Waiting...

I hated (HATED!) being a waitress, but this movie is so hilarious and so ballsy that it almost makes me want to go back to the summer of 1999 to work one more shift at TGI Fridays. Waiting is the best, most accurate, most honest, and most riotously funny movie ever made about the service industry. Here's how I see it – the world is divided into two groups of people: those who have waited tables and those who haven't. Those who have never worked a day of their lives in a restaurant may find this movie amusing, but they'll think it's too absurd to be real, and they'll probably never give a second thought to this movie ever again.

But those of you who have felt the pain, degradation, and humiliation of waiting tables will p**s your pants laughing at how PERFECT this movie is. First-time writer/director Rob McKittrick has created a dead-on depiction of 24 hours in the restaurant biz. The movie opens at a late-night party with lots of underage drinking, smoking, and sex. Then we see the wait staff hung-over at work the next day. The restaurant they all work at is called "Shenanigans," but it looks an awful lot like the TGI Fridays I worked at.

All the characters in Waiting are based on the real people who work in every restaurant. There's the hot/slutty/underage hostess, the fat and ugly cook who somehow dates a really hot waitress, the stoner/punk bust boy, and the manager with the chip on his shoulder. All the customers in this film (the cheap red necks who don't know how to tip, the b****y women, the drunk and horny men) are all customers I've waited on. And no filmmaker has ever so accurately portrayed the complex and irreconcilable tension between the wait staff and kitchen staff.

But at the end of the night, no matter what drama unfolds, no matter what dishes brake, and no matter how much money you make in tips (or don't make), everyone gets wasted and parties together, and you all know you're in it together. Waiting simply tells a story about a profession that most people never give a second thought to. But it tells that story flawlessly. Can't wait for the DVD.

This movie is a fun, comedic romp. It's has dick jokes, sexy Ryan Reynolds and teaches the lesson of respecting the people who serve you food. What else could you want?

This movie was everything I thought it would be and more. It'll make you laugh, it'll make you cringe. Most of all, it'll make you think twice about eating at another restaurant or even working at one. Each character is throughly enjoyable as is each interaction between them. It's extremely well-written and realistic. As a waitress, I found it completely therapeutic, because even though I'd never do anything to a customer's food, seeing someone else do it to someone who is deserving of it (even in a movie), is enough to make me feel better. Ryan Reynolds is hysterical in this movie, as is Dane Cook and Luis Guzman. There are so many one-liners that you'll hear for a long time, especially in the kitchen of any restaurant. It ends slightly abruptly and you find yourself wanting more...but I guess that means the writer has done something right. Go see it, and enjoy. Just remember never to break the cardinal rule: "Never, ever, f*ck with someone who handles your food."

The people at Shenanigan's restaurant are an old mix of characters, never making their jobs boring by the amount of shenanigans of their own. Mitch is just starting and is taking the tour with Monty. Monty is the friendly yet crazy work mate, making every moment at fun one. Dean has hit a rut and questions why he still works at Shenanigan's, and cant commit with a fellow employee Amy. Dean was also asked if he wanted the assistant manager spot; to much of the content of others. Serena and Monty were dating, but they have a friendship on fake smiles and sarcasms.

The odd mix of characters of waiting make this such a wonderful. It's just not focused upon the three main characters; Monty, Dean and Serena, the background characters have their own personalities and dilemmas, adding so much more story. The development of the characters aren't fully developed, but you can still understand and sympathies to their problems. The characters are clichéd; you have seen a lot of them before; but they are so well placed and interact perfectly; there is a realism to them.

The major point of Waiting is the black humor that runs through it. It doesn't work off big set pieces and outlandish situations to make you laugh, the humor organically comes out of the characters from their dialog. A lot of the dialog is perverse, but it never seems out of place. Waiting does perfectly reflect the relationship between customer and waiter; well i did. Rob McKittrick unashamedly shows this interaction; the smart-ass customer who always complains, the regulars, and what could go behind the walls when the customers push to hard.

Ryan Reynolds brings another eccentric performance forward. He had been stuck with that eccentric ego in a lot of movies; but he does it perfectly and does another great job again. Anna Faris had finally lost that ditsy persona and shows a broader range of acting; bringing a great performance. Justin Long does have a puppy dog face a lot of the time, but really comes forward in the more serious moments. All the other actors as the employees all do wonderful performances, making the background character more interesting.

Waiting is a great black comedy on hospitality that is so painfully funny.

In many ways this movie can be compared to another successful cult comedy by the name of "Office Space". Both films are about what really happens in a stressful working environment. While "Office Space" and "Waiting" do share similar plots, first time director Rob McKittrick seems to have more of a flare for slacker comedy than Mike Judge.

What also makes this comedy stand out is the great casting and colorful characters. The always funny Ryan Reynolds leads the crew of misfits including Anna Faris, Justin Long and the incredibly hilarious Luiz Guzman.This movie can get a tad immature at times, but those who love movies like "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle" will absolutely worship this picture.