The Etiquette Man

This is a great film. Education, yet funny. Personally, I didn't learn much from the movie, but that's only because I've always lived my life by the principles taught in this short film. If you haven't seen it, see it.

You simply won't 'get' The Etiquette Man if you insist on trying to fit it into a prescribed category.

This is the story of a traveling lecturer who, without apology, teaches 1950's dating etiquette to 21st Century teens with warm, if inevitable, results. The high school characters in the film -- as well as its viewing audiences -- initially greet The Etiquette Man with stunned disbelief. What the h-e-double hockey sticks is this tall, soft-spoken, bow-tied guy talkin' about? "Arrive early for a date and shake hands with your date's dad?" Sheesh!

But as the film progresses, as The Etiquette Man and his tatooed, body-pierced banger classes discuss courtesy and respect and civility's place in modern relationships, we (as they) realize how complicated and selfish all our lives have become. Few films of any length inspire this kind of insight and gentle self-examination.

I loved every second of this delightful, quirky short comedy. The accolades it's received around the world are well deserved.

I didn't find this movie overly funny, or moving. It just seemed as if I was presented with a short film, and here's a bunch of stuff that happened. It wasn't badly done for a short though, as I've seen far far worse. It would have been better if they had given a little more insight into the characters thereby making the story a little more effective by giving me something to care about. The camera work was great, and the actors did a fine job with what they had to work with. Not a bad effort, but I wouldn't add it to my list of favorites or anything.