FLiFF Goldblum's "Pittsburgh" ventures into Woody Allen territory... - CinemaDave

Set in Jeff Goldblum's hometown, "Pittsburgh" is a seriocomicdocumentary. For what Woody Allen does with the romance of Manhattan, Goldblum (with directors Chris Bradley and Kyle LaBrache) attempt to do with the city of Pittsburgh.

Jeff Goldblum falls for a Canadian girl whose greencard is turning ripe. To keep her in the states, Goldblum auditions for a regional theatre production of "The Music Man," in which she has a role. Given his celebrity connections, Goldblum recruits Ed Begley Jr. and Illeana Douglas to costar on stage.

Douglas and Begley have funny, if unflattering subplots. Ever the environmental scientist, Begley recruits Goldblum to star in his informercial for solar power. Douglas deals with her relationship with music man Moby, who has the personality of a igneous rock. Both actors must be good friends to their leading man. Next to Goldblum, Douglas and Begley come across as goofy sidekicks.

While the mixture of fantasy and reality keeps an audience at a distance, "Pittsburgh" works as a lightweight comedy.