Ten Inch Hero

I have to admit it. I feared this movie would be WB fare because of the actors involved and the many young audience members at the film festival where I saw it who seemed, shall we say, infatuated by certain actors in the film. The girl next to me said "Oh I love him" or similar comments every time the character Priestly came on. Because at film festivals cast and crew and their families and friends often turn up, I was tempted to ask her if she knew the actor, such were her expressed feelings of seeming familiarity with him. My husband, actually, had wanted to see this film which could be, at first glance, dismissed as a "chick flick". However, I was pleasantly surprised at the snappy dialog, good plot, fun characters, and genuine emotion that this film registered. I also loved the feelings of camaraderie among the main characters in the film. It is a heart warming film and I highly recommend it.

OK, let's be honest. I've seen (the start of) a hundred of these sorts of movies --- low-budget indie flick about a quirky group of friends, billed as a comedy but not really many laugh-out-loud moments. Most of them are utterly dreadful, and I can tell within ten minutes that I hate these people and/or have utterly no interest in their lives.

But every so often you get lucky and the whole thing works. From the first minutes you're intrigued by something, you soon care about every one of the characters, and by the end you're as in love with them as they all are with each other.

Watch it with someone you love; you'll be happy you did so!

If you are looking for a funny, touching, insightful, feel-good movie then Ten Inch Hero is for you. It's a story about four young friends and their older, hippie dude boss at a sub shop searching for love and learning to see past outer appearances and let go of preconceived notions.

It's a deceptively simple movie. After all, we all learned in grade school not to judge a book by its cover, but maybe the simplest lessons need to be revisited every once in a while. Who among us can say we've never assumed something about a person from their outer appearance? Who hasn't felt like they didn't belong in a certain group or situation because they didn't fit the profile?

It's no wonder many of Hollywood's young actors wanted roles in this movie. Hollywood can be one of the more superficial zip codes on the planet. A handsome actor gets a role because he is handsome, but is another role denied him because he is too good looking? Good looks are a two sided sword; they may get you in the door, but will your talent be recognized? Will you be relegated to the hunky hero roles or will you be allowed to create unique characters?

That brings us to Priestly. Ah yes, Priestly! Priestly is unique, riotously funny, individualistic, sweet, witty and charismatic. Priestly rocks! He grabs the audience from his dynamic entrance and never lets go. He immediately starts spouting his sage opinions with witty humor and biting sarcasm and the audience is putty in his hands. Considering his look, with piercings, tattoos and multi-colored Mohawks, it must be the writing and Jensen Ackles' acting that sells this character. It certainly can't be Ackles' leading man looks; especially since most of the audience had no clue who he was.

Halleluiah! Maybe now the PTB will recognize what a gifted and talented actor Ackles is. Jensen Ackles always puts underlying subtext in his roles. He is a very subtle actor who becomes his characters and Priestly is no exception. His fans appreciate him most from his portrayals of Alec on Dark Angel and his current role as Dean Winchester on the CW's Supernatural. He has the ability to take a seemingly straight forward character and find the depth in them and expose their fears and inner workings with a stark realism that blows you away.

Priestly is a nice change of pace because he is allowed to embrace his comedic talent while portraying his most normal and well-adjusted character yet, despite the character's outward appearance. He takes a character most of the audience would avoid in real life and makes them care! Most of the audience would invite Priestly over to Sunday dinner by the end of the film. They loved him that much. It is refreshing to see a character whose looks appear so outside the norm be so content and happy.

While Ackles may be the obvious standout, the entire cast is superb. This is an ensemble piece with every actor bringing a fresh outlook to their character and making us care about them. We laugh with them, we cry with them and, in the end we rejoice with them. You believe in this sandwich shop and the diverse people that inhabit it and you become involved in their lives.

If you have ever attempted love or been to High School and lived within the confines of cliques, you can enjoy and empathize with these characters. The concept of outer appearances is examined in several different manners with every character discovering something new about themselves and the world around them. We all know not to judge others by looks, but how many of us realize our view of ourselves may not mesh with how the world perceives us? We may hold ourselves back just as much as we confine others.

Ten Inch Hero is downright entertaining. First and foremost it is funny. Priestly is the comedic voice and the tampon scene will go down as a classic. The movie is beautifully photographed with peaceful scenes of the beach interspersed with the lives of the friends. The director, David Mackay, keeps the movie flowing at a comfortable pace, shifting back and forth between the characters' stories, but always holding your attention. There is no clock watching or restlessness, just an engrossing, satisfying movie.

The script by first time screenwriter Betsy Morris is refreshingly realistic; it is not overly dramatic or contrived. Everything does not turn out as expected and there are three or four nice twists to offer a few surprises.

Yes, it has a happy ending although everything does not turn out perfect. Living in these times with war and fear rampant, maybe we need a pleasant respite from daily life. Isn't that what the movies are supposed to do? Take us away from our lives? The funny thing about this movie is it stays with you. Once you are reminded of that grade school lesson, you start viewing the stranger you pass on the street a little differently. You look in the mirror and wonder if you are fulfilling your potential or if you are just staying in the preconceived box?

This is a movie you will enjoy. I liked these characters and would love to hang out with them. I can't think of a better recommendation then that. If you get the chance, go see it. And if you are one of the PTB, get this movie into theaters and don't assume the target audience is under the age of thirty. All ages can feel a connection to these characters and everyone enjoys a great comedy. This movie delivers in all areas. If given the chance, with the young, talented cast of up and comers this could be a sleeper hit. It just needs a little help getting noticed. Once you get them in the theater, they'll leave happy.

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing this film is. The cast is wonderful, the script is fabulous, everything about it is perfect. I can't find a flaw in the film, except that it ended. I went to see it for Jensen, and he was AMAZING as Pristley, but the entire cast was just exactly right. They hit the nail on the head. I laughed, gasped, got sucked into the movie and never wanted to leave it.

I got to see it at the Newport Beach Film Festival, and was lucky enough to get to meet Jensen, Danneel, and Elisabeth. They were all total sweethearts, and so down to earth. It made the movie even better for me, but even without them, the movie gets two thumbs up from me. If you have the opportunity to see it, do it. You won't be sorry. I hope that this movie gets distributed for everyone to see, and that one day it'll be on DVD so I can watch it over and over. Seriously, it's THAT GOOD.

I saw this at the Santa Cruz Film Festival and enjoyed it immensely. Jensen Ackles stole the show--anyone who watches Supernatural knows he's got great comedic timing--but the other roles were well-played, too (particularly Clea DuVall), and the story/characterization unfolded believably (for a rom-com) and enjoyably. The core of the script, with the team of friends working together at the sub shop, was engaging and smart, and the plot was solid (avoiding the huge leaps that plague many films) and even contained a few unexpected twists. I laughed, a lot; my companion cried, a little. I can't wait until this gets wider distribution so I can watch it with more of my friends. Perfection, no; an enjoyable evening's entertainment, surely. I'll be buying this when it's available.