Spivak

But I can't stop letting it run here on my computer. Something pleasant (but totally unbelievable) has to happen.

Wally Spivak (Michael Bacall) is a small time writer - uncool and unpublished. His "friends" who aren't much more cool than Wally themselves, still needle him incessantly that he just keeps redrafting the same manuscript. Alone at an all but deserted bar on Valentines night he's unexpectedly picked up by Jannine (Maggie Lawson), a totally cool girl from very much the other side of town. What is going on?

Enter Chuck (Robert Kazinsky), the irrepressible British golf pro harbouring a secret yearning for literature - a character so unlikely that the word surreal comes to mind. Despite the inexhaustible good humour and generosity of the new rich kids in his life, Wally is still overthinking - sure there must be a downside just around the corner.

Like an author's dream, the vein of surrealism persists, but everyone acts their part with conviction and we're carried along by the unlikely train of events. We shouldn't be overthinking either, just taking in the entertainment and enjoying the ride.

This one could have easily fell into the same trap of so many low budget slacker comedies. Cliched gamers sitting on the couch, cocky sarcastic losers, sexual innuendos, etc. Thankfully they actually avoided those things. This movie tends to teeter on complete farce and romantic comedy. It works on that level. There are some laugh out loud moments like the empty Vegas club with the pulsating music, and some brief tender moments when the golfer tells him how much he loves the book, and he 'gets' it. And it's sort of fun watching the story play out. So there are some redeeming factors. But where this movie, and so many others, fail is that they present what is basically a depressed sad sack loser who never says anything funny, brilliant or really insightful, yet for some reason two hot babes, one is a Laker girl, are able to see through all that, see him for what he is and they fall for him. I think that's very lazy writing. Anyone can fall for anyone, but there ARE reasons. There was nothing in this dude that any women would really like, let alone an upper class babe or a hot dancing Laker girl.

Spivak is a tiny ugly man who is constantly humiliated by life. His only ambition, to be a writer, is thwarted by his biggest critic: himself, as he writes and rewrites the same novel, to the cruel delight of the mean people around him. Single on a Valentine's Day, he is suddenly approached by a gorgeous girl who asks him to spend the night with her. This changes his life, to his great chagrin and ultimately delight, transforming him from a hateful frustrated little man into a relaxed and positive success.

I liked the way it was played. I have to say most of the scenes were really painful, as the actors all did very well and you could understand the main character's confusion, fear, shame and pain. The moral of the story has to be that you're doing it to yourself, as a bunch of beautiful rich people attempt again and again to make his life better, while he just fears that he doesn't deserve it.

While Michael Bacall did great as the titular character, I would say that most of the movie was carried by Robert Kazinsky's Chuck, a guy so sickeningly positive that you can't but doubt his good honest intentions. It's a strange movie to see. If Spivak wasn't so monstrously unlovable, the movie would have been more credible and easier to swallow. As such, I can only perceive it as a writer's dream, free of all pretenses. Or maybe that's my inner frustrated little man, unable to accept the possible beauty of the world. You decide, as you watch the film. It provides more questions than answers, and that's the whole point.

I found this movie endearing, uplifting and inspired. Misunderstood artist lost in his own self-doubt, insecure in his own ability, but happenstance and stepping out of his comfort zone open him up to the possibilities in front of him and renew his faith in the world. Yes, it has it's cheesy moments, but all in all, a nice change of pace.