How Gratuitous Celebrity Cameos Disrupt a Film’s Flow

Will Schoder, a filmmaker who creates thought provoking cinematic video essays, took a humorous look at how celebrity cameos, when not done well, are often a gratuitous disruption to the plotline and to the flow of the film. In the rare cases when a cameo is done well, it feels relevant and natural, especially when the actor plays against type.

If I had to boil these cameos down to a single word it would be natural. In each case I feel like I’m seeing a genuine part of the celebrity. I feel like they’re not trying too hard, because whatever they’re doing on-screen is to a degree who they really are.