Fifteen years ago, my eighth grade English teacher let us watch Wheel of Fortune during class. That particular day, his son, whom he was always telling us stories about, was set to be a contestant on the show. We were disappointed that his son finished the show with zero dollars in his bank, but fate and determination were on his side, and he ended up being invited back to the show the next day. (Seems that the Wheel has some obscure rule that when there is a tie for first place between two of the contestants, all three of them return the next day.) You could tell by his self-deprecating, but grateful demeanor that Steve Burrows, my English teacher's son, was determined to be successful despite setbacks of even the most absurd nature.

There's a lot more to Steve than the life of a game show contestant, though. His directorial and writing debut, Chump Change, is going through the festival circuit, and it showcases that sense of determination in the face absurd obstacles that we saw in him back in eighth grade.

In the film, Burrows plays Milwaukee Steve, a struggling actor/comedian in LA whose one claim to fame is his rather embarrassing appearance in a commercial for Crotch Fresh brand jock itch powder. After we see this commercial at the beginning of the film, we see Steve at the tail end of a road trip back to his childhood home in the suburbs of Milwaukee, complaining about the woes of life in Hollywood. He arrives home in about two feet of snow (which we seem to have for about eight months out of the year here in Wisconsin) and lets himself into his mother's house, only to find some strange woman living in his childhood bedroom. Sam (Traci Lords in full frumpy Midwesterner garb, complete with layers of sweaters, snow boots, and wool cap with earflaps) has rented out Steve's bedroom while Steve's mom is on her annual sex tour of Iceland (best not to ask). Sam's not too excited about a stranger invading the space she's rented but grudgingly allows Steve to sleep on the davenport downstairs. (For those who've never been to the Midwest, a davenport is what some of us call a couch.)

From this point, the stage is set for the two parallel stories that run through Chump Change. In one, Sam and Steve wander from one Milwaukee landmark to another, getting to know one another. If you've lived in Milwaukee for any length of time, you'll recognize the many locations, ranging from the Domes, to the 41 Twin outdoor theater, to the many cheese shops with giant fiberglass mice mounted on the roof. Wisconsinites will enjoy seeing such familiar sites on the big screen. Those who have never been here might not understand the charm that such sites offer, but their eccentricity adds an offbeat charm to the movie.

Plenty of the conversation between Steve and Sam are made up of those kinds of philosophical discussions about life's minutiae that made Seinfeld so popular. When they aren't discussion nothing, though, Steve's telling the harrowing story of his Hollywood experience, setting us up for the second of the movie's storylines. Periodic (and sometimes lengthy) flashbacks detail Steve's journey through talent scouts, acting classes, agents, and managers. These scenes are filled to the brim with frenetic energy, and can sometimes come across as unfocused (at one point we see a series of about twenty jump cuts among the various skits in an improv act that Steve and his friends have put together, ranging from "Dueling Banjos performed by tap-dancing dictators" to "Kevorkian the musical'), but they never feel like they drag. One could accuse Burrows of simply throwing every idea he had against the wall just to see what sticks, but we can forgive him since most of what he offers sticks to the wall rather than sliding down to the floor.

As these periodic flashbacks to Hollywood continue, Milwaukee Steve finds his way into a contract to write a movie. After all of his own ideas have been shot down, he's assigned the task of writing the only idea that "makes the studio exec's penis twitch with excitement": an action/sex/comedy entitled The Whore, Her Mom, The Frog and The Bomb. The woes that Steve goes through are somewhat predictable, what with agents and studio execs sending in re-write notes, only to fly off the handle when Steve turns in a new draft, or industry folk who change their opinions on a daily basis to match that of the biggest fish in the pond. Yet, there are so many witty, memorable lines delivered here, that everything still feels fresh and exciting. Case and point: At one point, the producer that Milwaukee Steve has been working with (played by Tim Matheson) calls up in one of his many abusive Jekyll and Hyde moments, yelling that "The script has too much punctuation. Why all the punctuation? No more punctuation! Period!"

In the end, things fall into place, and Milwaukee Steve manages to find a sense of closure in both storylines, but going into detail about how would spoil some of the charm that the movie offers. You'll simply have to find a way to see the movie for yourself.

Chump Change isn't the first comedy about the moviemaking process, and it certainly wont be the last. It clearly doesn't have the same kind of budget of muscle behind it as other movies in the same genre like Bowfinger or The Player. Nevertheless, Chump Change succeeds not only on the strength of its energy and wit, but also on the charm of the many talented people that have come together to make the film. Burrows comes across as a perfect everyman type, wishing the best for everyone and trying not to get himself hurt or hurt anyone else in the process. Quite a few well known characters actors round out the cast in small, but memorable roles. Anne Meara, Fred Willard, and Jerry Stiller play various movie industry types, each performing their familiar but beloved shtick. The incomparable Abe Vigoda even shows up for a brief moment. My favorite of these small roles has to go to Clancy Brown, though, in his appearance as a self-important, sadistic acting teacher.

Right now, Chump Change might be rather difficult to see. It's still limited to the festival circuit, so you can only see it at special screenings. Fortunately, I got to see it at the Milwaukee International Film Festival last night, and Burrows himself made an appearance and answered audience question following the screening. As he told us, Miramax will probably be bringing the movie to limited release in the upcoming months, the movie is slated for a DVD release sometime next year. Before too long, you'll get your chance to see the movie. It's not absolutely perfect, but its far more enjoyable than most of the major movies released these days.

If nothing else, Chump Change stands as the first movie I've ever seen to feature the infamous "chicken dance," which everyone in Wisconsin is required to know. The movie won't explain why we do it, or why we love it (even if we won't admit it), but at least it lets the rest of the world in on one of our many bizarre little secrets.

Recommended:
Yes