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10 Items Or Less
Directed by: Brad Silberling
Starring: Morgan Freeman
Genre:
Comedy/Drama/ Independent
Run Time: 82
min.
Release Date:
December 2006
On The Web:
Unofficial
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Knowing when to end a movie
is just as important as casting, directing and acting. And it’s nice to
see when a director/script get it right. Clocking in at just 82 minutes,
10 ITEMS OR LESS doesn’t stretch the story, trying to grasp at
inane topics. It stays focused, being funny, sad, and well thought out.
Morgan Freeman (LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN) stars as “Him”, an aging
actor grasping at any roles presented to him. We’re introduced to “Him”
as he travels to a supermarket in an out-of-the-way section of town by
The Kid (Jonah Hill, CLICK).
Realizing he has a star in his car, The Kid pressures Him to talk about
his absence in cinema over the past few years. Him isn’t very
forthcoming because, not only has he been out of it for while, he’s also
en route to a shooting location of an indie film he might act in (“I
haven’t decided if I’m going to accept the part.”). The Kid is a
relative of the director involved in this indie venture and soon drops
him in the middle of nowheresville. Stuck, Him decides to check out the
local market. He immediately runs into the beautiful Scarlet (Paz Vega)
who operates the 10 items or less register. Not just strikingly pretty
but intelligent, Him begins using her as his prime research subject for
his upcoming independent film role. He learns how she figures out
numbers so quickly and why she knows the quirks of every member of this
isolated community.
But Him doesn’t just use Scarlet, he helps her so he can see deeper into
her life. They travel together to get her car back from a cheating
husband, and he teaches her how to act to get a new job she’s pining
for, and how to dress for success even when confronted with Target as
the epitome of local clothing. This is probably one of the funniest
moments as we get a glimpse of Him, too, showing his complete lack of
understanding of the chain-store retail world (“These shirts are only
$12 bucks! How is this possible?!”)
The ending, as stated at the beginning of this review, is abrupt but
apropos. There’s no way these two could ever remain friends even though
they form a unique bond. They know when to say goodbye and what each
garnered from the other. It’s a quiet but riveting moment as Scarlet’s
clunker car sits idling outside Him’s L.A. mansion.
This is a great independent production and one that wastes little time
getting going. And it won’t waste your time either.
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Image from 10 Items Or
Less
DVD cost: $11.41
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
10 Items or Less
was the first film in history to be legally released for download
through the internet while it was still in theaters.
Movie Quote: "Your
mother didn't teach you to count? Ten items or less! Let's go!"
Other Actors/Actresses
from 10 Items Or Less
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