Gus Bishop is a talented but failing New York painter who lacks the marketing savvy to make it in today's art world. After getting pick-pocketed in the subway, Gus' destiny is turned over into the hands of Deech—who promptly burglarizes his home and steals his paintings. To capitalize on his stolen goods, Deech generates interest in Gus' work by creating Geoffrey Buonardi, a fictional artist with a fascinating profile. Geoffrey becomes an overnight sensation while Gus is forced into the shadows of the ever-elusive rising star.
The film received mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 41% based on reviews from 17 critics.[1]Lawrence Van Gelder of The New York Times called it "a deftly satisfying, comically coherent sendup of the world of art".[2][3] In contrast, Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times thought it was "a feeble and tedious satire".[4] Ed Park of The Village Voice said that "Posner's dishearteningly unsophisticated treatment itself rings false".[5]
