The Desk
directed by Andrew Goldman
starring Andrew Goldman, Paul Henry and Joe Canale
Highly Replaceable Productions
There are three related yet disparate documentaries here. We begin with a self-referential film project following Andrew Goldman and his fall from grace at the New York Times. Goldman is writing and directing a film about himself in this film about himself, and if you’re still with me you ARE a film buff. Goldman is played by Joe Canale in the internal film and himself in the external narration.
He’s hooked up with discredited New Zealand TV talk show host Paul Henry. Henry is the sort of guy who will say anything on the air and deal with the consequences later, his particular fall from grace revolved around Indian politico whose name is rather rude in English. Goldman and Henry are looking to start a TV talk show in the US, but the pair flounders around L.A. getting rejected by cable network that not even Cox Communication carries. Eventually Henry acquires a famous TV desk and the begin shooting on the street and is lucky to score C-Lister like Richard Simmons (loved him) and Ron Jeremy (hated him). Then we’re off into a retrospective of Goldman’s successful career doing celebrity profiles pieces, how the Times was complicit in G.W. Bush’s “Weapons of Mass Destruction” fiasco, and how the they traded journalistic integrity for adverting money from Diana Von Furstenberg.
It’s a mish-mash, but it does keep you engaged. It’s never clear what Goldman is aiming for: the pathos of failed celebrity, the decline of print journalism, or his self-absorption in his own career. He blames Henry for his fall, but I never saw how, beyond perhaps distracting him from other gainful employment. See this film with other film fanatics but not a date; you need the right audience to make this a fun evening.
This film is part of the 2015 Florida Film Festival www.floridafilmfestival.com
