Haiku Tunnel

Ok, first of all, I decided to rent this movie hoping for another Office Space - A movie I absolutely loved! There did seem to be some similarities, in particular, the strong use of minor characters. For example, Harry Sheerer and Helen -the former S&M employee who calls Josh from her basement holding the phone with a kleenex while holding a flashlight under her face - were great. I also loved the part where the, I assume gay, secretary is complaining about how his weekend was ruined. While the story isn't the most interesting, it doesn't really need to be. I felt a lot of the humour came from the smaller things like the minor characters, some funny lines, and situations. I think if people could watch this movie twice, they would like it more. Give the Kornbluth's a break. This was a low budget film and a first time effort. I think you'll see some better stuff from these guys in the future.

I don't understand why people gave this film such harsh criticism. For a comedy, it really hit a nerve, and that's no easy task. It's a satire and a cynical analysis of the modern workplace and the ridiculousness that comes with mindless desk jobs. The main character was clearly not meant for a 9 to 5 routine, and this film showed what happens to creative people stuck in a cubicle all day long: they get depressed and create mind games to maintain their sanity. I thought this film did a very good job in showing that the regimentation of corporate life is not conducive or compatible with free thought. The characterizations of the boss, coworkers, and the head secretary were very funny. This film reminds me why corporate America is failing. The dismal, over regimented conditions are not compatible with free thought, and for the writer to show this in the context of a comedy makes it all the more clever. I really don't understand how people could not see this point. It's an enjoyable and well made little film that takes you inside the mind of an inconspicuous office "temp". It's very funny.

Anyone who has worked in a corporate office will recognize characters and events in this movie which will make you laugh out loud and wince at the same time. For example there's a one-day orientation class which is totally mind numbing. This movie also contains the best depiction yet of SysAdmin support for the computers, although it is only in two brief scenes. As an IT support professional, I'd like all my users to watch this movie just for these two scenes. The same weekend, I watched Way Downtown which makes similar points about the drudgery of office work, but had far fewer laugh-out-loud moments. I've never worked as a temp, but I've had several temps work on my team and have observed the changes in attitude and behavior that occur when one of them makes the transition to "perm" and Josh compresses that evolution into just his first week of work. Highly recommended.

I walked into Jacks office this morning, and I said, "Jack, I don't care if you're a partner, you owe me an apology for what you said to me on Friday." I walked right in, I said, "Jack, I don't care if you're a partner, you owe me an apology, 'cause what you said to me on Friday, it was unforgivable Jack, and you owe me an apology." I said, "Jack, I don't care if you're a partner, what you said to me on Friday, it ruined my weekend. It ruined my Saturday, it ruined my Sunday, and that's my weekend Jack and you owe me an apology!" He said, "Well I'm sorry." And I said, "Well you better be sorry because you owe me an apology!"

("He probably did owe you an apology...")

You're damn right he did! I said, "Jack, I don't care if you're a partner, what you said to me on Friday, it ruined my weekend." I woke up Saturday morning and 9-10, I was miserable. 10-11 worse, 11-12 even worse, 12-1, well that was a little better because I was having lunch....

There's bug-eyed mugging, as in what Josh Kornbluth does a little too much in this film. And then there's the brutal mugging that this film is receiving here in IMDB comments. Ouch.

Much of the latter seems to stem around some resentment regarding this film and "Office Space." I've not seen the latter yet, but it seems to me "Haiku Tunnel" is a total ripoff of "Magnolia."

Kidding...kidding. That's my own little inside joke.

As for the jokes in here, I guess they might be somewhat inside. But I think if you've ever felt a bit like a stow-away on a job, you could connect with some of the alienation that Josh pokes fun at. All of the other characters here really are just foils for Josh, that might bug some folks.

Generally I found the amateurish charm to work here. I love "catalog" humor, and we get some of that early on in regards to types of fellow temps and types of lawyers. Quick flicks through stereotypes work for me usually. The film does slow down (as almost all comedies do) towards the end, when the plot piper must be paid.

Along those lines, in a bad horror film, I often will want to yell at the screen "Call the cops...NOW!" During this film, you will likely reach a point, as my wife and I did, where you will want to scream, "Mail the damned letters...NOW!" But we both did laugh throughout this. She especially loved the scene where Josh's boss won't let him quit, especially during Josh's litany of reasons that he is a bad seed.

But why do so many people, so strongly dislike this film?

If I squint my memory, I can sort of reimagine Kornbluth as Garfield (the cat, not the president). Maybe that is why some folks find him so patently unfunny. Just thinking about a punchline involving "Lasagna" and that comic strip sets my blood to boiling. Could that be it?

Or maybe some of the smirks that Kornbluth lobs towards the camera have the effect on others that a laugh track has on me. This does have a bit of a sitcom feel, but at least it isn't dragged out over 100 episodes. And there are some unique idiosyncratic moments here.

Or perhaps some folks need to be able to identify with the main character in a comedy, and Josh comes across with a little too much self-confidence and well, a little too much self. It's okay for Bill Murray to have too much of the former, just like it's okay for Chris Farley to have too much of the latter. But put them in one body, and look out?

I don't know what it is. But evidently half of you out there really shouldn't see this film. Not even on cable, late at night. I decided to watch this after seeing the trailer along time ago, so maybe look at that first? Or cross-check my other reviews...I recommend this one with a

7/10

PS You can fault Kornbluth's sense of humor, but certainly not his taste in music! Great songs through-out.