One of my favorite things to do at a festival is to just attend a random movie without reading any synopsis or knowing what you are about to see, all you know is the title and your mind runs wild. This was the case for one of the final films I saw at the festival and it was called, Spilt Milk, directed by Texas native, Blake Calhoun.
Todd Wells (Jake Johnson) doesn’t have a whole lot going for him in life. His was a victim of a drunk driving accident when he was in high school and had to watch from the hospital bed as his dreams of college and sports passed him by. Six years later, he is now an assistant manager at a local grocery store and finds himself stuck in this dead-end routine day in and day out. His future and life are about to change, however once he arrives to work for the night shift, when he and six others are held hostage by a robber and are forced to wait until the store’s time safe lock opens. The group of hostages and the robber all learn who they really are throughout the night and are forced with a compromising situation in the end.
It may not seem like it from the synopsis, however, this film is a comedy and an entertaining one at that. The concept is original which is always refreshing and it’s always nice to see young, up and coming film makers really put together a overall great piece of work.
As the events unfold and we learn more about each character, you begin to develop a connection with them and you really become interested in their lives and want to see them through to the end. Most of the characters have some sort of issue or demon that they end up facing in the film for better or worse. The jokes are well delivered and the dialog flows at a reasonable pace with the film.
My favorite character had to be the robber (Chase Jeffery) ,because he really doesn’t want to harm anyone and is just trying to make a better life for himself in the end. He is trying to get his life on the more reputable path and looking for a fresh start. The way he is able to make each hostage overcome some obstacle in their life in just a few hours is amazing. The one character I felt could have been written differently is the mom who’s daughter and friends are also at the store trying to buy beer. The mom is a little to outrageous and just becomes annoying in the end, if they would have laid off just a bit she could have been a more likable character.
There is a clever little twist at the end that really bring the entire film together and I would highly recommend this film if you are a fan of films such as Clerks and Office Space. Spilt Milk is an interesting independent comedy that will keep you entertained for the next hour and a half.
The film does not have an distributor and I don’t think it will be released in other theaters besides a couple in Texas. If you are interested in seeing the film, I believe you might be able to watch it for free online in the near future or it may be available on Netflix.
Rating: Cleaver independent comedy that will keep you entertained. Lacks a bit in the execution of the jokes. (7/10)
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