Spivak

A friend of mine told me to check out Spivak and, after a bit of hesitation, I decided to give it a try. I was really surprised! The movie is so charming, off-beat, smart, and unpredictable. The story is about this really bad unpublished writer who suffers through life around Los Angeles amidst these crazy characters who all try to help him even when he doesn't want to be helped. The grumpy guy who plays Spivak turns out to be pretty adorable, but the peripheral performances steal the show. The British guy who plays the golf pro Chuck gives a great performance as a jock who dreams of being an intellectual. Michael Cera has a small supporting part as Spivak's successful adversary. He's pretty funny in here as well. Anyway, I really recommend this movie. It's fun!

Offbeat, small budget rom-com starring Chris Kattan's vestigal twin. While cloyingly eccentric, the main plot is time-worn and used up. Insecure, blocked-up writer with a permanent "constipation-face" meets woman (who in reality would never give him the time of day) in an unlikely fashion. She's engaged to a studly, dim-bulb golf pro. Wacky hijinks ensue, rocketing to a predictable conclusion. No belly laughs, but nothing objectionable either. I thought of two endings that could've made this stand out a bit more, but a happy ending must be more bankable. Unfortunately, the ending destroys the quirky ambiance.

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.

Wally is a loner and an aspiring writer. I'm not a psychiatrist, but he appears to have major self esteem issues, and seems to be depressed over not being published. But he's so young! Very few people have been published! His housemates drag him out to dinner, where he meets a beautiful, popular girl. They hook up. And little by little, he comes out of his shell, and starts taking chances. And this changes his whole life! A cute, quirky, little film. Kind of just rolls along... more of a thinker film, but it's quite good. It didn't win any awards, but has the feel of being someone's (unlikely) actual life experience.maybe jazzed up, for poetic license. The couple engaged to be married really go out of their way to be friends with him, given the circumstances they really encourage him in ways most people just don't. At least in my own experience. They completely ignore his loner tendancies and introduce him around. It's cute. Co written and directed by anthony abrams, adam brode. Showing on the flix!

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