Kristoffer Polaha says childhood impressions shaped ‘Mimics’ role

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 13 (UPI) — Kristoffer Polaha directs and stars in Mimics, in theaters Friday, as Sam Reinhold, an impressionist who makes a deal with nefarious forces for success. Polaha said the film utilizes a skill he’s had since childhood.

Sam signs a contract that pairs him with a ventriloquist dummy, Fergus. Sam and Fergus become a famous duo, but then the contract comes due.

In a recent Zoom interview with UPI, Polaha, 48, said he used to entertain his classmates with impressions.

“I was that nerd who, in first grade, was doing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck and the sound of breaking glass,” Polaha said. “I’ve always been futzing around with my voice.”

In Mimics, Polaha does accurate renditions of Marlon Brando and other celebrities. Polaha said watching Jim Carrey and other comedians inspired him to go into voices when he was talking about celebrities.

“Whenever I’m telling a story, if I’m telling a story about George Bush, then I’ve gotta do the voice,” Polaha said. “It was just another way to illustrate my point. So I just think it naturally happened.”

One of those first grade friends, Marc Oakley, wrote Mimics for Polaha. Oakley added Fergus to the story.

“We just incorporated those two things and allowed it to be a ventriloquist who does impersonations,” Polaha said. “That became a fun give and take because you could do scenes with each other. The dummy could do a scene with Sam.”

Polaha cast Stephen Tobolowsky as Sam’s father, Melvin. Melvin supports Sam when they share an apartment together, and still when Sam’s success allows them to move into a bigger house.

“As a father, I think you always support your young ones,” Tobolowsky, 74, said. “What I witnessed when I was on the set was kind of a magic act with his voices.”

An ailing Melvin only witnesses Sam’s struggles from his chair in the apartment, or sofa when they upgrade. For Tobolowsky it was difficult to truly relax.

“You’re never too comfortable on a movie set,” Tobolowsky said. “You like something that’s easy to get in and out of. So the couch was a little difficult for me to get out of. It was a little too soft.”

The other costar, Fergus, had his roots in another classic Hollywood celebrity.

“It’s Groucho Marx without the mustache and without the glasses,” Polaha said. “We took off the Groucho Marx eyebrows and put on new ones and fussed his hair up. That’s how we got Fergus.”

Polaha tried to make his directorial debut as early as 2004. However, he needed to continue taking acting jobs to support his family.

“I had written a script in 2004 while I was in Hawaii filming North Shore,” Polaha said. “My intention was to come home and film that and be an independent filmmaker early out of the gate. I just didn’t have enough money.”

Polaha was developing a different film with producer Ken Carpenter prior to Mimics. When a financier dropped out, he suggested the Mimics script could be made with the remaining budget.

“It was done for under a million dollars,” Polaha said. “Out of the will of just driving several projects at once towards a finish line, Mimics just happened to be the one that pulled ahead for the win.”