susandinardoh

I don't understand the over-the-top negative reviews of this movie. It's as though the viewers were expecting a blockbuster, over-produced cinematic home run. Expectations are different for independent movies - not lower - but different. I expected and enjoyed the interwoven stories and characters that inhabited The Griddle House. It almost felt like I was watching a production at the local playhouse, where all the characters and actors were approachable and believable. The only thing that keeps me from rating this movie higher is the volume of the ambient music; it overshadowed much of the dialogue.

This film lacks three main components: good acting, a good script, and cohesive direction. On paper, the main character has a compelling story, but the actor portraying her is more childish than child-like. The character of Sam was pretty much the only memorable and well played one in the bunch. The plot and characters are contrived and cartoon-ish. Plot points are dropped while others are used to smash the audience on the head over and over again. Specifically, two useless characters keep showing up and, although the audience would have to be brain-dead to not know what was coming up, I know I lost any interest in the ending long before it arrived.