The Muse (1999)

52% of critics liked it
(77 reviews)
29% of users liked it
(6,424 ratings)

Actor/writer/director Albert Brooks turns his satiric gaze on the film industry in this comedy about a screenwriter who has hit a rough patch. Steven Philips (played by Brooks) has enjoyed a celebrated career in Hollywood, but one day he has a meeting with his agent, who informs him his career is… More Actor/writer/director Albert Brooks turns his satiric gaze on the film industry in this comedy about a screenwriter who has hit a rough patch. Steven Philips (played by Brooks) has enjoyed a celebrated career in Hollywood, but one day he has a meeting with his agent, who informs him his career is suddenly going nowhere. Steven quickly finds himself at the end of his rope and is unable to put a decent sentence on paper. Desperate, he hears that there's a bona fide muse in Hollywood, Sarah (played by Sharon Stone), who might be able to help with his problems. The writer contacts Sarah, hoping a good, stong dose of inspiration will get his career back on track. However, Sarah's late hours and endless demands don't do much to help Steven's relationship with his wife (Andie MacDowell). The Muse features an original musical score by Elton John, and cameos by several notable film figures, including Martin Scorsese, Rob Reiner, and James Cameron. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 37 min.
Directed By: Albert Brooks
Written By: Albert Brooks, Monica Johnson
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Aug 1, 1999 Wide
On DVD: May 1, 2001
Studio: October Films

Critic Reviews

Janet Maslin, New York Times
One of Brooks' most broadly entertaining films.
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com
More stupefying than entertaining.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Smart, funny -- and edgy.
Peter Brunette, Film.com
It's imaginative enough to provide a reliable, pleasurable stream of chuckles and midsized laughs.
Todd McCarthy, Variety
Typically fresh and idiosyncratic in the writing but often flat directorially.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Satire, Hollywood in-jokes won't appeal to kids.
Betty Jo Tucker, ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Like the character he plays here, Albert Brooks needed someone or something to re-inspire him while working on this plodding comedy.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Albert Brooks' mildly amusing satire about the inner workings of Hollywood benefits from Sharon Stone's droll and sexy performance, but as a comedy it's too familiar and not funny enough.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
Brooks' gentle satire of Hollywood.
Chuck Rudolph, Matinee Magazine
In its story of a terrible filmmaker, it almost manages to explain the madness behind why Brooks still gets to crank out excrement like this.

Read all 10 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Lucas M

Original neurotic comedy, Albert Brooks' The Muse it's not very funny, dispite being entretaining.
moon r

Albert Brooks tale of a Hollywood writer facing the end of his career is unintentionally ironic and kinda sad to watch. The help of major Tinseltown players do little to support a work wherein Brooks himself only comes across as bitter and alienating. Sharon Stone as the titular… More
Albert Brooks tale of a Hollywood writer facing the end of his career is unintentionally ironic and kinda sad to watch. The help of major Tinseltown players do little to support a work wherein Brooks himself only comes across as bitter and alienating. Sharon Stone as the titular character: blech. Only Andie MacDowell escapes unscathed. Pass.
Jim H

I normally like Albert Brooks's films. Obviously Broadcast News and Defending Your Life are fantastic, and in those films, his neurotic, Woody Allen demeanor is charming, clever, and funny. But here he's just annoying and occasionally he's almost creepily… More
I normally like Albert Brooks's films. Obviously Broadcast News and Defending Your Life are fantastic, and in those films, his neurotic, Woody Allen demeanor is charming, clever, and funny. But here he's just annoying and occasionally he's almost creepily over-bearing. As a film, The Muse has a lot of wasted time spent on people driving in the "beautiful" plasticity of L.A. and banal dialogue like "You should call him." [Dramatic pause.] "I'll call him." A film exploring the writing process might have been more interesting, but like his character, I fear Brooks has lost his edge.
Luke B

It's gentle, warm and funny rather than being a hilarious attack on Hollywood. Yes it captures the natures of Hollywood fads and the shallow nature of the industry, but never in a convincing way. This isn't ALtman's The Player. Some celebrity cameos are quite funny with… More
It's gentle, warm and funny rather than being a hilarious attack on Hollywood. Yes it captures the natures of Hollywood fads and the shallow nature of the industry, but never in a convincing way. This isn't ALtman's The Player. Some celebrity cameos are quite funny with Cameron and Scorsese parodying themselves, but they do feel rather thrown in at the last minute. Not enough of Bridges, who can own any film, and Brooks just comes off as whiny and stupid. Perhaps it could have been better if the screenplay to Brooks' movie within a movie sounded any good, but all Stone can inspire is a tepid Hollywood idea like so many others.
Leigh R

Funny!
Jim W

A screen-writer (Albert Brooks) who desperately needs inspiration get helps from Sharon Stone who has him convinced that she's a modern-day muse. Despite an over-done musical score and an overly anxious Albert Brooks, I still found the movie to be very entertaining. Sharon Stone… More
A screen-writer (Albert Brooks) who desperately needs inspiration get helps from Sharon Stone who has him convinced that she's a modern-day muse. Despite an over-done musical score and an overly anxious Albert Brooks, I still found the movie to be very entertaining. Sharon Stone is very funny and the script is full of clever moments. I love when James Cameron comes to the muse and she tells him to stay out of the water. I wish he listened since his talent was wasted for years with him just making under-water documentaries. I also like how the muse gives Brooks and Rob Reiner the same idea for the same movie. The Muse isn't for everyone. But if you like movies about the people that make them, then films like the Player and the Muse are for you.
alan j

funny in spots..Stone annoys......at times more a peek at inside hollywood workings....
Leo L

Hilarious!