Windy City Heat (2003)

I watched this film when it aired on Comedy Central. It was late, I was half asleep. I didn't expect to make it all the way to the end but I'm glad I did. This is one of the funniest prank films out there.It reminds me of Impaled: Painfully Blunt! In that film, they set up a guy named Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey who's running for president of the United States. In this film, Scary Perry is being set up. Perry expects to make it big as a Hollywood action star. Instead, his buddies put him through hoop after absurd hoop. I was expecting an angrier reaction from Perry after the film but it never really happened. I don't want to spoil anything but over all it was a funny and unique prank only because Scary Perry is a unique guy.I highly recommend this if you're into Bad Grandpa and Borat.

There has been many a comment about the authenticity of this flick as to whether Perry was in on it or not. I can't say for sure because I was not apart of the project. However, I spoke briefly with Bobcat off the record at a Bring The Rock show at Largo a few years back. He swore on his life (with then girlfriend Nikki Cox motioning for him to leave) that Windy City Heat is absolutely real. The Perry is exactly what's portrayed in the film. Also, I went to the only screening at the Laemmle Sunset 5 wherein Jimmy (having just gotten done with Live) backed Bobcat up. At no point does one get the impression that Perry is in on the joke, he is the perfect patsy. Unless he's Andy Kaufman (which I highly doubt) I am more than willing to believe this film to be exactly what it says it is. And what it is is absolutely hilarious.

Nobody in their right mind will believe that this is a "documentary of a real prank", because there are too many nonsensical events. Instead, just enjoy the craziness and unadulterated (and often unsophisticated) comedy in this film.I think Perry Caravello completely steals this show. To put it another way, I would go so far as to say that everyone *but* Caravello absolutely stank in this movie. But that isn't a fatal flaw - because all the funny moments are HIS moments and the rest of the people are just there converting oxygen into CO2.The biggest knock I have on this movie is that it isn't, well, "tight". I really wonder about the evolution from story to screenplay to shooting to production and where the heck the focus was lost. As soon as about halfway through the movie, everything starts falling apart into a series of seemingly random events, as if they either 1) got tired of making it, or 2) butchered the thing in editing to make a time limit.A bit of an annoyance is Tony Barbieri's insistence that he bring his "Niles Standish" voice (as J.Q. Adams) into the movie, as if that is some sort of gold standard that will add credibility to the movie. For him to have to leave the room each time Niles (er, "Adams") came on the line was basically a silly ego trip on his part. Who cares who does that voice? Keep it over at Crank Yankers.Lastly, several reviewers seem to think that Perry Caravello is not a "real" person. Perry is real, and interestingly enough, if you check out his web site at http://www.scaryperryproductions.com and spend time there, you'll see that there seems to be a big similarity between the real Perry and the movie character. The real Caravello is slogging his way through the business, trying to make it in the same manner. Once you spend time on his site, you'll probably want to watch the movie again because the insight will offer a new dimension. You start rooting for the guy in real life, too!

One word--hilarious! Despite what you may have read from one other IMDb user, this is a positive and funny film that has done more for the unwitting lead actor, Perry Caravello and his career than anything else. Clever and amazing in its duplicity, this movie is one of the best comedies ever made!Without giving too much away, everyone in the film is in on the joke except for Perry. Led to believe that he is the star of a major motion picture, Perry soon reveals the rude and annoying personality that has probably helped prevent his successful entry into 'real' show business over the past decades.The fact that Perry remains completely unaware of the trick being played upon him (the producer of the film is named John Quincy Adams and production assistants unflinchingly introduce themselves to Perry as 'Frances Farmer' while even 'Ansel Adams' shows up on the set to photograph Perry), only serves to amaze the audience as to how dumb one actor can possibly be.Do yourself a favor and ignore those who criticize this film as mean-spirited--the fact that we now know the name Perry Caravello is proof that this film only served Perry Caravello's unrelenting self-serving personality.