THE STAND-IN is the story of a disaffected comedy actress and her ambitious stand-in trading places.
Pam says: Drew Barrymore is at her best in this dark comedy as she takes on two roles: Candy Black, a famous comedic actor and Paula, Candy’s stand in. Candy is a Hollywood nightmare to work with as she’s high and angry most of the time. But she pulls in the viewers aka money so everyone puts up with her until she injures a co-star and has a meltdown which, of course is recorded, and goes viral. She is now washed up, in debt, and living like a recluse only to find her true path to happiness, but a judge and the IRS get in the way. Her solution, use Paula as her real life stand in.
With great prosthetics and Barrymore’s ability to take on different personalities, I forgot that I was watching her play two roles. She became each of them and never did I question which character I was viewing. Writer Sam Bain (“Corporate Animals” 2019) creates an edgy yet comedic script that has the underlying elements of what outsiders view the Hollywood scene to be. T.J. Miller adds his own signature style of humor while cameos from the likes of Lena Dunham and Jimmy Fallon elevate the familiar “switched” storyline.
“The Stand-In” is great fun, albeit dark, with unexpected drama that hooks you from the very beginning. Barrymore shines, never shying away from stereotypes, and gives us a memorable performance as the script takes its digs at Hollywood and the media’s response.
3 stars
Chuck says:
A Prince and the Pauper tale with an acerbic edge, it would be easy to dismiss The Stand In as a run-of-the-mill dark comedy if it were not for the involvement of Drew Barrymore. Serving as an executive producer as well as starring in it, the film is obviously a very personal statement for the actress as it deals with the double-edged sword that is stardom, something, she knows a little bit about. Having achieved notoriety at a young age, Barrymore was in the unenviable position of growing up in the spotlight, her every mistake magnified, her troubles, including bouts with substance abuse, exaggerated. That she survived all she had to endure, let alone have a successful film career is something of a miracle and a testament to the actress’ strength and perseverance. As a result, it’s hard not to look at the film as a cathartic for Barrymore, a primal scream of sorts in which she’s finally able to vent about the stardom and all that came with it, that she never asked for.
Candy Black (Barrymore) is a woman who’s been consumed by her own success. A phenomenally successful film comedienne, she’s become disillusioned with her career as typecasting has hemmed her in professionally and without any emotional support from any true friends, she’s found solace in drugs. Following an on-set meltdown that leads to the injury of another actress, Black goes into seclusion, hiding away for five years. Time passes, she’s forgotten and taxes go unpaid. A court order forces her to attend a 90-day rehab program, something she avoids by having her agent (T.J. Miller) track down her former stand in Paula (Barrymore again), a wanna-be actress who’s found living in her car. A large check dangled in front of her, she eagerly agrees to take Black’s place at rehab.
Knowing that the public loves a comeback story, Black’s agent suggests she make some public appearances. She wants nothing to do with this but Paula is more than eager to take her place. An identity switcheroo takes place and the movie gets interesting. Unexpectedly, Candy’s career takes off, movie offers come pouring in and media coverage increases. Like a pig in slop, Paula revels in this attention, finally becoming the star she’s always wanted to be. But we all know what absolute power does and before you know it, her own diva instincts kick in and she starts to exhibit the kind of behavior that led to Candy’s downfall.
You can tell that Barrymore is, not so much having fun, but is intent on making a point in this dual role. In her exile Candy finds love with a fellow recluse, Steve (Michael Segen), a writer with a hilarious secret, and a passion for woodworking, which speaks to the importance of self-care and mirrors the actress’ other endeavors which includes designing overseeing her own clothing line. That Paula falls victim to the trappings of success is as pointed a criticism as you can get about the vagaries of stardom. And while Hollywood has a history of skewering itself, The Stand In has a sharper edge. The very nature of stardom has changed radically since the coming of social media and while finding a private moment may have been difficult for actors in the past, it’s nearly impossible today unless, like Candy, you hole yourself away.
To be sure, the film could have been a bit funnier and more tightly constructed, however we rarely get as personal statement a statement from a star with Barrymore’s history. With the subtext it contains, The Stand In proves to be worth seeing.
2 1/2 Stars
