I Really Hate My Job (2007)

That was an excellent one.

Fantastic!

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

I Really Hate My Job (2007)** (out of 4) Five women find themselves working in a London café but each sees themselves as something other than what they're doing. The three waitresses, the cook and the dishwasher all see themselves as trying to be something (an author, a actress, etc.) they might not ever be. This is about as much art as an art-house film can be so an overwhelming majority are probably going to hate this thing. It never got a wide release in America and that's easy to see why as the subject matter and the way it's delivered really isn't going to draw much attention from viewings wanting more bang for their buck. There's a lot to admire about this film and I respect what they were going for but in the end I have to label it a failure. The film really doesn't have a beginning or an ending as we're pretty much thrown into the lives of these five people as their either falling apart or coming together. We hear them talk about their dreams and we hear them talk about their problems. Since we're dropped in the middle of this stuff we never really get anytime to grow with them and for me I never really cared for any of them. The way the film throws us into their lives was a bit mishandled in my opinion because it's almost like this was a sequel to a film that we'd need to see in order to follow the start of this movie. I know this was obviously the point of the filmmakers but for me it took way too much time to get going and by the time it did get going you were already bored and uninterested in what was going on. The actresses give pretty good performances with Alexandra Maria Lara being the main standout. Neve Campbell plays the actress/waitress and her nude scene probably got more attention than anything else in this film. The film and screenplay does a nice job at giving everyone their own identity and the actresses do what they can with the material but in the end the film isn't a complete success and I doubt many are going to stick with it to the end credits.

This is a film which many can relate to on many different levels. The first, obviously (and on the surface), is of a handful of people trying to make a higher class restaurant work with an over-taxed staff. Many in the service industry can relate to that--especially (in this case), those working in a restaurant. You have the over-worked cook, the manager who attempts to befriend everyone whilst attempting to keep things running those smoothly, and the others who are trying to make a buck whilst focusing on their primary goals. On another level (that many others, other than restaurant folk, can relate to), it's a story of pursuing your main goals whist trying to make ends meet. Each of these women have a goal (other than working in this nameless restaurant) which they're trying to pursue. Throughout the entire film, they attempt to maintain a delicate balance between staying true to themselves and their goals and achievement, and--keeping the customers happy. On another (similar, yet most important) level, it's a story of doing what you have to do. It's a bittersweet theme. You work hard to get where you want, by means of working a meaningless (and thankless) job to make ends meet whilst pursuing your dreams and goals; and for all anyone knows, you may not even get where you want. Many hopes will be dashed in the meantime, but in the long run, though, you keep on trucking and hope you get what you want.

Five restaurant employees take on a night of wild fun and dramatic life crises in a London fine-dining establishment. While not perfect, I Really Hate My Job is hysterical and loquacious. The ensemble cast is vibrant and interesting; you can't help but love them all and find something to relate to. I tried to choose which character was my favorite (or better yet which actress was best) and I just couldn't decide. The whole cast is truly fantastic. Everyone really brought something to the table. The Dishwaher caused my eyes to water with her inane, hysterical dancing and speeches. The Chef (Shirly Henderson) was perfect as a secluded, self-contained, intellectual writer on the verge of cracking. The Waitress (Neve Campbell) was just downright daring in manner, actions, and speech. The Other Waitress (resptively Alexandra Maria Lara) was sweet, perky, and optimistic; I enjoyed her quirky sense of the world and positive suggestions on how to better everyone else's life. The Boss (Anna Maxwell Martin) was great at trying to maintain control while her love life was possibly ending and the business was declining. Another commenter mentioned the potential of this being a great play... I full heartedly agree. The script, story, and actresses are what make this enjoyable.The only drawback, I guess, would be that the ending was inconclusive. All these character problems were introduced and none were solved. Particularly when Abi (Neve) asks her boss about her real name; it's never revealed why the boss changed her name but it is brought up enough times that you are disappointed when they never tell you. Things like that lessened it for me.

An excellent theatrical movie about 5 girls working in a restaurant but in fact looking for the meaning of their lives. Great acting on all 5 actresses, 2 of them being Romanian. Composition roles that request creativity and power: Shirley Henderson is a terrific almost hysterical woman and I would give her the Oscar for her performance. Oana Pellea is a delusional older woman, speaking just in philosophical words and behaving like nothing around her is happening; until frustration gets her too! I would like to see this script on stage eventually, and with same casting would be a stunning show. I saw the movie (an absolute world premiere) at TIFF (Transilvania International Film Festival) in Cluj, Romania, and I enjoyed every second of it.