Through a series of auditions, a young actor in New York City struggles with his identity.
Similar titles
Reviews
Vin Diesel wrote and directed this short film, based on his experiences as a struggling actor. The film consists of Vin attending various auditions, changing his appearances, dialogue and line-delivery, constantly trying to "be somebody" in order to "impress" the casting directors. It's an interesting idea: "being somebody" in order to "impress somebody" so you can to "be somebody" and "impress somebodies".The film highlights how exploitative the movie business can be, how seductive its icons are, how these icons lure impressionable youths to Hollywood, how desperate actors become and how fickle the business of acting is.One wonders, however, if Vin simply made this film to showcase his range as an actor. The film consists of several audition sequences in which Vin adopts different accents, different styles and different personas (he even raps in one scene), mimicking Pacino, Stallone, Brando etc. Is Vin trying to show off? Is he trying to wow us with his range? Or is this all meant to be a bit comedic? If Vin is honestly trying to stun us with his acting, then he fails miserably. Or rather, because he fails, the film takes on the form of a really sad tragedy, Vin mourning his own desperation; his own, in a way, uselessness.7.9/10 – Worth one viewing..
It's always interesting to see glimpses of stars before they were household names. Playing the role of casting director, I try to spot something that might indicate their massive potential, or alternatively, that they've grown a lot in their ability since then. In the case of Multifacial, Vin Diesel's self-penned and semi-autobiographical short, it is clear that this actor is going places.There is something undeniably compelling about him. I first noticed him in the supporting role in Boiler Room, primarily for his voice. There's that deep gravelly tone that demands your attention. Couple that with his powerful physicality and you can see that this guy just needs the right role to exploit his talents. And where the Lundgrens and Rocks of Hollywood offer similar packages, Diesel brings an unquestionable intellect and vulnerability to the screen to set himself apart. Multifacial teaches 3 things:One - a simply shot film (ie: cheap) can still make an impact, providing the story is engaging. Two - if the storyline feels "doccie", economical and imperfect shots actually help give cred to the film. Three - If an unknown actor is talented, even a tiny low budget short can garner the attention of the biggest player in Hollywood.Evidently that's what Spielberg thought, as he contacted Diesel on the strength of this - check it out for a good chuckle, a glimpse of Diesel's comedic ability, and the star's take on the experience, looking back on it now.
I have been spouting facts about Vin Diesel for months now, telling all of my friends to see this and that movie with Vin Diesel in it. I am eagerly awaiting Knockaround Guys, and even more eagerly awaiting Doormen. Now that I have seen Multi-Facial, I have an incredible sense of respect for Diesel's creativity as well as his acting ability.Multi-Facial's portrayal of grinding it out as an actor hits home to me, as it does for most people. The main character, Mike, refuses to give up his ideals and dreams of being big like DeNiro in order to "make a living." I love that. Anyone who can see a goal and shoot for it, even when they are set back day in and day out, is someone who has my full respect. Finding in the end, that rather than slipping into a mold, he will be better as a "not too light, not too dark" actor makes Mike's character even more believable. I admire characters that break out of restraints and make their own rules. By the way, Diesel's monologue about the fictional father was so incredible, I thought Diesel himself was talking to me. I could have been anywhere in the world listening to him in person. That monologue jumped off the screen and into real life. If this is what Diesel does for his first attempt at directing a film, I can not wait to see what comes next. Talk about coming out with a bang!
I love this film. This guy Vin Diesel is gonna blow up! I cant believe he plays all these characters so well. No Wonder Spielberg wrote him in his film Saving Private Ryan. This is a must see film.