Expired

about halfway through this film i came here to see if i should continue... like i said, 'not easy viewing'. granted, i've seen 'harsher' films...slower films...less 'adrenalized' films...and many films that TRY to be this film that, at the end, i sit and wonder, 'WHY did i put myself through THAT?!!?!' but i knew that when i got to the end of this ride, i had come to the end of some brave storytelling... the strong point of this film would seem to be the casting/execution of parts...everyone seems to excel in communicating their part of the story...and it IS both dark and quirky...and designed to not 'coddle' us, unlike so many stories with their eye on success. not that i'm knocking success... but the point, i guess, is that this IS a success although i doubt it will EVER be a best seller... like i said, brave story telling...moments of absurdity(takes comic relief a step further) relief... if you didn't find this comment helpful, why'd you read this far?

The movie describes the life of a meter maid in Los Angeles. She lives with her disabled mother (played by Teri Garr). Beyond her mother, some other aspects of her life are also disabled. She has a positive outlook on life and tries to keep that as the story unfolds. Her relationship with her mother, her aunt, and a potential romantic interest at work weave together to make the story. This was a Sundance film and it was fairly well attended, but I am guessing the tone of the movie will make it hard for a wide release to happen. Cringing is very common throughout the movie as the characters choose paths or actions that most of us would steer clear of. At least a couple of the scenes could do with better editing as there were jumps that should not be in a big studio production.

7/10

Expired world-premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival to outstanding reviews. It is probably one of the best reviewed films at the festival. I saw the movie with a thousand plus audience - and all I can say: THIS IS A MUST SEE FILM! Expired is a turbulent love story (to say the very least) between LA parking enforcement officer Claire and LA parking enforcement officer Jay. Simply put, Samantha Morton is outstanding, so is Jason Patrick. With respect to Jason Patrick, most likely his best performance to date. I caught a review in USA today, which says:"Patric plays a violence-prone hot-head, who may be one of the nastiest dinner date since Joe Pesci in Goodfellas." I have to agree. He's something else. Not sure how - what Italian born filmmaker Cecilia Miniucchi did with her actors, the chemistry between the two leads makes everybody in the audience twitch on their seats. What direction!!

When it comes to the theaters, go check out this unlikely romance. You'll see that I wasn't exaggerating one bit.

She starts by telling us she is the most hated in the world. That's because of her profession, but her attitude towards life is really much like the hated one. This woman, Claire, is shy, a loser, and she doesn't expect to be anything else. But there really isn't anything tragic about it.

Then this man turns up. An emotional invalid and an impossible love relation starts. These are people who don't take anything for granted. He's aggressive about it, she isn't.

Samantha Morton is tremendous in this part as a completely non-boring bore. She teaches us that you can live a life without success. And that life is a true one.

I saw Expired. It's a fine film. Writer and director, Cecilia Miniucchi, did a superb job, the acting was great. What strikes me, though, is the film's uncanny resemblance to Federico Fellini's La Strada (The Road) starring Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina (Fellini's wife), Richard Basehart. Miniucchi said that she purposely cast Samantha Morton as the lead. I think she did so because Morton resembles Giulietta Masina. She has the same big sad eyes and innocent face. Jason Patric is the rugged emotionally crude Anthony Quinn.

In La Strada, Quinn buys Mesina from her family and takes her away in his THREE WHEEL Motorcyle caravan to help him with his little strong man road show. Mesina must beat a drum and proclaim, "Zampano is here," in each small town.

In Expired, Jason Patric, takes Claire on the road (to Pomona) in a THREE WHEEL traffic cop's vehicle.

There are a number of similar scenes throughout Expired. But in the end, Patric, like Quinn, is too crude to earn Morton's love. In La Strada, Quinn abandons Mesina, only to discover her spirit in a seaside town. The confrontation undoes him and the end of the film shows him weeping on his knees next to the sea.