The Waiter

In the past 3 years I have heard a lot of hype about several Houston local low budget films. Due to the hype I had to check them out! All of them didn't live up to the hype, but finally this one did. Now keep in mind when you go to an indie and there is hype it still is an indie with no money. A lot of people hear hype about an indie and they expect Lord of the Rings.

I saw "The Waiter" at WorldFest Houston along with about 5 other films. It was really cool to see parts of Houston used. Other parts of Houston I didn't recognize, but it said it was entirely filmed in Houston. Before I saw the film I really didn't hear much about it. The plot was cool, but the main thing was IT LOOKED LIKE A REAL MOVIE!!! I was like wow, this is a real movie. I heard the budget after the film and was pretty impressed. The acting was really strong and I recognized almost the entire cast from other stuff, including the priest from EveryOne Loves Raymond. There were a couple cool effects that you don't expect on the budget and all in all I would say if you are an indie film buff it is a must see!

After the film the director thanked us all for coming, and shook my hand. He seemed really nice and humble. Which none of the other directors I have met seemed to be. I would highly recommend this film. Don't expect a huge blockbuster action film, but you get a lot of bang for your buck!

Don't let the studio looks or stars fool you. The Waiter is a labor of love "indie" style. Shot outside the confines of LA and overblown budgets of the millions with similar results...this LOW six figure production takes...and clearly makes it's mark with a stellar cast (unheard of for the budget constraints) and helmed by the very able Producers including Jason Konopisos on his Directorial debut. With his remarkable and seasoned crew, Mr. Konopisos takes the audience on a journey into the viceral elements of the human soul. "The Waiter's" crippled take on redemption through the eyes of this true anti-hero is one only Dante could relate to in the midst of Purgatory. A sweet blend of mythology and modern Western society. Joseph Campbell fans...this is a must see. Filmmakers...this is a true lesson in making an indie film.

Let me just say that if Entertainment Tonight got wind of the budget of this film and the cast it has and the story it tells, they would be running to do interviews with the people behind it. Most every commercial you see has a bigger budget than this film but not a fraction of the entertainment value. I think if it was marketed right it could become one of the biggest profit margins in movie history and people would look back and say, "The Waiter" pioneered in a new era in movie making.

What I really love about the film itself is the way you need to think while you are watching it. If you are one of those mindless zombie types watching a movie, this may not be the film for you. This movie is so deep on so many different levels. It's one of those movies that you will catch something different every time you watch it. I can't wait to see it in the theater again like I did at the World Premiere in Houston.

I attended a private screening of this film in Los Angeles last week. The screening went very well and the director took time to talk to everyone that was willing to talk to him. I was very impressed with the overall production of this film. Many of the people attending were a bit over the top with praise of the film. However, this is not to say that I think they were wrong in this level of praise. The film was a good film, very deep yet still entertaining. The most remarkable aspect of the film was the budget and the conditions by which these filmmakers completed this monumental task. I have been in production for nearly 15 years and the only comparison I could draw would be that of El Mariachi. I would say that this film wins out in acting performances and level of talent they were able to attract for little money. The look and production value also were outstanding. With that said, the film had the typical low budget production flaws. The lighting was good, the picture the camera gave was great, sound was good (however they said it hadn't been completed yet so I expect it will be very good), coverage could have been better, however the shots were at times very captivating. The thing that struck me most about the film and the reason why everyone seemed to be jumping on the band wagon was more about the charisma of the director. The film at times was vague and obtuse and demanded the audiences full attention. Many attendees I literally saw light bulbs appear above their heads during the Q&A. The director had a very strong vision and was extremely articulate in his answers. All in all, I would say that this film will probably have a strong DVD release, there is some dark humor so maybe even a cult following. I do think that the director and his partners will be very successful given the projects to come that he presented at the screening. I recommend any aspiring film makers or students rent this film, or buy it, it will show you a lot about how to do it right the first time.

I am not one to watch a film several times, especially within the same night, but I had to watch it twice. Watching this film through very conservative eyes with a military and oil industry background gives me a fairly different perspective from most film festival viewers. But I agree with most of the previous comments in that it is a must see.

I personally know several people involved in the creation of this film. I have heard about it for quite a while, but never saw any footage or really understood the films premise until I saw it.

I was really impressed with the high quality of the filming as well as the acting for considering the budget. The film has many levels of thought, as well as a significant entertainment value.

The director/writer has created a strong foundation for future cuts and sequels. I am looking forward to seeing what can be done with more time and resources...as long as the production is able to maintain the depth and quality of this artistic film.