THE KITCHEN

I don’t know.  This seemed to be such a pointless film.

You can’t just throw a bunch of characters into a room, give them each a problem, and then back away expecting the audience to care.  Who ARE these people? Why should we care?  Maybe none of them are even nice people… we aren’t given the chance to know either way.

Until roughly halfway through when we find out that at least some of these characters actually are horrible friends and despicable human beings. And really, really dumb.

It’s Jennifer’s 30^th birthday, and she’s having a bad one. Her boyfriend just told her he’s been cheating on her with one or more of her “friends” and everyone is coming to the party.  The entire film takes place solely in the very large kitchen, and as people come in and out we learn their various problems and issues and relationships with the others.  But there is nothing really interesting going on.  Any dozen of my own friends would produce a lot more drama and laughs than this bunch of boring people.  Not to mention, by the time you turn 30 you should have a better group of friends than this.

The idea of an entire film shot in the kitchen during a party is a good concept, it just doesn’t work here.  For one, this particular kitchen is so huge, and there are so many camera angles used, that you never get the feeling this is all happening in one room.  I have lived in apartments the size of this kitchen.  And the background noise, between the party conversation and the constant music, gives a constant distracted feel, so you never want to settle down and listen to the characters on the screen.  There is a scene in the trailer where Laura Prepon (Jennifer) is on the phone talking about being surrounded by friends, but the camera pans around and there are basically crickets in the empty, quiet room. That scene works great in the trailer.  But in the film, the background noise continues to play, giving the feeling that she IS surrounded by friends just off camera.

There is one scene in the film with a fire extinguisher that will have you laughing and clapping your hands, but it’s not nearly enough to save the film.  You will likely be half asleep by that point and there is more boring to sit through after.

Tossing in a few known actors does not a good movie make.  For that matter the acting is fine, it is the story itself that needs work, a lot of work.  But the characters themselves, including Jennifer, are just bland.

I suppose if you have a pass, and free time, and absolutely nothing else to do, OR perhaps you need a dark, comfy theater in which to take a nap… then this is the film for you.

Two showings at the California Theatre? Really?

Watch the Trailer.