What the press would say:

Yeah, we’ve all seen the movie about the pressure of those with power and the hell that is the entertainment world. However, no movie so far has been able to show it in such a way like this. Only a director like Guest could blend these negatives with a delicious amount of offbeat humor and a great sense of time in its 50’s setting. Guest and Levy’s script is full of witty dialogue that would catch those without humor off-guard.

One of the best aspects of the film is the cast. As usual, the Guest regulars give great performances, whether in big or small roles. Shearer and Willard in particular do a great job. Shearer, as the lead character, gives us a character to laugh at and to sympathize with his plight, even if it is kind of pathetic. Willard on the other hand single handedly tears at the corporate world as the wittily sarcastic and merciless boss of the worse possible food to try and advertise for. Surprisingly, some of the best performances are given by newcomers to the Guest crew, especially from “Who’s Line Is It Anyways” veteran Colin Mochrie, who is a riot as an obnoxiously funny character who could well be a character in any of the “Weird Newscaster” games from his show.

Guest has returned to the public to show why he rules when it comes to offbeat comedy.

Possible Nominations

Best Picture (Karen Murphy)
Best Director (Christopher Guest)
Best Actor (Harry Shearer)
Best Supporting Actor (Fred Willard)
Best Supporting Actor (Colin Mochrie)
Best Original Screenplay (Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy)