From the fertile comedic mind of Steven Bernheim comes a biting, laugh out loud funny, and very entertaining satiric commentary on society and the gullibility of the public in their adoration and worship of “reality” individuals who are famous solely for being famous; the irony of which is that it’s the gawking and hawking of the public themselves who are responsible for this low-brow common denominator of fame which we so easily deride.
A one-time editor of the Harvard Lampoon, Bernheim approaches REALITY QUEEN from a scripted written point of view which results in a solid structure of storytelling and a film well crafted in its overall construct. This film is fun. Brilliantly conceived, it is spot on with the zeitgeist of today. Characters are defined with specificity which is carried through into strong performances. The dialogue, much of which is pulled from the headlines and the over-the-top antics of what we see in reality television, goes beyond what we typically see with satire or parody. Bernheim pushes the envelope as far as he can push it without the film becoming a foray into ridiculum and stupidity. Visuals thoroughly embrace the story and the characters and boast some nice cinematic elements.
“London Logo”, celebutante extraordinaire, was at the top of the reality hype game in television and on newsstands everywhere. Her resume consists of sex tapes, panti-less flashing of genitals, nip-slips, celebrity catfights with her former BFF, and more. Her branding of herself and products could rival the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, and others (you get the drift). But now, London has lost her luster and is looking to reinvent herself and tell the story of the “real” London Logo. To that end, she has written a book – a whole book – and is ready to sit down for a tell-all documentary with famed BBS1 correspondent Diana Smelt-Marlin to show the world she’s really just the girl next door; smart, funny, caring, and shouldn’t be looked down upon for being beautiful.
Adding fuel to the funny, “Kristy Kim”, one of the “three Kims” and fellow influencer and rival of London’s, has also written a book, sparking a social media battle for the most likes, most shares, best fans. Adding to the mix, London’s former BFF, “Rochelle Ritzy”, whom London blames for her own demise when Rochelle walked away from their reality tv show, is also back on the scene. Needless to say, the stage is set for hijinks of reality proportions with BBS1 cameras capturing it all and then some.
Casting is exemplary starting with Julia Faye West as London Logo. West has impeccable comedic timing with delivery and movement, excelling in physical comedy a la Lucille Ball. She makes London a master manipulator who can turn on a dime, playing dumber than dumb one minute and in the next moment be reasoned and articulate, and all with resonance and believability. And in a wonderful third act turn, West lets us see that London is completely self-aware; the lights are on and somebody’s home upstairs and she knows it.
Going beyond West, for some real entertainment look no further than Kate Orsini as BBS1 interviewer “Diana Smelt-Marlin”. An American in real life, Orsini plays Smelt-Marlin as an upper-crust Brit with exaggerated facial responses that are particularly effective by way of winks and nods to the camera. This is what separates REALITY QUEEN from just being a throwaway mockumentary and pushes it into a straight-up satire. Then put West and Orsini together and the result is delicious.
My initial draw to REALITY QUEEN was seeing Denise Richards on the cast list and then reading the film’s synopsis. It immediately recalled shades of the early Richards vehicle, “Drop Dead Gorgeous” and then enhanced by the fact Richards is currently on a “Real Housewives” show. As “Angelina Streisand”, current “bestie” to London Logo, Richards shines with comedic physicality and facial expressiveness, while adding moments of knowing exasperation trailing behind London.
A real joy is actor John Colley. A pure delight as “Simon Debris”, another one of London’s beck and call minions, he serves as a perfect counter to West while showing us that Simon is really cut from the same cloth as London, with just more slightly misshapen edges. There is not a moment he’s on screen that one isn’t enjoying what Colley brings to the table. Also joining in the casting fun is Loren Lester as “Winston Spritz”, Shelli Boone as “Rochelle Ritzy”, and Candace Kita as “Kristy Kim.”
Directed by Bernheim and co-written by Bernheim and a team consisting of Schuyler Brumley, Chris Cobb, Gabby Gruen, Greg Lindsay, Allan Murray, John-Paul Panelli, and Chandler Patton, it’s easy to see that a great deal of time and research went into script development, mining the reality show mindset and the world around us and finding a balance between blatant joking and truth and honesty both within the character of London and as a societal commentary. Celebrating the absurd, such as London’s micro-Chihuahua aka a guinea pig, while on the surface appears ridiculous, lends to capitalize on deeper personality traits that make London more than a caricature. While the humor in REALITY QUEEN may not be for everyone, those that appreciate ridiculousness that has purpose and meaning, should enjoy the film.
Key is that Bernheim stays within this “reality” world but takes it up a notch thanks to his visual design and visual tonal bandwidth. In addition to the script, the story, and the performances, great attention is paid to the production values, particularly with costume design and production design. But showcasing everything is Cody Stauffer’s cinematography. Bernheim and Stauffer keep it light both in tone and in actual lighting. Light and bright with just enough color saturation to heighten the surreal experience of London Logo’s world. Shooting widescreen, we are treated to the sense of everything being open with no shadows or secrets, a nice contrast to what is actually happening with London. Widescreen metaphorically speaks to the global phenomena of reality queens, reality tv, and that ilk. Compounding that experience, Bernheim doesn’t shy away from expansive locations with mansions and vast lush grounds, yachts on the wide open sea, planes, and closets larger than a 1000 square foot apartment.
REALITY QUEEN belies Steven Bernheim being a first-time director. He knows his craft. He definitely knows comedy. And the reality is, he knows how to make it all work, make us laugh, and entertain us, all at the same time.
Directed by Steven Bernheim
Written by Schuyler Brumley, Chris Cobbm Gabby Gruen, Greg Lindsay, Allan Murray, John-Paul Panelli, Chandler Patton
Cast: Julia Faye West, Kate Orsini, Denise Richards, John Colley, Loren Lester, Shelli Boone, Candace Kita
by debbie elias, 12/05/2019
