This isn't just an "American Movie," it's The Great American Movie. It's the American Dream OF film ON film. It's one of the most moving and humorous and sweet films ever to be commited to celluloid. It's wonderful.

The true beauty is the simple honesty the film employs. It has an extremely interesting and intricate main character in it's main subject, Mark Borchardt. Lanky, bearded and long-haired, Borchardt is a walking, talking movie-making machine. He lives movies. He eats movies, He breathes movies. He is movies. American movies. Horror films. Stuff like "Dawn of the Dead" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre." This is the whole life of Borchardt. But he isn't just a horror fan or a gore geek, he takes it to the next level. He wants to make movies. And like Spielberg and a plethora of other "famous" filmmakers in our American consciousness, Borchardt has been making movies since he was a teenager. Somehow, however, he just never seemed to get it right... He never seemed to be able to make it all come together. He never got that break. He never stepped over that line. He never grew up. He never stopped drinking too much. The documentary about him, "American Movie," is that chance he needs to get it right. It gives him that boost up that he needs and deserves so desperately.

Borchardt spends most of "American Movie" working on his short film "Coven" (mispronounced Koe-Vehn with a hilarious dialogue explaining why in the film). Borchardt loves to work on his films. And this documentary never fails to show us his lust for filmmaking, his dedication to making his movies, from writing scripts to planning production to scouting locations, acting, editing, setting up props, you name it, this film shows us his total immersion into his fantasy.

But there is much more too. The film delves pretty deeply into Borchardt's personal life. In addition to the obligatory interviews with his parent and brothers about what kind of a person he is/was, there are the scenes which begin to show the fabric of the family dynamic. There is much to take in here, in addition to a flawed childhood and siblings who just can't relate, there is Borchardt's current girlfriend, and also his ex-lover and his three children by her. It all builds to an interesting look at his life and his background. In many ways, it is typically "American."

There is also much with his filmmaking family, the people who help him make his films. Borchardt has a few dedicated friends who have become actors and crew in his films. He also has several actors who work with him seemingly just on the professional level. And then there is Uncle Bill.

Here is where Borchardt's true beauty lies, the relationship he has with his uncle. It would easy to believe that Borchardt is exploiting his Uncle for the money to make his films. But the film slowly and gently uncovers their true relationship. It is obvious that Borchardt loves his uncle and cares for him deeply. The wonderful final speech of Uncle Bill, in all it's elderly, senile, seemingly drunken and drugged and incomprehensible beauty is one of the most poetic and beautiful moments I have seen on film in a long time. It's a perfect and gentle exclamation point to the entire proceedings.

And finally, there is Mike Schank. Seemingly near catatonic, Schank takes his time in evolving into a full character. We have to really look and wait to realize that he is an exceptional person. The friendship he shares with Borchardt is nothing short of magical and, as the film progresses, we begin to see the beauty of the emotional relationship they share. Schank and Borchardt are funny. They are "characters." On the surface, they seem like just these crazy pair of polar opposite who somehow know and like each other. But slowly it all comes into focus. The true magic of their friendship becomes clear during one scene at Thanksgiving time where Borchardt tells us of how he has been severely depressed over the past few days and Schank's visit that night has made him happy. It a poignant and wonderful moment. It's beautiful in every sense of the word. I don't think theres ever been a more magical and intimate moment between friends ever expressed so simply and clearly as the one we see here. It has a purity and an honesty that will move you.

Director Chris Smith imbues "American Movie" with a wonderful sense of this intimacy and openness. He seemingly just sets up a camera and lets his subjects go. There are a few moments that seem forced and "put on" for the camera, but these still serve purpose and give us great insight into the film. Under it all, we see Borchardt, warts and all, Schank, the same, and the realm these two inhabit with all it's pain, poignancy and beauty while the duo remain dedicated to one and other. It's truly wonderful.

Smith gives the film more however. While his following Borchardt into the cold winter forest and into automobile junkyards are a part of covering the amatuer director's film in progress, Smith sees how this somehow punctuates the character of Uncle Bill in the context of the film without ever being obvious about it. We are looking at Borchardt's American Dream, but it seems to be set in the realm of decay. It seems hopeless and yet beautiful all the same. Themeatically, the film is an existential masterpiece. Borchardt's beautiful dialogues on the beauty and the immediacy of life truly serve the film well.

Smith also uses football as a metaphor here. The game is truly as American as Borchardt's dream itself. It mirrors the complexity and the struggle of all he hopes to achieve. And it underscores how life is simply made up, somewhat, of a wasting of time. Watching the world decay and energy become "spent" on a "game" all around Borchardt while he struggles valiantly and, sometimes, seemingly blind, to achieve his goal, to give his life purpose, to make himself a "somebody" is pretty heady stuff.

If, as I've stated, "Crumb" proved that film has the capacity to kill, then "American Movie" proves that film has the capacity to give life. It takes the dreams and hopes of Borchardt and gives them the legitimacy they so richly deserve. It shows us the wonderful talent of the unknown man. Borchardt is a dedicated filmmaker and his finished product, "Coven," only glimpsed here, looks to have much merit. But the film also proves Schank a wonderful talent too, as his guitar work scores the film. By no means perfect yet still interesting and perfect for the film, Schank's work here proves him to be more than the seemingly stillborn yet likable zombie he often appears when on film. Possibly damaged by too many drugs and too much alcohol as a youth, Schank is often shown to be kinda silly and airheaded by Smith, but in a loving and never mean-spirited way. Schank often seems so simple and damaged when on screen. He almost never moves. If he did not talk and blink, we might believe him a vegetable. But he is wonderful as he evolves in character on screen. We can't help but love him. And the true friendship he offers and shares with Borchardt is the true heart of the film. It means so very, very much. Using his music here only furthers to enhance the importance of their relationship.

Borchardt, it is said in the film and somewhat discussed by himself there, wants to be famous and wealthy and happy and make movies. He seems well on his way to achieving his goals. What he already realizes, in his own frenetic way, and what we come to see, is that he is already a wealthy man. His friendships and experiences shown to us here prove him to be a rich, rich man indeed.

"American Movie" ends with a beautiful sequence made up of scenes from an old silent film made by Borchardt when he was a teenager. We see him and Schank and another friend who is also still around and still a part of Borchardt's filmmaking life and shown in the film, Ken, partying, enjoying themselves and filming it all. And it hits us: What we have been told is true. Borchardt has been living to make films since he was a young boy. His friends have always been by his side in this dream and they continue to exist there as his dream becomes a reality. The whole thread of history is revealed to us. Seeing Borchardt's childhood dreams seemingly beginning to become a reality is magical. It's the stuff of dreams, the alchemy of life - of existence - and of film itself. Personalized. Made whole. Realized. I am no longer afraid to dream.

Notes:

You can buy Borchardt's "Coven" at www.americanmovie.com for 14.95. Also available are "Coven" t-shirts, the "Coven" soundtrack and a tape of Mike Schank's music.

"American Movie" won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Scenes from Borchardt's early shorts are shown in the film including "I Blow Up," "The More the Scarier," "The More the Scarier II," "The More the Scarier III," and "The More the ScarierIV."

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