Lost in Transportation

Artistic minimalism... Fred Strother's performance as the been there/done that/seen-it-all Supervisor is splendid nuance. Joy Haynes in her dual role is hilarious playing the over-the-top Miss Randallstown and exudes quiet strength later as The Goddess of Lost Luggage... Joe Hansard makes you really believe he is truly the schlep his name implies... Worth watching especially if you've ever had YOUR baggage lost by those nitwits at the airport... Watch closely for a couple of clever shots by cinematographer Robert G. Rutledge... A telling study of the human shortcomings in us all... Nice job by the day players in this short, especially the lady in the pool.. Now we all get to see how we look through the eyes of those who serve us in the nation's airports... Makes you want to avoid checking your bags altogether!

The basic story is one that anyone and everyone can relate to. I mean we've all been there, at least i was so into the film that i got lost in the hero character alone. I met Joe in Canada where we took a summer program together and performed in front of an audience. Joe had explained to me his stand-up comedy background. As I watched the film I was taken aback by the seriousness of the main character, I know Joe as a very funny guy and was impressed with the story, the acting, and the overall presentation. He took a different turn with this project, and I'm proud of his achievement. We can expect great things from this man. Way to go Joe. Congratulations.

Anyone who's ever been blamed or yelled at for something that's not their fault (who hasn't?) can relate to the main character in Lost in Transportation. Sometimes the best movies are those where we identify with the underdog, and it this case the underdog is Joe Schlepp, (with two p's of course) played by co-writer and co-director Joe Hansard. Joe seems to be content with his job as a baggage handler at Baltimore-Washington International airport, as long as he's not being yelled at. His main duty: returning lost luggage to their respective (and often ticked-off) passengers. His supervisor and best friend Fred (Fred Strother of HBO's "The Wire") is happy to do the job he gets paid to do, as long he gets to dig through peoples' luggage and use his trusty typewriter instead of that intimidating piece of technology called a "computer". About the only thing that brightens Joes day (besides reading girlie magazines in the airport's magazine shops) is an unexpected encounter with his dream girl, local beauty queen Miss Randallstown (Joy Haynes). The film is a bit silly at times, (Haynes appears again as the Goddess of Lost Luggage, who inspires a distraught Joe to keep trucking along with his miserable job) but with a little tweaking, could be developed into a full length film (which I believe was the filmmakers' intention.) The film was shot in an office building in Arlington, Virginia, but the building's uncanny resemblance to a real airport makes it the perfect shooting location for a production on a tight budget. The end of the film leaves you wanting more. I especially wanted to see more of a relationship between Joe and Fred, maybe a back-story. I can only image what a feature length adaptation might show us about these endearing characters. The possibilities are endless. Being a 17 minute short, the film best serves as a sampling of what could be a great feature. That's not to say it isn't entertaining on its own. Hansard has a natural gift for comic timing. There are some very subtle bits of offbeat and quirky humor throughout, especially in the dialog between Joe and Fred. Billy Bob Thornton's "Sling Blade" evolved from a short, so don't rule out "Lost's" potential. It's a great little film that could blossom into a feature-length sleeper hit, because everyone loves characters with whom they can identify. With some more character development, an expanded plot line, and bit of extra cash, Lost in Transportation could be made into a charming, funny, and touching full-length film.

Many things have been said about "Lost In Transportation". "Mistitled" is one of them. But even if this film had been called "Samsonite and Delilah", "Luggage's Labours Lost" or "Runway Bride", it would still score the target of poignancy that Carl Schultz had mentioned in his comments.

But I must differ with Monsieur Schultz on a couple of points. One is on the character of Fred. Fred Strother, as Fred, provides the pragmatic counterpoint to the untainted humanity of Joe Hansard's Schlepp. As the French say, Fred est nous, "he is us". The compromises of the proletariat are embodied in his character, imposed by a materialistic system. As a symbol of the worker he is not a man whom one would despise, but a man whom one would trust to build their patio deck.

As far as Schultz's reference to Chaplin, I dare to suggest that Hansard stands on his own without need of the diminishing of Chaplin's relevance. There are aspects of Chaplin's tramp that have always been unlikable: his arrogance, his ego, his effortless weight control. Hansard is unburdened by these qualities.

If I may take a cue from the Cahiers du Cinema, and coin a phrase, I would describe the genre to which this film belongs as "Marty"dom, after the classic film starring Ernest Borgnine. Joe is in the same company as Emil Jannings in "The Last Laugh", Jackie Gleason in "Gigot", and Dom De Luise in "Cannonball Run II".

It's a humane genre, about "non-persons", or so-called "nobodies". Mother Theresa once said that the poor were "Jesus approaching us in disguise". The nobodies are Jesus auditioning for "Fear Factor". But if you're walking down the street sometime, and spot some nobody's ancient eyes, and don't just pass 'em by and stare, as if you didn't care, and say "Hello in there", what will you find? Well, usually a sullen, ill-mannered, superstitious lout capable of exploding into a homicidal rampage. But in discovering Joe Schlepp, the audience for this film will find a heart of gold. A true heart of gold. Neil Young should see this flick.

Enough jokes. Seriously, what stands out about this film is its collection of talent. Veteran, workaday talent who have put together a project on their terms, in their voice, after paying their dues in the local theater, television and film scene of the Washington, D.C. area.

When more films like this are made about people, rather than formulas, the actors, directors and editors like the ones who made this film will no longer be taken for granted, and properly appreciated for keeping movies human.

Limitations increase creativity and Lost in Transportation is living proof of that. The shoestring budget is obvious through the wardrobes and locations but the small story has a big heart. Joe Hansard does an excellent job playing a reserved Joe Schlepp while Frederick Strother is convincing as Hansard's mentor and friend. Joy Haynes shines as the bubbly and cordial Miss Randallstown while Pete Bergen rounds out the cast as the quintessential overbearing manager. At times a slice of life and at other moments surrealistic; this short film packs an insidious punch and makes for a worthwhile view.

Schlepp is hoping to transcend the quagmire of luggage that unfortunately defines his predictable life. Fred is Schlepp's co-worker; dispensing advice on how to mentally survive the Sisyphean efforts of their thankless jobs and deal with their ubiquitous manager. Unknowingly for Schlepp, his future is looking brighter. The very luggage he despises might be his salvation. Life isn't so bad after all, even if you do have baggage.