Wes's Grade: B
The odd, dark comedy "Welcome to Me" proves people with money can do weird things
People with money can sure strange things. Maybe people with money are just strange. That's premise of the odd and quirky dark comedy "Welcome to Me," which says that maybe some people don't deserve to be famous. A woman named Alice Klieg (Kristen Wiig) with borderline personality disorder wins the lottery and decides to spend the cash on her own cable access talk show, where her larger-than-life personality and obsession with being famous begins to alienate her friends and family. Directed by Shira Piven (Jeremy Piven's sister) and written by Eliot Laurence, "Welcome to Me" is an often dark, strange comedy filled with some fun moments and superbly acted by "Saturday Night Live" vet and "Bridesmaids" star Kristen Wiig, who shines as the unstable Alice, whose obsession to be famous drives those around her crazy. She is supported by a strong cast, including Wes Bentley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, James Marsden, Tim Robbins (whose brother scores the movie), Linda Cardellini and as her long-suffering producer, Joan Cusack, who must endure all of Alice's shenanigans. Given that Alice's weird, problem-filled life itself is filled with many pensive moments, the movie works better as a straight comedy, and is most memorable for the hilarious different shows Alice puts on that are supposedly based on her life, many of which could've been (and might've been at some point) "SNL" sketches over the years, including "Alice vs. Mom," "Someone Took My Handbag," not to mention assorted cooking shows, one interesting show in which she operates on a dog on camera, and her final show, "The Legend of a Swan: The Telethon for Change." Ultimately, there isn't much to the premise (though Wiig is completely naked in one scene) and is really just a weird, rich girl (Lady Gaga anyone?), but Wiig's amusing turn makes "Welcome to Me" worthwhile for some weird and wonderful moments.
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