The rom-com has become a whirlpool for clichés over the years. Boy and girl meet, they hit it off, they become close until an event causes friction between them, they eventually realise what they had and reconcile as the film fades into an up-tempo pop song to play out over the closing credits. Sound familiar? Just on occasion however, the sub-genre throws a curve ball into the mix ensuring a crucial part of the formula is turned upside-down creating a domino effect for the rest of the story to follow. TEMPS tries to do this, and should be commended for it. However, in the end TEMPS offers very little to ensure itself a status as anything that will linger in the memory
Jefferson (Rosenmeyer) and Steph (Shaw) meet while working as temps. They quickly establish a romance which, once the honeymoon period is over, leads the two of them to revaluate their life choices and priorities.
Billed as a romantic comedy, TEMPS goes easy on the comedy, instead opting to focus on the different stages of a blossoming romance. From the initial honeymoon period right up until the inevitable Facebook relationship request which of course will ensure panic is had by the one who has difficulty "putting a label on things". In this case that honour falls to Jefferson (Rosenmeyer). The character is very difficult to like or at times even take seriously as a potential love interest of the ambitious and forward-thinking Steph (Shaw). A rather desperate side plot involving Jefferson's friction-riddled relationship with his father (played by Chris Bauer) fails as an attempt to get us onside and just comes off as clumsy.
In contrast, Lindsey Shaw fares a lot better as Steph. She is convincing as a young woman at a crossroads in her life and she's also quite likable in the role, commendable considering the shortcomings of the uneven script she has to work with. In the key supporting role of male lead's humorous best friend (another rom-com cliché), Reid Ewing does what he can with a confusingly written character, coming off as part-Napoleon Dynamite and part-Spike; Rhys Ifans' roommate to Hugh Grant in NOTTING HILL. He might not want to put this one at the top of his resume.
TEMPS is simply trying to have too much of everything that is ends up not really having much of anything. As such, the majority of the run time is spent being unsure about whether to try and look for the humour in the situation or revel in the sadness. This rather unfocused driving force is largely prevalent throughout.
TEMPS does at least attempt to offer something a little different. Genre convention dictates that everything will be alright in the end and it may sound somewhat superficial to state that sometimes an unhappy ending can be the more satisfying one. TEMPS at least dares to tread in these waters and a breakaway from the formula is always a welcome one when more often it's easier to play it safe. Unfortunately in this instance, by the time we've got to that point the journey has not been worth the destination.
