Waiting... (film)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2008) |
| Waiting... | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Rob McKittrick |
| Written by | Rob McKittrick |
| Produced by | Chris Moore |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Matthew Irving |
| Edited by | Andy Blumenthal |
| Music by | Adam Gorgoni |
| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | Template:Film US |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3 million |
| Box office | $18,637,690 |
Waiting... is a 2005 American independent film starring Ryan Reynolds, Justin Long, and Anna Faris. It was written and directed by Rob McKittrick. McKittrick wrote the screenplay while working as a waiter. Friend and producer Dean Shull, who met McKittrick while he was dining at an Orlando, Florida, Bubba Gump Shrimp Restauraunt[citation needed], teamed up with Rob to help make the film. The film is the first effort by McKittrick as a writer–director.
The script was initially sold in a film deal to Artisan Entertainment, but was released by Lions Gate Entertainment (which purchased Artisan in 2003). Producers Chris Moore and Jeff Balis of Live Planet's Project Greenlight fame also took notice of the project and assisted. The film made over US$6,000,000, more than twice the budget of the film, in its opening weekend.[1]
Plot
The film focuses on several characters. One of the main protagonists, Dean (Justin Long), has been a waiter for four years since graduating from high school, and hasn't earned a degree during his four years at a community college. When Dean learns from his mother (Monica Monica) that a former high school classmate, Chett (Travis Resor), now has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, he begins to rethink his directionless life. Dean's lecherous friend and co-worker, Monty (Ryan Reynolds), is in exactly the same situation, but has accepted that his future lies with the restaurant, Shenaniganz. Monty is put in charge of training Mitch (John Francis Daley), a newly hired waiter who can never get a word in edgewise throughout most of the film. Also working with Dean is Calvin (Robert Patrick Benedict), a hopeless romantic who cannot hang onto a relationship, and Dan (David Koechner), the uptight manager who is grooming Dean as his protégé. Rounding out the staff are 17-year old hostess Natasha (Vanessa Lengies), abrasive waitress Naomi (Alanna Ubach), waitress (and Monty's ex-girlfriend) Serena (Anna Faris), Dean's girlfriend and fellow waitress Amy (Kaitlin Doubleday), stoner busboys T-Dog and Nick (Max Kasch and Andy Milonakis), head chef Raddamus (Luis Guzman), the insane, unsanitary chef Floyd (Dane Cook), and the pensive and philosophical dishwasher Bishop (Chi McBride).
The waiters preoccupy themselves with endless gossip, complaining about the customers, seeking covert revenge on particularly rude patrons, and playing a special kind of game which involves flashing genitalia at a fellow worker (the "Penis Showing Game"). Each employee has his or her own problems and stories, which are interwoven with the ebb and flow of business.
Minutes before the restaurant closes, however, Chett and his girlfriend come in for dinner and leave Dean a hefty tip out of pity. This prompts Dean to quit his job — turning down an assistant manager position Dan offered him at the beginning of the film — and seek a more promising future.
When the shift ends, the staff head to a party at Monty and Dean's house. At the party, Monty is able to resist having sex with Natasha (although he says they will have sex the following Wednesday, when she will be 18), Calvin attempts to fix his relationship problems, and Mitch bashes most members of the staff after being constantly interrupted throughout the day. He concludes by giving them all The Goat from the "Penis Showing Game," for which Monty declares him a god and swears his undying allegiance to him. The film ends with the staff talking about the incident with Mitch, Dan showing up at a disgruntled customers' house after Natasha gave him the wrong address to the party, and the hip-hop music video debut of Nick and T-Dog.
Cast
- Ryan Reynolds as Monty
- Justin Long as Dean
- Anna Faris as Serena
- David Koechner as Dan
- Luis Guzmán as Raddimus
- Chi McBride as Bishop
- John Francis Daley as Mitch
- Kaitlin Doubleday as Amy
- Robert Patrick Benedict as Calvin
- Alanna Ubach as Naomi
- Vanessa Lengies as Natasha
- Max Kasch as T-Dog
- Andy Milonakis as Nick
- Dane Cook as Floyd
- Jordan Ladd as Danielle
- Emmanuelle Chriqui as Tyla
- Wendie Malick as Monty's Mom
Box office
The film grossed over double its budget during the opening weekend with $6,021,106 in 1,652 theaters. It opened at #7 in the U.S. box office. Its total gross was $18,637,690 with $16,124,543 within the U.S. and $2,513,147 in foreign box offices.[1]
Score
The original score for the film was composed by Adam Gorgoni. A soundtrack was released and is available only through the iTunes Store. The track listing is as follows:
- "Callin' Out" - Lyrics Born
- "No Tomorrow" - The Blackouts
- "Hardcore Days, Softcore Nights" - Aqueduct
- "I Started Running" - The Talk
- "The Gay '90s" - Alternative Champs
- "Will My Lord Be Gardening" - Lilys
- "Fashion Fatale" - Read Yellow
- "Frantic (Roman Polanski version)" - Aqueduct
- "Dance" - Snatches of Pink
- "Nick and T-Dog's P-H-Fat Rap (radio edit)" - Andy Milonakis and Max Kasch
The film also included songs by The Rattlesnakes, The New Pornographers, Reaching Forward, Spoon, REO Speedwagon, Peaches, Leftfield, Goldfinger, Spin Doctors, Sunday's Best, High Speed Scene, and Large Pro.
Home media release
A surge of popularity in Australia has seen the DVD sell over 350,000 units (5x Platinum) in that country alone. It has seen an Australian DVD gross of $7,982,500.
Since being released on DVD, the film has made over $53 million (theatrical and home video total) in the United States; the total worldwide gross for the film is $63,841,978.
Sequel
A direct-to-DVD sequel to Waiting... called Still Waiting... was released on February 17, 2009. The second film is about Shenaniganz dealing with new competition from a Hooters-like sports bar called TaTa's Wing Shack.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Box Office Mojo - Waiting..." Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
- ^ MediaBlvd Magazine, The source for Celebrity Interviews and Entertainment News - Still Waiting... on DVD
External links
