Windy City Heat introduces audiences to Perry Caravello, a struggling actor who has spent the past eleven years trying to become Hollywood’s next big star. Caravello is a long-time friend of actors/writers/producers Don Barris and Tony “Mole” Barbieri who know he cannot get parts because he's a terrible actor. However, Caravello is convinced he has just won the lead role in a major Hollywood blockbuster about a private eye named Stone Fury. But the film is fake; he's the victim of a prank staged by Barris and Barbieri, who have hired friends to make Caravello think he's starring in a real film -- while they capture strange scenarios they put Caravello through on hidden video.

Bobcat Goldthwait directs both the fake and real Windy City Heat. The funniest scene in the movie features Caravello filming his first scene as Stone Fury. For several hours, he is hurled repeatedly into a dumpster over and over again by actors portraying thugs. The scene should have been completed in three to four takes, but Goldthwait feels there's something missing in the scene although he can't quite put his finger on it. The scene does not come across as “authentic“ to the director.

Goldthwait then determines Caravello isn't dirty enough when he crawls back out of the dumpster, so he orders layer upon layer of wet cow manure to be poured into the dumpster. Battered, bruised, and stinky, Caravello asks for a stunt double to complete the scene. He regrets this decision when he learns his stunt double must do a love scene for him because Goldthwait considers it too risky for his star.

I laughed hard at a scene involving a lawyer brought in to help negotiate with the film’s backers regarding meeting Caravello’s wants and needs. The lawyer led Caravello to believe Barris and Barbieri (who have landed supporting roles in the film) have not asked for anything extravagant and would be extremely angry if Caravello. After Caravello asks only for shampoo and toiletries, he finds his friends have been given a Rolex watch and a motorcycle, respectively. 

Most viewers will probably chuckle when Goldthwait tells Caravello the film’s investor, Hiroshima Nagasaki (Toshi Toda), is arriving from Japan to see the set and find out how the shoot is progressing.  Goldthwait wants Caravello to guard a table with food on it until Nagasaki arrives. Nobody is to eat any of the food, let alone knock the table over. When Barbieri comes along and tries to eat from the table, Caravello freaks out as Barbieri accidentally crashes into the table causing it to collapse just as Nagasaki enters the room. The investor is so angry he withdraws all his money from the production.

Unfortunately, this film is ultimately ruined by screenwriters Barris, Barbieri and Jimmy Kimmel when they start introducing Caravello to fellow actors, producers, and assistants who share names with famous and historical figures. The list includes: Burt Ward, Roman Polanski, Susan B. Anthony and U.S. President John Quincy Adams.  

Actor Bob Legionaire is cast as legendary actor Charlton Heston, who has taken over Caravello’s trailer. Heston has been shooting up the trailer non stop. When security finally takes him away, Legionaire yells at everyone calling them “damned dirty apes.” Caravello never realizes that Legionaire is not Heston nor does he do a double take when it comes to the names of the people he's working with. Because of this unbelievable situation, Internet chat rooms are buzzing with posts from audience members who doubt the film’s authenticity, despite the participants swearing it is a “real-life Truman Show” and not a mockumentary.  

Many viewers will probably be turned off by the loud, egotistical, foul-mouthed Caravello, who likens himself to Marlon Brando. It's difficult for anyone to sympathize with his plight, and the laughs are inconsistent here. I'm also disappointed that director Goldthwait lost control of his actors, who appear unconvincing and unnatural in their performances.

(Released by  Paramount Home Video and rated "R" for language and sexual content.)