Walter

Although I tried to find more to like in this indie dramedy, it just came across to me as mostly painfully unfunny and too long a slog to get to the 180 degree finale.

Andrew J. West stars here as Walter, who's made himself into an obsessive-compulsive "Rain Man"- like character since his father's death, a decade before. From the day of his dad's funeral, Walter believes God has given him the power to instantly judge whether another person will end up in heaven or hell.

Walter will try and deal with his strained relationship with his oppressively smothering mother (Virginia Madsen), as well as the interpersonal relationships with his co-workers at the movie theater, where he works as a ticket taker. When a ghost-like figure (Justin Kirk) enters Walter's world, and he begins to see a therapist (William H. Macy), Walter's ironclad life's rules will begin to be challenged and shaken.

There are a couple of life's lessons being offered here but, for me, as mentioned it was just too difficult a slog to get to them near the finale of the film. Also, the ending here just seemed too simplistic and contrived for my tastes.

A very ordered life doesn't protect you. Walter finds this out the hard way!

This nice indie flick tells a simple story of Walter who imagines he has a gift from the almighty and Walter is sure of himself in his well ordered highly defined daily life. His mother is an enabler. Walter discovers his heart needs more when he unwantingly falls for Kendall, the beautiful blonde who also works at the cinema multiplex. For the first time Walter encounters his internal feelings and his daily life begins to crumble. He thinks he's going mad - enter the great scenes with Dr. Corman.

This is a fine movie by Director Anna Mastro but somewhere the story becomes detached and you cannot feel for Walter. He's not a character you can care about and at movies end its a big 'so what'.

Despite awkward writing in pertinent moments, this script works. Walt's love interest could have been better cast by yards or inches depending on how the director had control. The base theme is spot on in terms of how the writers displayed the denial that accompanies the deep loss felt by a child when coping with devastating loss. The relationship between Walt and some-girl-at-his-job was weak at best. His relationship with his therapist was more meaningfully developed in only minutes, a few scenes. Did not understand the egg thing. Rather, got it, but did not feel the import. Cool film, nice sentiment. Some ideas were undeveloped, but then maybe that's just the way it is. Acting well done by William H.Macy, Justin Kirk, Virginia Madsen, Jim Gaffigan of course, and AndrewJ. West.

The scene where Walt and Kendall shared a moment (in fact any shared screen time by these actors was forced) where Kendall was crying in the theater was sad only in that it was so poorly written. Failed love plot or huh? In fact, that's where the plot missed the attempt to connect the potentially shared grief. Walt's voice over stated that life's dreariness is blah blah unless shared. Completely failed element. Never developed. Nice film, well acted. Just needed some plot polishing beyond some cookie-cutter chick laying on popcorn ala American Beauty rose petals. We get that. Finish it. Yeah, the romance was stale at best even if it was a sub-plot. Finish the plot.

Walter is a little indie film that is more than meets the eye - and you're going to want to give it the benefit of the doubt.

Walter works at a movie theater, it's easy work and he takes it seemingly too seriously. That is because Walter actually works for God and is the one deciding whether you are going to heaven or hell.

Walter, played by Andrew J. West, does not just work for God, he is the son of God and found out the day his father died when he was just ten years old. As a ticket taker at a local cinema, he is able to pass judgment of the eternal fate of many. He lives with his nervous and concerned mother and everything is going fine until a man named Greg surfaces and forces him to confront everything he believes in.

Based on a short by the same minds, Walter is a film about much more than the fantastical and metaphysical happenings of its title character. Like any good narrative, it slowly reveals itself through the unveiling of layers rather than droning exposition. Though the tone of the film fluidly evolves and changes throughout its duration, it never shifts unexpectedly enough to interrupt the audience's engagement.

When it comes to indies, most of the time the acting is the weakest part of the film. Not so with Walter, as Walter enrolls the help of many well known and solid actors in order to tell its story.

Walter is a quirky and interesting film that is ultimately a pleasant surprise. Viewers may not realize where the plot is going, and it ends a bit too expectedly, but not a shabby attempt by writer Paul Schoulberg, and director Anna Mastro, by any means.

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While I was waiting for something to happen I suddenly realized that this is a very nice little human interest story. Walter lost his Dad at a young age and it stunted him emotionally. His gradual realization of what his life is and what it could be is the story. There is some very nice talent with medium and small roles as his parents, psychiatrist, his father's former lover and even the great Jim Gaffigan as the movie theater manager. It is a slow paced feature but Andrew J. West has a lot going on as Walter deals with his unresolved grief for his Dad, his over protective Mom and his strong attraction to Kendall, the popcorn girl at the movie theater where he works. Justin Kirk plays the ghost who haunts him with snarky humor and a dose of reality which serve as the catalyst that Walter desperately needs to wake up and get a life. All in all a surprising and creative little flick that is worth your while if you can live without the usual clichés featured in today's films.