Review – Confessions of a Superhero

This documentary follows four of the “street performers” who dress like superheroes and pose for photos with tourists on Hollywood Boulevard in exchange for “tips.” Two of the performers are sympathetic. One aspiring actor spends his days in the hot California sun perspiring inside a bulky Incredible Hulk costume. And the woman who came from small town Tennessee to pose as Wonder Woman while searching for roles is more than a little sad. The other two, on the other hand, come across as certifiably mentally ill. One of the many Batmen on the boulevard is a guy who bears a faint physical resemblance to George Clooney. He also has a dangerously uneven temper and delusions about having been a hit man for the mob. But the real star of the show is Chris, a guy completely obsessed with Superman. He looks a tiny bit like an emaciated Christopher Reeve, which he manages to milk for enough panhandling income to fill his apartment with Super-abilia of all kinds. Though this isn’t exactly a heartwarming triumph-of-the-human-spirit picture, it is an interesting look at people most of us wouldn’t pay much attention to. Mildly amusing