Powerful

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

*Spoiler/plot- The Hollywood Complex, 2011. A yearly ritual of child actors and their parents converging on a large condo complex to work together to land a Hollywood gig.*Special Stars- NOne. Some casting directors and acting coaches of some note.*Theme- Persistance is the way to stardom.*Trivia/location/goofs- Documentary. Shot in the large Oakwood condo complex on Barham Blvd across from the back lot hill area of Universal Studios and up the road from Warner Brothers Studios.*Emotion- Probably too boring for anyone not connected or interested in The BiZ. I found it worth my time in viewing. Although very little new clues or insights in making it big was NOT contained in this film's story. Seeing the work involved is enlightening to the average film audience viewer.*Based On- Yearly Hollywood pilot season casting matters.

Wasn't shocked at all seeing Jim Richer with The Exposure Studio and Tiffany (Atwood) Richer with RPM Talent Agency in this movie (btw are husband and wife) These 2 have been scamming newbie's to Hollywood for years and now you get to see it on film.. 1st they will try and convince you that u will need a talent agent (Tiffany) and after Tiffany's little song and dance sales pitch she will agree to represent you, she will then send you to "the man down stairs" (her husband Jim) to buy head-shots and acting classes " that she clams she can get you a discount on because she represents you now" tiffany knows the only way she's going to make money off you is if you fall for Jim's little song and dance sales pitch. I have a friend that worked for Jim, she ended up quitting because of his shady practices and she ended up getting another photographer for new head-shots. There practices (husband and wife tag team) are against the rules of SAG (Screen Actors Guide ) My friend while working for Jim saw a letter from SAG asking them to stop there tag team scam back in 2008, but as you can see, there still doing it... Its a shame that there are people like Jim and Tiffany Richer in Hollywood. I wish someone in SAG will read this and watch the movie and then put a stop to these self centered dream crushers!

I've stumbled onto this documentary a couple of times now, and I really enjoyed it. I like shows like this that introduce you to people with weird or unusual hobbies (in this case, the parents' hobby, not the kids'). These people are so into what they're doing that they're oblivious how out of touch they've become with reality. Do they really believe their children are going to become big stars? Although I don't understand their thinking, and I'd never want to put my kids through this, I appreciate that these people have a dream and are trying to make it happen. In reality, 99% of these kids will return home with zero TV/movie credits. They'll return to their "regular" lives and, in 20 years, will probably tell they're friends about how they once "spent 3 seasons living in Hollywood, trying to become a big star, haha". It'll make for great after-dinner conversation. The kids I would worry about are the ones who actually succeed in LaLa Land. You know, the future "Corey Feldman Lifetime Achievement Award" winners.I liked the dark-haired young lady who was there with her Mom and got no auditions and no call-backs. One year later, she was back home, riding horses, and infinitely happier. I also liked the black woman who was determined to keep her kid out of jail. I wasn't sure if she REALLY wanted him to be a star, or just wanted him out of the neighborhood they used to live in.The only "sad" story was the heavy-set woman with the blond, irritating daughter. They lived in what had to have been the tackiest apartment I've ever seen. They live there full time, yet her daughter had less talent than just about anyone else in the movie. I doubt she could get cast in a school production, much less a Hollywood show. I wish someone would have stepped in and told them to just Go Home! Anyway, a very interesting and informative movie. Definitely not my lifestyle preference, but a valid one just the same.

Caught this movie on Netflix, and I had to watch most of it through my hands because it is so humiliating for everyone involved. The movie revolves around an apartment complex in LA that kids and their parents stay in while the networks cast new TV pilots. The movie follows a group of kids and their parents as they go on auditions, meet casting agents, and directors, and try to find jobs. The kids seem very nice, but it is sad that 99.9% of the people going to Hollywood to pursue their (or their parents?) dreams of stardom will wind up with nothing to show for all of the THOUSANDS of dollars spent, months away from family and friends, scams suffered, and humiliation of constant rejections. The whole underbelly of the Hollywood machine is open to see, and it is not pretty. No one has the guts to tell these parents that their little boy or girl is just not going to make it, as they see just another sucker they can wring a few dollars from. "You need different head shots" is a familiar refrain (Neglecting to tell you that the photographer of those head shots is their husband) The saddest thing is that these aren't kids in the normal sense, they have been taken over by their overriding ambition to be "somebody" Instead of living a normal childhood, they are already sounding, and resembling like slick adults. It is sad to watch this movie and think of all the wasted time and money, but even sadder to think of the wasted youth. Highly recommended