Who's the Caboose?

'Who's the Caboose?' is a daringly unvarnished look at the shark- infested waters of Hollywood's double-talk and ruthlessly superficial professional relationships formed during "Pilot Season," and the desperation boiling beneath the surface of the scene.

I appreciate that the mockumentary format serves the authenticity of the story but it's realism is earned at a great sacrifice; the film is not engaging, it successfully delivers a very authentic feeling story but the intentional blandness of 'real-life' negates any possible emotion we might be feeling for the characters.

The movie explores the uphill battle of actors breaking from underground comedy clubs to mainstream sitcom success but what struck me the most was how many fantastic comedians are criminally underutilized in their comedic capacity. Naturally mischievous Sarah Silverman portraying an irritable and neurotic bore, ludicrously funny David Cross barely gets a peek of screen time and H. John Benjamin whose wry voice you have heard in so many great cartoons playing an officious, effervescent lawyer. It's an arm-wrestle between miscast roles and an aggressively dry script.

It's okay, but if you sort-of liked what you saw, I recommend watching the far superior 'Swingers' which came out a year prior, similar fare but done with greater style and a more engaging emotional core.

A coworker let me borrow a tape of this unreleased gem. I'm not even a big fan of "mockumentary". But this really works. The performances are just right, not overplayed. The writing or the improvisation is very nicely done, it feels real without being too campy. David Cross has two riotous cameos. It even works dramatically.

It seems like an obvious subject -- actors flying out to L.A. for pilot season -- but I've seen a lot of actor friends make that pilgrimage and I haven't seen too many shows that really deal with it. (Well, except "The It Factor".)

If you can find this somewhere, watch it.

This is a wonderful comedy loaded with known television actors. Why this wonderful film never made it to the big screen or video stores is completely beyond me. Much more entertaining than anything I've seen in a theater in a long time

I first heard of this movie by writer/director/co-star Seder when he endlessly plugged it on the radio show on Air America that he did with Janeane Garofalo for something like four years. Eventually I saw it somehow, somewhere. Online? On cable? I don't remember.

Anyhow, this is a very low budget film in the mockumentary style. As I love mockumentaries I had to give it a shot. Isn't everyone in the know by now about the "inside baseball" stuff in show business by this point? Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood have been on TV forever by now. So, there's plenty show business jokes here, but, still, I think most people outside of the entertainment field would find this funny.

The other great thing is the appearance of so many now familiar faces. Of course on the poster now Silverman is given top billing with Seder at the bottom, whereas in the actual credits of the movie that is reversed.

Now I will have to track down the four episode "Pilot Season" if I can. Well worth seeking out.

Killer film. Great script. A must see.

Way to go Sam!