Waiting… (2005)

Waiting… is a comedy that follows the screwball staff of a Shenaniganz restaurant during their typical night shift. The humor is crude, but also fitting for this young group of ne’er do wells. Let’s consider the pros and cons of Waiting……

Pros: There’s something endearing about the untapped potential of Justin Long’s character, Dean. He feels doomed to coast through life as an underachiever while his old friend from high school is graduating college. Underneath its rough exterior, this movie has the relatable theme of not measuring your own success by the success of others. Lastly, while this movie isn’t perfect it does nail it’s ending. John Francis Daley finally getting his chance to speak, frantically highlighting everyone’s glaring character flaws and quitting in a great scene. Of course, this victory is short lived because he is immediately welcomed back and stays, but his point remains.

Cons: Firstly, this movie is nothing but a string of raunchy jokes, one after another. The psychiatric cook says it best “one dimensional”. Don’t get me wrong, some jokes land, but overall there’s too much focus on “the Penis Game” in this movie. Finally, aside from Dean’s storyline, the plot is painfully basic. I appreciate the waiter’s perspective, as Rob McKittrick was when he wrote this screenplay, but tainting customer food and playing genital games is only entertaining for so long. More could have been done with this premise, but it’s not completely without its moments.

I give Waiting… a C. The characters are obscene and the jokes even moreso, but if you’re in the mood for a cheap laugh, this is a good option. Don’t forget to tip your waiter! Happy Watching!

“Don’t fuck with people that handle your food.”