Kabluey

Had no idea what I was about to watch. Came recommended from Kennsington Video. Very entertaining and thought provoking film about doing the right thing spontaneously. Has a very surreal almost Lynchian quality through the first half ( Be patient through first 20min). Anyone who's had or babysat 4-6 yr old boys, or rode the bus will get a good laugh. A really nice mix of humor and meaning. It takes place present day with references to the war in Iraq the recession and a very believable premise. I also found the acting of the main characters superb. I guess Id describe this as an unexpected hero story or unexpected guardian story. Without spoiling anything Ill just say Kabluey is the best brother and uncle you could ask for. Cute without being corny.See it.

I saw Kabluey, and after hearing many good things about it, I have to say it probably is one of 2008's best surprises.

Technically, it is from 2007, but it came out this year. It is a very genuine little independent comedy with a lot of heart. There are a lot of films like that out there, but this one stands out. The screenplay is very well written. It has a lot of laugh-out-loud laughs, and some laughs that you wonder how much they make sense with the story. It has some flaws, but overall, it has great developed characters, characters that sometimes may not always be likable. It is a story about how a mother's brother-in-law has to help her raise her kids, and also raise some money, since her husband is at war in Iraq. Throughout this story, we see a lot of events that change her and her brother-in-law. It is, overall, a black, sometimes, dark, comedy film. It has a lot of hidden themes about how the war impacts family, and also about loyalty and responsibility. It is sometimes uneven, and sometimes some scenes are too overfilled with humor, but when its good, it's really good.

Part of the reason this film works well is because of the great acting. Scott Prendergast plays his character of the loser brother-in-law Salman very well, and he makes my line-up of Best Actor(but will eventually fall out). But Lisa Kudrow is the one that gives the monumental performance. She has less scenes than Prendergast, but the scenes she has her character is very in depth. She has to give her character of Leslie a lot, real humanity, pain and exhaustion for her kids, and also sort of depressed, stressed, and sometimes even unlikeable. She really reminds me of a lot of real life mothers that get stressed out easily. I have never seen Kudrow like this, it's really a great performance, a subtle one. As of now, she is my Best Actress winner, and I think she might stay in my line-up in the end of the year, if not then top 10 for sure. I think she deserves Oscar Buzz.

Overall, a great little movie. Better than films that really are not always that good(Juno), and just as great as Little Miss Sunshine. I think the Academy should keep this film's screenplay, and Lisa Kudrow, for consideration. For those who have not seen it, please see it, makes a lot of the films this year look bad.

My favorite kind of films have often been small, independent gems like this one, films that are the unique visions of under financed directors and not the bloated studios.

First, Lisa Kudrow. I liked Friends, but I wasn't crazy about it. That's why she was such a surprise to me here. Her character is initially unlikeable, but once you see why she does the what she does, she becomes sympathetic. Her scene when she walks away from the motel room fight is fantastic. She's hurt, her life is crumbling, and you feel for her. She's hateful and funny, a really good performance.

And newcomer Scott Prendergast, co-star, writer and director does a unique turn here as the black-sheep weirdo who becomes a kind of superhero that saves the family. I can't wait to see what he does next.

If you're expecting some stupid comedy, skip this and rent Mall Cop. If you want something unexpected, unusual and funny, give Kabluey a shot.

I had really thought great slapstick comedy was a lost art, one that I'd have to go to DVD's of Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd to experience. Then I saw "Kabluey." For the first half of the film I was laughing my head off, not only at the sheer outrageousness of it all but also at Scott Prendergast's brilliance at building gag on top of gag, making you laugh harder at each one until by the end of his "stack" you're literally screaming with joy. The second half slowed down a little but also proved that Prendergast could do pathos, and the ending is as heartbreaking as anything by Chaplin. There've been a few comedians in the modern era who showed they COULD have ranked with the stars of the past (Robin Williams, Jim Carrey), but Williams got stuck into too many overstuffed vehicles and Carrey seems to have been penalized by his audience every time he tried to reach beyond fart humor. Let's hope Scott Prendergast keeps making simple, unpretentious and utterly hilarious movies like this.

Lisa Kudrow of friends fame is the reason why I saw this movie. I liked the tag line"every family has a black sheep, this one is blue"

I loved it from the start. In between I had my eyes in tears both the laughs and touchy scenes.

Being a single parent with two children to take care of, is really a handful for Leslie(Lisa). Things don't get any better with the children's slightly retarted Uncle(Leslie's brother-in-law Salman) is assigned to take care of them. He baby sits them in fear of even being threatened to be killed by his eldest niece.

Salman also gets a job to make his ends meet and so the blue outfit promoting real estate space. This is the best part, bringing laughs and tears.

In times of the Iraq-America WAR, Salman(essayed brilliantly by the Director Scoot Prendergast) understand what his family is going through. In his own way he sets things right for the Children, their MOM and ultimately finds himself.

The passing non-important characters bring so much substance to the movie. I loved the part where he finds complete change in his fellow passengers, in the bus he travels to work. That sets the mode for the Black/blue sheep to turn to a hero in the climax.

Nope, it isn't a perfect movie. It completely relies on the 'Feel Good Factor' of the viewers. But yes, it has an inspiring quality that makes it beautiful and a must watch.

Note: Lisa Kudrow wasn't Phebe Buffe, but I think she's great in any kind of role.