The World Is a Better Place When Rob Lowe Pokes Fun at Himself

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Giselle Bonilla’s first feature, The Musical, which I caught at Sundance, feels surprisingly like a really ambitious student film – and that’s a compliment. It’s got this raw, homemade energy that perfectly suits the story, which centers around the hilariously messy production of a middle school play. But beneath that simple surface, things get… unsettling. We’re quickly drawn into the perspective of a protagonist who’s, let’s just say, not entirely stable, and watching their frustrations escalate. It’s a really unique blend of genres – part noir, part coming-of-age comedy, and definitely a ‘let’s put on a show’ backstage musical. Honestly, it reminded me of what you’d get if you crossed Election with A Different Man, and there are moments where you catch stylistic echoes of films like Apocalypse Now, Goodfellas, and even Dead Poets Society. It’s definitely not going to be for everyone – it’s a little chaotic and might frustrate some viewers – but I absolutely loved it.

Doug Leibowitz, a middle school drama teacher, often wonders what Eugene O’Neill would think of his life. Doug dreamed of being a successful playwright, but his career never took off. Now, he’s dealing with a recent breakup from Abigail Morris, the art teacher he was supposed to work with on the school’s production of West Side Story. When he discovers Abigail is now dating the principal, Mr. Brady, Doug decides to get back at them by dramatically changing the play to a bizarre musical he’s written about the events of 9/11.

Doug practiced with his students, making them promise not to repeat a word of what he said. He filled their heads with his bitter complaints – like how sometimes you lose, and your rivals get what should have been yours. Doug was worried because if the school play failed, it would destroy Principal Brady’s chances of getting Cedarhurst recognized as one of the top schools in Southern California.

Brill delivers a compelling performance as Doug, portraying him as a deeply unhappy and resentful man. Doug constantly feels slighted and dwells on every perceived insult, a pattern stemming from a combination of arrogance and low self-esteem. Even kindness from others, like his ex-girlfriend Abigail who still offers support, and seemingly harmless figures like Principal Brady, only intensifies his anger. This fuels a chaotic attempt to sabotage everything around him, a result of his paranoia, self-hatred, snobbery, and unfulfilled dreams. He struggles to connect with people, and all of these issues combine to create his destructive behavior.

Doug is a truly awful person, but somehow we still find ourselves wanting him to succeed. His rambling, nonsensical speeches to young actors expose how emotionally immature he is. He bluntly tells them that dreams don’t matter, people leave, and eventually everyone dies, explaining that all anyone can hope for is to be remembered – that’s “the machine,” as he calls it. He’s really talking about life, something he clearly struggles with, but honestly, who doesn’t? Doug’s spitefulness feels surprisingly relatable, and there’s something satisfying about his complete self-destruction.

This musical is completely over-the-top and bizarre, offering a conspiracy-theory-driven take on the events of September 11th, filled with strange songs. Lyrics include lines like, ‘9/11, it’s a story about greed/ 9/11, jet fuel doesn’t melt steel beams,’ and others that are equally outlandish. The show features cardboard airplanes crashing into the Twin Towers, Osama Bin Laden moonwalking, and Rudy Giuliani breakdancing on a tank – it’s a display of questionable taste. However, despite all this, it’s strangely affecting to watch these young performers re-enact a trauma from a previous generation, almost as if they anticipate facing similar hardships. Through his relentless cynicism, the creator unexpectedly stumbles upon a deeper truth, similar to what Oliver Stone achieved with his film JFK.

I didn’t pay much attention to actor Fred Lowe for most of my life. I was young when he was most popular in the 80s, and honestly, he didn’t really impress me then. But he’s surprisingly become a really good actor, and I actually enjoy watching him now. He’s perfect in The Musical, playing a character who seems like someone you should dislike – a quiet, overly polite person in charge who pretends to be confident but is secretly worried about what people will think. Yet, Lowe manages to make him relatable, just a regular guy trying to do his job. This makes him a good target for the film’s central conflict. Despite its straightforward story, The Musical really captures how powerful and destructive resentment can be.

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2026-01-31 16:59