Review #72 of 365
Film: Don’t Call Me [NR] 111 minutes
WIP: $7.00
When 1st Seen: 23 March 2006
Where Viewed: Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli, Denver, CO
Time: 5:15 p.m.
Review Dedicated to: Seth M. of Houghton, MI
This is one for the record books. I can now lay claim to fame. I have finally seen a film so new and rare and independent that it cannot even be found in the Internet Movie Data Base, and IMDB is known to have every movie in it. Don’t Call Me (sometimes subtitled: the worst job on earth), a Michael David Jensen film, was shot entirely in Colorado using as much local talent as possible, with no movie stars, in one location, in eight days, for just under $1 million. In reading that from the press materials available at the film’s web site http://www.dcmthemovie.com, I couldn’t help but wonder if these were the parameters set forth by a reality show contest. You know, sort of, Jeff Probst saying, “Ok, today’s immunity challenge is to make a movie, using the talent present on the island, in 2 hours, for the cost of the shirts off your backs.” In any case, this film, like all tiny, independent films, represents the particular hopes and dreams of a small cluster of people, in this case is seems mostly Mr. Jensen; and, therefore, I feel it is important to be more forgiving of things like editing issues, simplistic graphics, a cast of virtual no-names (save for James Getzlaff of Bravo’s Boy Meets Boy star and Ghandia Johnson of Survivor: Thailand [hmm did I mention Reality Show theme already), one location—which turns out to be an office type room, and etc. One might even overlook the lack of real substance or significance in the script. Also, as a Colorado native, I like to be positive and supportive of filmmakers that select to film in the great trapezoid state. So, I will try to be as kind as possible.
The cast is likeable, yet, honestly, there is a visual nagging sense that this was a low budget affair. Lines, at times, seem unnatural, unrehearsed (which can be a good or bad thing depending on the delivery and timing of the line); or, worse, forced. The tempo for the film which spans a work-week is a bit slow, though things start to pick up around Wednesday when the boss, Benny (donnie l. betts), decides to bring in a motivational speaker in the form of reality show star and minor Hollywood celebrity Skiu (prounounced Sky) Daniels played by the overly-eager-to-please-but-none-the-less-heart-throb James Getzlaff to increase morale. Alas, this is also where the plot veers sharply off course into “Another World” or “Days of Our Lives” land with soap bubbles too big at times to see through. Meanwhile, there is a touch of “Survivor” due to a tension in the cast as if someone is soon to be voted out. Sure enough, out goes obnoxious, sexist, thorn in the side, Chad (Jonathan Camp) on Friday—he barely lasted two days with this cut-throat tribe. Comic relief is abundant thanks to Sandra O. (Ghandia Johnson) who moonlights while at work, Dawn (LoriLynne Lawson) who doesn’t seem to work one iota the entire week, Herb (Scott Swaggart) who takes the job a little too seriously to the point of missing the flirtation of an eager co-worker and actually earning money for the business, and burgeoning young philosopher Ken (Jimmy Drain) who builds elaborate, MacGyver-worthy sculptures from paper, rubber bands, and paper clips. The film is quite funny in some spots. Unfortunately, the overall impact of all of the pieces put together fell a bit short of the mark. And, by mark I mean a good or even average film. To quote American Idol Judge, Randy Jackson, “For me, dawg, it was just alright.”
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