Waiting...

I hated (HATED!) being a waitress, but this movie is so hilarious and so ballsy that it almost makes me want to go back to the summer of 1999 to work one more shift at TGI Fridays. Waiting is the best, most accurate, most honest, and most riotously funny movie ever made about the service industry. Here's how I see it – the world is divided into two groups of people: those who have waited tables and those who haven't. Those who have never worked a day of their lives in a restaurant may find this movie amusing, but they'll think it's too absurd to be real, and they'll probably never give a second thought to this movie ever again.

But those of you who have felt the pain, degradation, and humiliation of waiting tables will p**s your pants laughing at how PERFECT this movie is. First-time writer/director Rob McKittrick has created a dead-on depiction of 24 hours in the restaurant biz. The movie opens at a late-night party with lots of underage drinking, smoking, and sex. Then we see the wait staff hung-over at work the next day. The restaurant they all work at is called "Shenanigans," but it looks an awful lot like the TGI Fridays I worked at.

All the characters in Waiting are based on the real people who work in every restaurant. There's the hot/slutty/underage hostess, the fat and ugly cook who somehow dates a really hot waitress, the stoner/punk bust boy, and the manager with the chip on his shoulder. All the customers in this film (the cheap red necks who don't know how to tip, the b****y women, the drunk and horny men) are all customers I've waited on. And no filmmaker has ever so accurately portrayed the complex and irreconcilable tension between the wait staff and kitchen staff.

But at the end of the night, no matter what drama unfolds, no matter what dishes brake, and no matter how much money you make in tips (or don't make), everyone gets wasted and parties together, and you all know you're in it together. Waiting simply tells a story about a profession that most people never give a second thought to. But it tells that story flawlessly. Can't wait for the DVD.

To the people who have never worked a day in a restaurant, this movie is NOT for you. To the people who go to a restaurant and treat the staff like $hit, This movie is NOT for you either. Trust me, save yourself the realization of just what you've REALLY eaten, cuz your life will be much better if you never find out. For everyone else, this movie is perfect. Its never going to win any awards, and doesn't even try to. From the 5-second rule to the intermingled sex lives of the staff to the retarded manager, this movie hits the nail right on the head. It seems like someone in Hollywood finally got some money to throw around and decided to pay homage to his life before being "Someone" in Hollywood. I laughed till i cried through the first 30 minutes and the rest of the movie was just as good. It's destined to become a cult classic for anyone in The Industry and will definitely be on my bookshelf the day it comes out. As long as you go in only with expectations of being grossed out and laughing till it hurts, you will not be disappointed!!

The people at Shenanigan's restaurant are an old mix of characters, never making their jobs boring by the amount of shenanigans of their own. Mitch is just starting and is taking the tour with Monty. Monty is the friendly yet crazy work mate, making every moment at fun one. Dean has hit a rut and questions why he still works at Shenanigan's, and cant commit with a fellow employee Amy. Dean was also asked if he wanted the assistant manager spot; to much of the content of others. Serena and Monty were dating, but they have a friendship on fake smiles and sarcasms.

The odd mix of characters of waiting make this such a wonderful. It's just not focused upon the three main characters; Monty, Dean and Serena, the background characters have their own personalities and dilemmas, adding so much more story. The development of the characters aren't fully developed, but you can still understand and sympathies to their problems. The characters are clichéd; you have seen a lot of them before; but they are so well placed and interact perfectly; there is a realism to them.

The major point of Waiting is the black humor that runs through it. It doesn't work off big set pieces and outlandish situations to make you laugh, the humor organically comes out of the characters from their dialog. A lot of the dialog is perverse, but it never seems out of place. Waiting does perfectly reflect the relationship between customer and waiter; well i did. Rob McKittrick unashamedly shows this interaction; the smart-ass customer who always complains, the regulars, and what could go behind the walls when the customers push to hard.

Ryan Reynolds brings another eccentric performance forward. He had been stuck with that eccentric ego in a lot of movies; but he does it perfectly and does another great job again. Anna Faris had finally lost that ditsy persona and shows a broader range of acting; bringing a great performance. Justin Long does have a puppy dog face a lot of the time, but really comes forward in the more serious moments. All the other actors as the employees all do wonderful performances, making the background character more interesting.

Waiting is a great black comedy on hospitality that is so painfully funny.

When I first saw previews for this movie, I expected a soulless comedy about restaurant staff messing with customers. Although some people may feel that way even after seeing it, I was pleasantly surprised. From the introduction of 'the game' near the beginning of the movie, I knew this was going to be more interesting and even more disturbing than the previews.

Despite what appears to be rather thin characterization, 'Waiting' succeeds at being a good character-driven movie. I am not sure why this is. Perhaps what seem to be just childish antics add depth to the characters without us realizing it. Some people complain that 'the game' is a 10 second gag stretched out for the entire film, and on the surface, this is true. However, the game is really more of a mechanism for developing characters than anything on its own. The result is a set of very flawed, but surprisingly likable characters. Also, the ending, though a little abrupt, is entertaining largely because the movie does a good job of setting up the characters and situation.

This movie is not for everyone. If you do not like 'stupid' humor, then you will probably not be able to overlook that to enjoy the more subtle aspects. However, once you get past that, this movie is more than the sum of its parts.

In many ways this movie can be compared to another successful cult comedy by the name of "Office Space". Both films are about what really happens in a stressful working environment. While "Office Space" and "Waiting" do share similar plots, first time director Rob McKittrick seems to have more of a flare for slacker comedy than Mike Judge.

What also makes this comedy stand out is the great casting and colorful characters. The always funny Ryan Reynolds leads the crew of misfits including Anna Faris, Justin Long and the incredibly hilarious Luiz Guzman.This movie can get a tad immature at times, but those who love movies like "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" will absolutely worship this picture.