"Ellie Parker" is originally a short film made in 2001, starring then comparatively unknown Naomi Watts as Ellie, actress wannabe trying to survive in Hollywood. Director of the film was Scott Coffey, who had been with Naomi Watts in "Tank Girl" back in 1995, and then again "Mulholland Dr." in 2001. Since the short was completed and shown at Sundance in 2001, Scott Coffey spent four years to develop the short film into a feature-length film shot with a digital camera, which is what you are about to watch.



I wrote this background history of the film because the concept of the longer version wears thin as the plot unfolds. Still ever-reliable Naomi Watts is always impressive as Ellie, struggling to get a start in Hollywood, taking more than one audition in a day. See how Ellie practicing New York accents and doing her own make-up for the next audition while driving a car in LA. This is a hilarious scene, and also a bit painful to see, because this is too realistic, something that probably Naomi Watts knows first-hand.



The film consists of the confused life of Ellie, which includes her relationship with her unfaithful boyfriend/musician wannabe Justin (Mark Pellegrino), her best friend Sam (Rebecca Rigg) and a new friend Chris (Scott Coffey), but the most interesting part of "Ellie Parker" is of course the convincing acting from Naomi Watts as Ellie. As her long-suffering agent Chevy Chase briefly appears, which is another merit of the film. Also, you see hardly recognizable Keanu Reeves as himself, member of the rock band Dogstar, but very briefly.



"Ellie Parker" is a good example of how a good actress like Naomi Watts can make up for the lack of story. Actually, as you know, the real story is Naomi Watts, who really became a real Hollywood star during the four years of shooting this film, starring in the films like "King Kong" (where she is to play another struggling actress Ann Darrow). In this film you will see a glimpse of the life of gifted Naomi Watts before the David Lynch film which made her internationally famous, and of thousands of those who are still trying to be like her.