It was written by Steve Martin, who also stars alongside Eddie Murphy in two roles, and also features Heather Graham as an ambitious would-be starlet.

He has a script ("Chubby Rain") penned by an accountant, Afrim, and a camera operator, Dave, who has access to studio equipment through his job as a gofer.

Bowfinger then lines up several actors who are hungry for work, along with a crowd of undocumented Mexican immigrants as his camera crew; the only other thing he needs is a studio deal in order to distribute his masterwork.

Jiff is unassuming, amiable, and so naïve that Bowfinger is able to persuade him to run across a busy freeway for a scene by assuring him the speeding cars are all being driven by "stunt drivers".

The footage shows Kit donning a paper bag over his head and exposing himself to the Laker Girl Cheerleading Squad, something Terry Stricter previously dissuaded him from doing.

The film ends with an elaborate fight scene from the new movie, Fake Purse Ninjas, featuring everyone who worked on Chubby Rain.

[21][22][23] Paul Clinton wrote in CNN online: "Bowfinger could just be viewed as an out-there, over-the-top spoof about Hollywood, films, celebrities and even the Church of Scientology.

"[22] Andrew O'Hehir wrote in Salon that "Too much of 'Bowfinger' involves the filmmakers' generically wacky pursuit of the increasingly paranoid Kit, who flees into the clutches of a pseudo-Scientology outfit called MindHead (their slogan: 'Truth Through Strength').

"[23] The Denver Post, the Daily Record and the San Francisco Chronicle made similar comparisons,[24][25][26] and the Albuquerque Journal and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram called MindHead a "thinly veiled" parody of Scientology.

[29][30][31] Writer Steve Martin told the New York Daily News "I view it as a pastiche of things I've seen come and go through the years", and stated "Scientology gets a lot of credit or blame right now, because they're the hottest one.

"[35] The Seattle Post-Intelligencer also noted Eddie Murphy's ability to spoof himself in the film, including "kidding his own legendary paranoia, evoking his real-life sex scandal and allowing himself to be the butt of Martin's extended gag.

"[35] Leonard Schwarz of Palo Alto Online described the film as "arch and knowing about the ways of Hollywood", including "producers who want to keep their cars more than their kids when they get divorced.

"[37] An article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Bob Graham wrote that "Martin the writer plants some wicked barbs in Hollywood's rear end about creative financing of movies and hoarding of profits, the art of the deal, hipper-than-thou attitudes and exploitation.

"[40] Roger Ebert wrote that "Like Mel Brooks' The Producers, it's about fringe players who strike out boldly for the big time.

"[41] Janet Maslin of The New York Times wrote, "The title character in the hilarious, good-hearted Bowfinger is a tireless schemer who, like Zero Mostel in The Producers, is part of a great show-biz tradition: being ruthless, delusional and hellbent on turning lemons into lemonade.

"[42] A review in the Deseret Morning News was critical, giving the film two and a half out of four stars, and called it a "funny but frantic and somewhat mean-spirited comedy.

"[55] Bowfinger debuted at the #2 spot behind The Sixth Sense, with an initial box office weekend return of US$18.2 million at 2,700 theaters in the United States.