I am quite positive that My name is Bruce would be as confusing as Egyptian hieroglyphics to a Non-Bruce Believer. At the same time though I can’t see many NBBs even taking the DVD off the shelf for a glance.
Directed by Bruce himself My name is Bruce might most kindly described as a love letter to his many rabid fans, perhaps more honestly though it is a fairly bland mish-mash of Evil Dead 3 and Bubba Ho-Tep, with Bruce reluctantly having to fight off an nasty undead demon. This time the undead is a Chinese spirit named Quan Di terrorising the small town of Gold Lick (population 340) after being awakened by dipshit emo/goth/punk/whatever disenfranchisement is currently cool teens, and the anti-hero is Bruce Campbell, struggling B movie character actor – or at least a version of him.
This Bruce is a dopey, broke, womanising, deadbeat loser who lives in a trailer and is despised by all including his wife and agent, though he still believes that he is a vital cog in the Hollywood machine and should be praised by all. When he is approached by the Gold Lick locals to rid the town of the evil Asian being Bruce thinks he is the subject of an elaborate practical joke so he plays along.
And to be blunt the film unfolds exactly how you think it might from here.
My name is Bruce has several twee songs that are meant to be quirky but are in fact crappy filler, it has several references to the die-hards and conventioneers, including multiple cameos by Ivan Raimi, ‘Shemps Whisky’ and a myriad jokes about a multitude of crappy films, most of which are at Campbell or Sam Raimi’s expense. Again NBBs would
have no idea of what was going on as the references flew over their heads, and even those that do get it should be underwhelmed – just being honest. So in making a movie that lampoons Campbell’s willingness to appear in crappy movies Bruce Campbell has managed to make… a crappy movie.
More realistically though Campbell fans get another DVD that they think they like more than they do (really do you ever drag out anything other than the Evil Dead flicks?), and Bruce gets another scanned DVD cover to sign at conventions.
Final Rating – 6 / 10. As a Bruce Campbell fan not all that dissimilar to many others – I have two signed Evil Dead posters on my wall at home – I get the references and know where the (alleged) jokes are. I still don’t think this is much more than just a movie.
