ReelBob: ‘Fame-ish’ ★★★

By Bob Bloom

“Fame-ish” is a cute romantic-comedy set at a cos-play convention in Madison, Wis., and featuring a group of well-known voice actors playing fictionalized versions of themselves.

The movie stars Jeff Nimoy, who wrote, produced and directed the feature.

In “Fame-ish,” Nimoy portrays a down-on-his-luck version of himself. He’s out of work and needs a job and, more importantly, money.

Desperate, he accepts an offer to be a VIP guest at the Madison convention because he is promised a $3,000 paycheck.

Jeff, who is down on himself and does not believe he or his work matters or had any impact, is surprised with the adulation he receives by the convention’s attendees.

He is surprised how big a business these affairs have become. He is shocked when Brian, a former costar who had worked for Jeff, tells him that he could make a lot of money because fans are willing to pay for autographs.

When waiting to be introduced to the crowd, Jeff meets Nikki Boyer, another voice actor. An attraction develops, much to the chagrin of Brian, who had previously dated Nikki.

“Fame-ish” is easy to digest. The atmosphere is very realistic, since the film was shot at Geek Kon 12 in Middleton, Wis., and many of the extras are actual convention attendees.

The locale and the fans add a texture of authenticity to the film.

At first, Jeff is all about the money. As he tells Brian, who has been attending these events for years, he did not know you could make a living going from gathering-to-gathering, mingling with fans, signing autographs and holding one-hour sessions on how to break into the industry.

But, as Jeff begins to have feelings for Nikki, his perception changes and he begins to re-examine his life.

The movie offers the usual bumps in the road indicative of rom coms. But that does not diminish how enjoyable it is.

“Fame-ish” is a nice movie; it does not mock those who attend these functions. A few jabs are aimed at some of the more zealous fans, but overall, they are not judged, but treated respectfully.

Nimoy includes a running joke about the prevalence of Xanax; it seems everyone he talks to offers him some pills when he mentions his anxieties or his depression. It’s another gentle and minor poke at our society’s overdependence on self-medication.

In the end, Jeff comes to realize that he and his work matter and, in one very heartfelt scene, that he can have an impact on people.

“Fame-ish,” at 94 minutes, breezes along. It’s a popcorn-snacking feature that you can entertain you even if you don’t know the world of Digimon or anime.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

FAME-ISH
3 stars out of 4
Not rated