Superstar (1999)

32% of critics liked it
(74 reviews)
61% of users liked it
(62,466 ratings)

Molly Shannon brings her Saturday Night Live character Mary Katherine Gallagher to the silver screen. A mildly hyperactive Catholic school student convinced that she smells bad, Mary Catherine has a dream: she wants a boy to kiss her. Not just any old sloppy teenage make-out party kind of smooch,… More Molly Shannon brings her Saturday Night Live character Mary Katherine Gallagher to the silver screen. A mildly hyperactive Catholic school student convinced that she smells bad, Mary Catherine has a dream: she wants a boy to kiss her. Not just any old sloppy teenage make-out party kind of smooch, but the sort of kiss that will make her tingle with joy from head to toe. The trouble is, boys aren't all that interested in Mary Catherine, especially not Sky (Will Ferrell), the boy she'd most like to be kissed by. So Mary Catherine has a goal: if she wants to be kissed the way boys kiss girls in the movies, then she must become a movie star. Not a bad idea, but how does one bring this about? Superstar co-stars Elaine Hendrix and former Kids in the Hall cast member Mark McKinney, while another Kids in the Hall alumnus, Bruce McCulloch, directed. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 32 min.
Directed By: Bruce McCulloch
Written By: Steve Koren
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 8, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Apr 11, 2000
Studio: Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

Dennis Harvey, Variety
A pleasant surprise.
Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Contrasting the erotic with the disgusting is usually provocative and can be funny, but not in this underdog comedy.
Doug Saunders, Globe and Mail
A stick-figure Rembrandt that provides neither the quick surreal poke of a TV satire nor the full lustre of an actual movie.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
There's really no reason for anyone to see this film except die hard Shannon fans.
Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon.com
Superstar may not be the most unnecessary movie of the year, but it's got to rank right up there.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Sluggish and predictable.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Even SNL fans will find this movie too long.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
Mary Katherine Gallagher takes a little getting used to for the unwitting viewer. She grows on you, though, and, despite yourself, you get to like her quirky ways.
Jim Shelby, Palo Alto Weekly
This movie manages to have more touching and hilarious moments than most schlock comedies could hope for.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
Much more enjoyable than the sketches on which it is based, and Shannon's performance is brimming with fun and energy.
Chris Gore, Film Threat
I've seen this sketch numerous times on SNL -- it isn't funny at five minutes, at 90 minutes it's unbearable.
James Rocchi, Netflix
"Saturday Night Live"-sketch-turned-film is slight -- and surprisingly enjoyable.
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
Seriously awful one-joke stupidity.
Christine James, Boxoffice Magazine
In the higher middle of producer Lorne Michaels' cinematic oeuvre.
Kamal 'The Diva' Larsuel, 3BlackChicks Review
Bikini waxing and pulling chin hairs is much more enjoyable.
Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope
While the plot is well-worn and somewhat clumsily put together, the fine performance of Shannon as the main character powers the movie along pretty well until the film stumbles to its predictable conclusion.

Read all 16 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Brad W

Funny but a bad movie, very stupid
Bethany M

So awful! There are no words. Expected better from Will Ferrell especially.
KJ P

This god awful, and almost completely unfunny comedy is surrounded by so much stupidity that it is very hard to enjoy. I really wanted to punch my TV during my viewing of this film, but I guess ever comedy can't be good. This is one of the worst attempts to make a saturday night… More
This god awful, and almost completely unfunny comedy is surrounded by so much stupidity that it is very hard to enjoy. I really wanted to punch my TV during my viewing of this film, but I guess ever comedy can't be good. This is one of the worst attempts to make a saturday night live shit come to life. If the filmmakers thought this was going to be funny, then they really have no clue about what makes a good film. It is far too stupid to take seriously as a comedy. Whatever they were trying to do to make the audience laugh, they failed miserably!
Spencer S

One of the better SNL films, Superstar is engaging, funny, and physical comedy abundant. Cute and camaraderie keep it lighthearted and the protaganist lovable.
Jason O

Superjunk. Before I watched "Superstar," I was expecting it to be hilarious from what I was hearing about it. It turned out to be one of the worst movies I've ever seen and one of the biggest disappointments of all time in my opinion. Molly Shannon stars as a girl who… More
Superjunk. Before I watched "Superstar," I was expecting it to be hilarious from what I was hearing about it. It turned out to be one of the worst movies I've ever seen and one of the biggest disappointments of all time in my opinion. Molly Shannon stars as a girl who has dreams of becoming a superstar. She's the most unattractive and unpopular girl in her school, but that doesn't stop her. During the whole movie, I was expecting at least one part of it to be funny, but it turned out that no part of the movie even made me grin. "Superstar" is one of the corniest movie I've ever seen, all the way from the way Molly Shannon acts and moves, to the story of how her parents died is just plain corny and unfunny. And the way the movie portrays God is going way too far. Don't make the mistake I did and think before you see "Superstar" that it's gonna be a hilarious movie because it's not. I don't recommend "Superstar" at all. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Wow...even back then before he was a big name at all, I hated Will Ferrell movies with a passion, apparently.
Josh L

SNL movies are terrible and this is exactly why.
Ginny

Well, normally I wouldnt be watching this but it was on the tv and I didnt have anything better to do. I found myself laughing a lot although there were a few slap in the head awkward moments. It was stupid, a laughable stupid movie, and I mean that in a good way. (I mean, why… More
Well, normally I wouldnt be watching this but it was on the tv and I didnt have anything better to do. I found myself laughing a lot although there were a few slap in the head awkward moments. It was stupid, a laughable stupid movie, and I mean that in a good way. (I mean, why take something from SNL seriously?)
Fernando Rafael Q

not a great picture, it should have stayed in SNL, the script wasn't good and there's bad timing, but it's still funny (at times) and Molly Shannon is amazing, great comedic talent! special mention for Elaine Hendrix, she was good too...
Nani V

It has some funny parts.
Lafe F

A goofy one-joke movie with Molly Shannon playing a loser schoolgirl who wants to be a Superstar! I chuckled several times at her dreams of grandeur.
Steve B

This half-star is only for the first ten minutes of the film. I couldn't go any further with it.
Daniel P

I really need to see this again: I didn't get Will Ferrell at that age.
Leigh R

Molly is great in this role, for sure.
Bradley W

Funny but a bad movie, very stupid
Yinalí R

This movie is hillarious.
Sylvester K

This low budget spin off of SNL comes with a clever script!!!! Molly Shannon's performance was fantastic, it's utterly funny. However, some scenes still look like sketchs...
Sarah P

Another SNL movie gone horribly wrong
Rose G

i've seen a few parts of this movie and it did not interest me at all. i thought it was a bit boring for a comedy.
Leo L

Very funny!
Robert F

Laugh out loud funny - a rarity for 99% of comedies.