Long, strange trip for 'Amateurs'

"The Amateurs" follows a group of small-town nobodies who, under the leadership of Bridges' Andy Sargentee, decide their path to fame and fortune rests with making an adult film. Sargentee's amateur porn filmmaking team includes Ted Danson, Tim Blake Nelson, Joe Pantoliano, William Fichtner and Patrick Fugit. The movie concludes with a meta ending almost as strange as the real film's path to the screen.

"It's almost the same story of the film," Ryder says. "It was in their failure that they succeeded, and it's not unlike what has happened to us."

Despite the countless false "Amateurs" starts, Traeger and Ryder say the film's cast has remained supportive. "It's remarkable how these people feel about the film -- they never stopped calling about it," Ryder says. "You couldn't ask for more loyalty."

Bridges will join Ryder for a question-and-answer session in Dallas, while Traeger will be joined by Danson, Fichtner and Pantoliano for a similar panel after the film's 7:35 p.m. screening at the Landmark in Los Angeles.

With a limited marketing campaign, First Look is targeting fans of Bridges' "The Big Lebowski" and relying on as much free media as possible. "This is an all-star indie cast," says Brooke Ford, First Look's marketing head. "And we really think this is the little engine that could."

Traeger is confident that now that audiences can finally see the film, they will discover that "The Amateurs" is a lot of fun.

"After you've taken this ride, you just have to be thankful it's coming out," says Traeger, who hasn't made another movie since. "Right now, I am willing to believe anything is possible."

john.horn@latimes.com