Search - Bam Bam & Celeste on DVD

Disappointing

C. Hogarth | 10/23/2007

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I love Margaret Cho, but this movie is somewhat derivative. Bam Bam is highly irritating. I just kept waiting for the funny parts to happen. Margaret is great as her mother, but this isn't enough to carry this movie."

Dark humor and sweet release

Feminist Review blog | worldwide | 07/21/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Antithetical to the laugh-so-hard-you'll-cry theory is comedian and activist Margaret Cho, who will have you crying, hard, before making you laugh like you've never laughed before. In her stand-up shows, she tells achingly raw stories about the torment of growing up "different" and does so in a way that makes her the only comedian who can respond to racial slurs with "f*ck you" and pull it off like the most brilliant one-liner ever. Those soul-quenching moments of sweet release don't come as often in Bam Bam and Celeste, but hey--we finally get to see Margaret dressed up as her mother, which alone makes the film worth watching.



Bam Bam and Celeste are best friends from high school who discover they've become "townies." They leave their midwestern hometown for NYC in order to face their high school nemeses on the makeover show "Trading Faces." Many encounters--pleasant and otherwise--arise along the way.



The thing about Cho's stand-up stories is that they are inherently unfunny. It's her comments about the stories that are side splitting. Seeing the stories come to visual life is painful. Hate crimes just don't translate well as "zany antics." But Margaret Cho is still damn funny.



Bruce Daniels brings a charmingly understated quality to the outrageous Bam Bam, whose gas siphoning abilities are, um, jaw droppingly good. Bam Bam adores Celeste and thinks she's beautiful. His innocent confusion as to why this assertion would be questioned is wonderfully sweet. I haven't liked Alan Cumming ever since his "little league" comment on the L-Word, but he pulls off the adorably klutzy show coordinator who has a crush on Celeste.



The evil arch-nemesis Jackie (played flawlessly by Elaine Hendrix) remains painfully static and is possibly responsible for the film's flat ending, which should be the time we stand up and cheer along with the film's TV audience. Jackie's comeuppance isn't equivalent to the torment she's distributed; furthermore, she's more psychotic than misguided and, therefore, impervious to true retribution.



Cho fans who've been waiting for a full on "Mommy Cho" impression will not be disappointed. In addition to the always wonderful Cho and Daniels, campy colors and outstanding guest stars (Jane Lynch, Kathy Najimy) make this a trip worth taking. Despite the loose narrative thread and content mishaps, Bam Bam and Celeste made me laugh out loud, which is the little black dress of comedy."

Classic Cho!!

C. E. Dorsett | Poplar Bluff, Mo | 09/21/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you have ever felt like an outcast, you will see yourself in this movie. Classic Cho, Bam Bam & Celeste takes up Margaret's perennials themes of friendship, individuality, and accepting yourself for who and what you are, and weaves them into a comic gem that will lift the spirits of the down trodden.



Bam Bam & Celeste follows two friends since high school, Bam Bam (Bruce Daniels) a flamboyantly gay hairdresser and Celeste (Margaret Cho) a down on herself fag hag, as they drive across America to appear on the make over show, Trading Faces. One of the highlights of the film is Margaret in costume as her mother.



If you do not share Margaret Cho's or Bruce Daniels' sense of humor, you may miss the many jokes, puns, and digs at GLBT culture. This tale of a queen and his fag hag is an owner for me. I don't think I could have enjoyed it more."

If I were capable of feeling guilt...this would be a guilty

MattW | Seattle, WA USA | 07/01/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There is no doubt that Celeste & Bam Bam is borderline ridiculous and often very silly. However, it is also irrepressibly likable, loaded with some great one liners, and is a refreshingly undemanding entertaining watch.

You may be familiar with the story; two small town outcasts go on a quest to find themselves and escape their present situations. After the initial set-up where we're introduced to young queen (Bam Bam) and his awkward best friend (Celeste), a zany road-trip ensues. Splashes of intermittent hilarity follows as Celeste & Bam Bam adventure their way to "the big city" in search of all of their dreams.

All in all this is a very light and funny ride. Margaret Cho & Bruce Daniels are committed to their roles, and the rest of the cast, including the always likeable Alan Cummings, are more than willing and more often than not, very funny. The whole thing feels like a wonderful 80's throwback a la John Hughes and clearly has its heart in the right place. A fun party movie and a nice discovery. Recommended.

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