Free Samples (2013)

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

This one-set Indy tries very hard to be sharp and mordant and timely. The trouble is that nothing about the characters or their situations rings true. The main set is an ice cream truck located in what looks like a borderline ghetto where the heroine must give away free samples of chocolate and vanilla, nothing else. The workers and everyone in the neighborhood seem to already know that the pseudo ice cream is horrible. So what are they really doing there? In what alternate universe would this actually happen? Apparently in the same universe where a self-absorbed Cali-blonde Stanford law student would be SHOCKED, SHOCKED I say, to learn that 5 years after she left home, her dad moved out and took up with a trophy bimbo. That evidently never happens in alternate universe Z, so of course it sends our heroine into a drunken tailspin where she must engage in contrived sardonic banter with every unlikely walk-on character who ambles by her pseudo ice cream truck. Sadly, none of these encounters feels more forced or contrived than the heroine's confrontation with her unwanted fiancée.After 90 minutes of this I yearned to get back to our universe where Cheech and Chong would have a very good business plan for that ice cream truck working the ghetto and where all their customers' curious demands for "stamps" would make sense.

This flick is a privilege to see! It's a complete movie, no gaps, no uncertain scenes, no faulty characters. And it's just a simple - one day in the life of - type of story.The main character 'Jillian' has reached a wall in her life and is at a loss on how to break through this barrier. She is asked by her friend 'Nancy' for a short favor. Jillian reluctantly agrees to help and in doing so learns a life lesson about herself and others that she believes to be her friends.The greatest asset to this film is the fantastic dialog the actors expertly deliver and the smooth crisp editing! Even the little children briefly seen are at their best before the camera. And Tippi Hedron as Betty the aged and former movie star is just perfection!I cannot praise this flick enough as I see it as quite perfect start to finish. Bravo Jay Gammill !!!

Free samples is what an indie movie should be: small, quirky interesting, more character than action - about real life rather than just imagination, and this is Free Samples. It's a film that requires little effort to enjoy but is full of little vignettes that leap off the screen.All in all, I for one enjoyed this more than many big budget movies: the characters have something to say, the comedy is nicely observed, the camera is tight (even semi-documentary), it's well edited and well shot with a great sense of slacker pace about it and it has a charm of its own.Seriously, a nice gentle comedy set sround one day of looking after an artificial ice-cream van (so free samples) with some vitriol in the exchanges - the whole thing come across as ten times more honest than most comedies and this is one I would warmly recommend.

Caught the film at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2012, and really enjoyed it. Jess Weixler's performance as Jillian is terrific and fine work by Jason Ritter and Jesse Eisenberg make this a thoroughly enjoyable little film. Jillian may hate ice cream and the world, but I found myself really caring and rooting for her to overcome her demons and find love. It's a low budget film but there's a lot to like, and director Jay Gammill plays to the strength of his budget and medium, while Jillian's sarcastic, unpredictable wit keeps you laughing while the unfolding story tugs on your heart. Jillian may be difficult but she's ultimately sympathetic and the story draws you without ever stooping to being maudlin. I heartily recommend for a cathartic and laugh-out-loud Friday night.