Actor Martinez

 
DVD Review by Kam Williams

"Is It Real or Is It Mockumentary?" Headscratcher Comes to DVD

Did you see I'm Still Here (2010), the mockumentary chronicling Joaquin Phoenix's supposed retirement from acting to try his hand at rap music? Well, what made that movie fascinating was how it was edited in such a way as to make it impossible to tell whether the Oscar-nominated thespian was faking his conversion to hip-hop artist. Eventually, Joaquin did return to making movies, exposing the inscrutable biopic directed by Casey Affleck as just an elaborate hoax.

Actor Martinez is another headscratcher apt to keep you guessing whether what you're watching is real or simply staged, as it walks a fine line between fact and fiction. However, this flick also flips the script in that Arthur Martinez is a gainfully-employed computer repairman now seeking to make it as an actor.

The story unfolds in Denver where we find co-directors Mike Ott and Nathan Silver following their subject around with a camera. Unfortunately, the underwhelming Martinez is not exactly a charismatic figure. Consequently, the only thing compelling about the picture is the answer to the pressing question of whether you're watching a drama or a doc.

Mildly amusing, but nothing to write home about.

Good (2 stars)
Unrated
Running time: 76 minutes
Distributor: Break Glass Pictures
DVD Extras: Deleted scenes; Riot (a short film); and Q&A panels from the Denver and TriBeCa Film Festivals. 
 
To see a trailer for Actor Martinez, visit: https://vimeo.com/155408406


To order a copy of Actor Martinez on DVD, visit: