JCVD

Year: 2008

Grade: B+

Country: Belgium

Director: El Merchi

Review

a perfect double feature here and it happened quite accidentally. jcvd is about washed up action star jean-claude van damme who is trying to get his finances together and get back into big films and also trying to get back in touch with his daughter. it encapsulates the arc of jcvd’s career and the career of many movie stars. in one memorable scene he talks directly to the camera about his drug addiction and the allure of fame and fortune. it’s an autobiographical metaphorical film that works because it’s honest, funny, sad, and even has some action. it’s not the kind of film you would expect from a once big time actor.