Pauly Shore is one of my favorite comedians, and probably long forgotten about. Stoners in the nineties have turned into fast food workers who no longer know or need Pauly, and since he's milked his fifteen minutes of fame, no one really has followed the man himself since the late nineties most likely. Which is probably why he made this mockumentary faking his own death. Leave it to Pauly! Pauly Shore is Dead is just what it sounds like; Pauly Shore's career has taken a turn for the worst, and he is desperately begging his friend Kurt Loder, a more successful actor, for any role. Pauly begins to realize his purpose on this planet is none, and after getting some strangely morbid advice from Sam Kinison, Pauly fakes his death. This becomes a genius plan on his part because now he sees how the world reacts to him being dead. Surprisingly, everyone is sympathetic, and Pauly proves death is better than life itself.
Along the way, Pauly captures the reactions of celebrities of music and film like Pam Anderson, Ja Rule, Chris Rock, Carrot Top, Kurt Loder, etc. The interviews are very humorous, and sometimes make me forget I'm watching a film about Pauly Shore. Todd Bridges also makes a very memorable, and humorous cameo. The stars make the film without a doubt.
There isn't too much to say about this. I am a Pauly Shore fan, but it saddened me to watch him fake his own death. I enjoyed Bio-Dome and In the Army Now, and think there are far worse actors than Shore. He is rather funny in this film, and asks a very good/deep question in this film - "would you rather be a dead genius, or a living idiot?" Living idiot for myself.
But obviously this will spawn a line of more mockumentaries by Shore. I think his VJ, MTV, stoner comedy movie days are over. That was clear by Pauly Shore's Adopted that came out a few years after this.
Starring: Pauly Shore, Ashley L. Anderson, Pamela Anderson, Camille Anderson, Adam Sandler, Eminem, Charlie Sheen, Todd Bridges, and Ben Stiller. Directed by: Pauly Shore.
