Raindance Report: Stephen Tobolowsky's Birthday Party Review

So, why Tobolowsky? Well, before you think this is descending into John Malkovich territory, think again. This is a lovingly crafted and personal piece, focusing on him, as director Robert Brinkmann knows him best, as both a friend and master storyteller. Between them they decide to film the piece over the course of Stephen’s Birthday.

Beginning on a beach in LA, on the morning of his birthday, he directly addresses the camera and explains his interest in the project before launching into his first story related to the beach. From there on we follow him through out his day, even before the guests arrive, prepping food for the party, completely at ease as he tells a number of anecdotic tales directly to the camera, temporarily breaking between stories to check on his barbecue before fluidly heading into another tale.

Soon guests arrive and he continues to prove what a glorious raconteur he is, his party friends glued (as was the audience) as he tells back to back stories, such as being held at gunpoint in the supermarket, to confrontations with the real KKK on the set of Mississippi Burning, to the trials of working with piranha fish on the set of Bird on a Wire. Tobolowsky magnificently crafts each story, heading from lighthearted comedic excellence, to true soul searching, perfectly maintaining the balance through the picture.

In fact, watching Stephen Tobolowsky’s Birthday Party is less like watching a movie, and more like as spending an hour and a half in the company of a good friend, and being left wanting more. Fresh, original and completely heart warming, if you didn’t know who Stephen Tobolowsky was before this, then it will be hard to forget this charming individual again. A true gem of a movie.

Gummo.