(Image via SallywoodMovie.com)

Sallywood is Xaque Gruber's totally bonkers, no-budget comic docu-drama about what happens when a starry-eyed young man from Maine relocates to Hollywood to make it in show business and promptly runs into his idol, THE Sally Kirkland, the star of the 1988 film Anna.

Feeling like a blend between Sunset Blvd. and Mike Nesmith's Elephant Parts, the film bizarrely follows Zack (Tyler Steelman) and his new boss Kirkland — playing a version of herself — as they attempt to navigate ways for her to attain her former glory, or at least to make enough money to get her car fixed.

The story is enhanced by to-camera interviews with real-life actors (Eric Roberts as a sleazy agent, Kay Lenz as a Kathryn Ann Bigelow-like director, Jennifer Tilly as Zack's homemaker mom, the late Michael Lerner in a touching cameo as a former lover), as well as by actual clips from Kirkland's late-'80s heyday, when she seemed to on the verge of a breakthrough in the wake of a Golden Globe win and Oscar nomination.

The film is silly a lot of the time, and very little lands. Some of the line readings are so off it's hard not to deduce the supporting actors, some of whom are in the same situation as Kirkland, did one take and went home.

But what took me by surprise is the fact that Kirkland's participation totally works. The reason she lands — saving the entire production — is she still has great timing, has a sense of humor about herself, isn't afraid to reveal some actual heartache and makes the absolute most of a healthy number of pithy, pregnant one-liners:

“Last week, I walked over Holly Hunter's star on Hollywood Blvd. You know who's walking on my star? Nobody. I can't afford it. It's like $50,000.”

“I did a Folger's commercial once in a kitchen that looked  just like this!”

“We've traveled in the same circles for five wives.”

“If I don't recognize somebody, they're not a real star.”

“Is she gonna poison me?”

[Phone rings] “Oh, ignore it — I'm here, it can't be important.”

“I've gotta be in your next film. I don't care what part it is — I'll carry a spear.”

Though Sallywood is a slight distraction, Kirkland's willingness to give it her all makes it watchable, and makes you want to see her in a major movie or series again. If only for that reason, add Sallywood to your queue when you can.

Sallywood will soon play the Santa Clarita International Film Festival.