Make Me Famous is a television movie that was released in June of 2020. The movie stars Grantchester’s Tom Brittney as Billy, a young man hoping to score a spot on series six of the television series Love or Lust. The movie is laid out a bit weirdly. We jump to the present and simultaneously back to Billy’s interviews with the casting crew until the very end. This does create a bit of a nuisance but it shouldn’t be too difficult to follow. After all, the two casting directors are nearly always there.

During the casting interviews, Billy seems like a fun guy who will make for interesting television. Once the 6th season of Love or Lost has finished, Billy wastes no time using his newfound fame to his advantage. He visits a children’s hospital and tries to cheer up the local children. Then, we see that he is trying to sell some type of protein powder. I’ve done a little research on former reality television cast members and most of them do this after leaving television. They become affiliates of sorts and get paid to help companies sell products so I thought this was a good addition to the movie.

Immediately after the show ends, everyone wants a piece of Billy. They want to hang out with him, sleep him, and take pictures with him. Before too long, the tables start turning and public opinion regarding Billy changes. While Billy wants to be left alone, the locals won’t allow that to happen. They harass him until he relents and takes pictures with them. Things come to a head when Billy is replaced by a guy named Pete and brands lose interest. He has few choices and tries to return to his original job only to be turned away.

How could they hire the guy who made a fool of himself on television? In the end, Billy only has his mother. While he initially thought getting on the television show was the best thing ever, it turned out to be a nightmare. I won’t put any spoilers here so I am going to stop there. Make Me Famous wasn’t perfect. The constant jumping back and forth was a bit annoying but it made sense in the end. Despite some hiccups, I think the movie is important since so many people are eager to get onto reality television shows.

A lot of people can’t handle it and I think it is clear that most of the people involved are parasites. They prey on these people knowing they won’t be able to handle it. At the very least, Make Me Famous was a good exploration of the subject matter. I’d say it happens more often than not because there are countless two-bit celebrities made every day. The real celebrities in Hollywood are usually built for it because they grow up around it. They’re barely human anymore.

The ordinary people on reality shows can’t adjust to that fame and it gets the better of them. When it leaves, I am sure it feels like their whole life is fading away. Overall, I enjoyed Make Me Famous despite a few flaws. I’d say it is a 7 out of 10.