JCVD to DVD

This is the 8 1/2 of action comedies. JCVD, for the uninitiated stands for Jean Claude Van Damme. That’s right, the “Muscles from Brussels” plays himself here as an aging movie star whose career is on the wrong side of fame and fortune. And as a fictionalized version of himself, Van Damme faces adversaries different from the usual fists of fury. He’s working through financial issues and locked in a custody battle for his daughter. Even worse, Steven Seagal steals a starring role right out from under him. JCVD is a clever mix of fact and fiction, and it’s got more heart than anything you’ve seen the action star in before. Writing almost all of his dialogue himself, Van Damme almost reintroduces himself and breaks our collective hold on his reputation. Sometimes, it’s nice to be surprised. Rated R.