I watched this at 16 and I thought this was hilarious.
I rewatched it at 19 and thought it was tragic.
I rewatched it, now at 23, and see this as humbling.
The BEST movie about moviemaking, the story of Mark Borschardt is both an empathetic testament to attaining the American Dream and ponders if that's a dream worth chasing. Amid the many quotable lines and moments, the real wisdom in those moments really stuck out this time. There's so much to admire about Mark's passions and so much to worry about his vices, that it's hard not to relate. Insane to me that this is real life, but the more I think about, the less insane it gets.
If you wanna laugh, or cry, or - for you creative types - know thyself, I'd recommend watching American Movie. It kicks fuckin' ass. Just remember that life is kinda cool sometimes.