Waiting...

This movie friggin' rocks. I picked up a previously viewed copy of Waiting... at Blockbuster over the weekend. Written and directed by Rob McKittrick based on his experience working at a number of restaurants. Great ensemble cast starring Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, Justin Long, Kaitlin Doubleday, John Francis Daley, Luis Guzman, Rob Benedict, Chi McBride, David Koechner, Alanna Ubach, Dane Cook, Andy Milonakis, Max Kasch, Jordan Ladd, and Vanessa Lengies.

This is a very well-written comedy and from what I've read on message boards, pretty accurate of what life is like working in the restaurant biz. It's supposed to be THE movie for all restaurant employees, which to be honest, makes me a little leery of eating out ("the five second rule! the five second rule!"). The film follows the length of one shift at the restaurant Shenaniganz (similar to Bennigan's), a typical chain restaurant. We are introduced to the behind the scenes action in the restaurant through Mitch (Daley) while he is being trained by Monty (Reynolds) on his first day. There are several subplots and layers to the story, but the story pretty much focuses on Dean (Long) and his unhappiness at being a waiter and desire to do something better.


Dean is very good at being a waiter and is very well-liked by the rest of the staff. Monty is the sarcastic, smartass charmer. Amy (Doubleday) is Dean's sweet girlfriend who wants a bigger commitment from him. Serena (Faris) is Amy's friend, Monty's ex and a pretty cool chick. Raddimus (Guzman) is one of the cooks who helps train Mitch on the finer points of "the game" and is pre-occupied with finding new places to have sex with his hot bartender girlfriend, Danielle (Ladd). Calvin (Benedict) is one of the waiters who is an insecure pushover for women and has psychological problems using public washrooms. Naomi (Ubach), a waitress, is a short, little spitfire full of cursing rage. Nick and T-Dog (Milonakis and Kasch) are the two wigger busboys who find ways to shirk their work and get high in the back. Bishop (McBride) is the wise, philosophical dishwasher that the staff approaches for advice on their problems. Dan (Koechner) is the dorky manager who wants to be included in the staff's social activities. Did you get all that?


The film is hilarious and gives the audience who are not familiar with working in a restaurant environment a peek at what goes on behind the scenes, like the "game". A game made up by the male staff where they try to get another male to unknowingly look at their penises (and then cook and handle your food after they've handled themselves). The one part that is the most memorable is what the kitchen staff does to a plate of food sent back by a bitchy customer. Spit, pubic hair, dandruff, other stuff goes into this food when you aren't nice to your server (Monty: "She broke the cardinal rule...don't fuck with people who handle your food"). Waiters having to fight over the computer, dealing with nasty customers who don't tip, and having to sing to customers are all demeaning aspects of the job.


Everybody is so perfectly cast and they complement each other very well. The funniest part being that Mitch, the new guy, doesn't get to say anything and steals most of the scenes without saying a word. His character is mostly based on his reactions to his new environment. There is also a really great one take shot that winds around the restaurant from the kitchen all the way around the restaurant and apparently took all day to set up. McKittrick even refers to this as his "movie geek shot". The DVD is awesome because it has the most thorough documentation of the making of the movie than any other DVD I've seen. The behind the scenes stuff is almost better than the movie and McKittrick is quite a character and entertaining to watch. There is a TON of special features, cast interviews, behind the scenes stuff, bloopers, deleted scenes and included in that, is the cast re-telling one of the best on set April Fool's day jokes. Hilarious stuff and I highly recommend it, if only to gaze upon the hotness that is Ryan Reynolds (hot and funny is a deadly combo).

According to the IMDB message board for this movie, the best way to avoid having other people's bodily secretions in your food is to not be mean and rude to your server, don't send anything back, and don't come into the restaurant in the last half hour before closing. Also, another wait staff inspired site, www.bitterwaitress.com has some other behind the scenes stuff and awesome gossip stories from wait staff who've waited on the rich and famous (shitty tippers, rude, demanding diva behavior). Too many funny lines so I'll settle on Floyd (Dane Cook) greeting Mitch, the new guy......

Floyd: "Welcome to thunderdome, bitch."

More ramblings to come......