Jane White is Sick & Twisted

Fervent television aficionados will find much to enjoy in this spunky little independent effort from writer-director-editor David Michael Latt that follows slightly-mentally-deficient boob tube addict Jane (Kim Little) as she heads on a single-minded quest to Chicago to appear on a Jerry Springer-esque talk show she believes is hosted by her father. Along the way she encounters serial killers, transvestite prostitutes, and a wide variety of inbred types. Nearly every line of dialogue and visual gag is a reference to some moment in television history, from Monty Python to Seinfeld, and nearly every part is cast with D-list celebrity icons including Wil Wheaton (Star Trek: The Next Generation), Dustin Diamond (Saved by the Bell), Alley Mills and Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years), David L. Lander (Laverne and Shirley), and Maureen McCormick (The Brady Bunch). If you keep your eyes and ears alert, there are countless giggle-worthy lines and homages; unfortunately, if you're that alert, it's also tough to ignore the film's general failures and the fact that while the cameos are cute, there's a reason why these actors don't get more work. Optional. (D. Fienberg)