Showboy

USA, 2002. 93 mins. Wolfe Vid.

With dry humor, the mockumentary Showboy turns a portrait in self-delusion into the pursuit of a dream. A British documentarian wants to make a short movie about Christian Taylor, a writer on the cable series Six Feet Under--only she arrives just as Christian is abruptly fired while the show is shooting in Las Vegas. Humiliated and depressed, Christian stays in Vegas and starts pursuing jobs as a chorus boy; he tells the documentarian that he's doing research for a screenplay. Showboy plays its cards very close to the chest; the agents, dance teachers, and casting directors that Christian meets with could well be genuine--the deadpan performances never wink at the camera.

Director: Christian Taylor, Lindy Heymann