Starry Eyes is an ambitious movie with lofty goals, giving a dark, sinister edge to show business. It's unfortunate that it doesn't completely follow through on it's promise.
Sarah (Alex Essoe) is a young waitress trying to 'Make It' as an actress in Los Angeles. She gets an audition for a horror film titled 'The Silver Scream'. Sarah is an emotional wreck who resorts to a strange form of self-harm (She rips her own hair out of her head) After blowing the audition, she does just this in the bathroom, which catches the attention of the casting agents, and she is asked to re-enter the room and do just that.
After this, she has a call-back, which goes disastrously when she finds herself unwilling to "Do whatever it takes". After a third attempt, she begins her descent into madness and decay, and so does the plot.
Where this movie fails is in setting up even any loose logic as to why everything is happening. There's obviously a cult involvement, but there is absolutely NO explanation as to what they do, or how they do it. I'm not saying that I need everything spoon-fed to me, but completely ignoring any context altogether isn't surreal, it's frustrating.
There are some very effective performances, namely from the film's lead. Noah Segal is also serviceable as Sarah's aspiring hipster filmmaker friend, and Marc Senter is criminally underused as the assistant casting director. The special effects are also of note, which become both fantastical, clinical and down-right disgusting. The crisp, clean cinematography also enhances the effects, sparing absolutely no detail.
All in all, it's a decent movie, despite it's shortcomings. It's nothing overtly special, but it's engaging enough to keep you at least watching, even if you're not always terribly invested.
