Outsourced

I had an absolute blast watching this movie today. It was funny, moving and most of all, sincere. It would have been very easy for the filmmakers to fall back into stereotypes while writing and shooting this movie, but they skillfully steered clear of any pitfalls that plague so many other movies out there, especially in this genre.

I got the chance to see this movie at a special screening at UW in Seattle today and join in a Q&A session with the writers (and director) John and George, Ayesha, who plays Asha, and a few of the producers. John, the director and co-writer, mentioned he had spent quite some time in Nepal and India during his student years. And although the story itself is a fictional one, the cultural shocks and experiences Todd goes through were largely based on John's own experiences during his time abroad. This seems to make for a very honest take on the nuances of this story. Luckily the movie not only focuses on Todd's shock of arriving in a completely new culture. The local people that Todd deals with on a daily basis also find they need to adjust to Todd's American way of running a call center. This makes for a balanced telling of a story about cultural differences and, maybe more importantly, the similarities.

It may not be a groundbreaking movie by any blockbuster standards, but the sincerity seems to be coming straight from the heart. And that's something you rarely see in movies nowadays. This movie deserves all the attention it gets. So go see it! And if you like it, tell your friends.

I am not a fan of romantic comedies, specially "Friends" like ones because I think it is too pasteurized, politically correct. I thank God there is some nice romantic comedies with another spice that taste great for me and this movie is an example of it.

Basically it show the cultural shock of a sad US call center manager sent to India to train an outsourced team. It is very nice how this movie shows the way the de-passionated yank finds the meaning of life in such different place and culture.

I am Brazilian and I know some US people that comes here to visit the country and decided to stay and adopted Brazilian way of life. This movies shows very well this happening.

If you want a very nice movie to watch when you are depressed with your work, pick this one ... and prepare yourself to be eager to travel to an exotic place after it ends.

I went into this film thinking I would see a "nice" film that "deserved to be seen" (which is too often code for a boring movie). I laughed my ass off, as did the whole audience. This is the most entertaining movie I've seen in months -- time and again the filmmakers found a way to surprise me. A tight story. Terrific performances from the stars all the way down to the tiniest roles. Perfect pacing. Graceful, muscular directing. This is not a "good little movie" -- it's a good movie, period and it's a crime it's not getting wider distribution just because the male lead isn't played by the flavor of the month. A smart, funny film.

Funny and educational, this is the story of outsourcing. Todd (Josh Hamilton) has to go to India to train call center workers in how to do it the American way. It is a riot as they try to learn American customs, and he has to learn Indian ways.

Ayesha Dharker (Queen Jamilla in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones) really made this film. She was funny and pointed out Todd's errors and educated him in Indian ways. Of course, things do get heated between them.

A funny twist at the end causes Todd to reevaluate his life and focus on what is really important.

First, the bottom line: "Outsourced" is a fantastic film, that deserves a wide Hollywood release despite the lack of a celebrity actor. Why? It's just that good. Finally a feel good film about something almost nobody in the U.S. feels good about: outsourcing. I saw "Outsourced" at its debut at the Cinequest film festival in San Jose, and the audience response was simply overwhelming. It's funny, smart, romantic and manages to do all of this while teaching Americans valuable lessons about life in a globalized world. GO SEE THIS FILM! My overly-optimistic prediction is "Outsourced" will be the next "Big Fat Greek Wedding"...if Hollywood manages to look past the lack of a big-name actor. -M. Bigler