Waffle Street

Just finished watching this movie. I wanted to like it. I worked in the restaurant business for 20 years and I was excited by the premise. The first 15 minutes or so really had me going. It then promptly left me "in the weeds." The script was missing the biting loss of status for its main character. There lacked an intensity of a man putting it all on the line, as well as what the true lifestyle of restaurant employees is really like. That would make a really interesting movie.

This film's intentions are good, but it is a thin veneer of morality and platitudes about making an honest living. The weak plot twist involving the restaurant owner and our hero was forgettable. James Lafferty simply cannot act. This might not be obvious for those who have never been in the service industry, but many of Jim's responses to customers were filled with repressed hostility. People who live on earned tips don't make a living that way. Someone with business acumen would have a better attitude or pick a different career. Danny Glover had nothing of substance to work with. There were some nice moments, but honestly, this was no honest look at life.

No, this is not a great movie, and if you're looking for exciting action, move on. But I was surprised to find that the story is one that stayed with me well after I watched the show, in good ways. Unless you're completely unmotivated in life, this movie will probably give you a lift, a little inspiration and when you think about it later, maybe you'll think, "Hey, maybe there's hope for me, too!" I don't think it's corny or sappy, partly because it actually happened.

As a non-Anglo professional person, having degrees which I worked hard to obtain, throughout I also worked in restaurant service and later as a chef to support those endeavors, so the premise of the film appealed to me for several reasons. Mostly because I work in what is considered to be a cerebral, academic field now where there are times you never have any personal connection with or support for or from colleagues, as compared to the team atmosphere in good kitchens.

But in kitchens/restaurants I've seen them: the "wealthy" or privileged who lost their jobs having to "slum it" in places and with people they might have been polite to when being served but never considered otherwise. They never thought of them at all beyond what they needed at the moment, as people with other goals, professions or may have been artists, writers, very creative people that needed to support themselves in the gastronomy or hospitality business.

It's a fictionalized account of a memoir, a comedy/drama designed to present the main character as sympathetic, and in that I felt they succeeded.Though Jimmy's attitude was, of course, about finding a job to support his now growing family he never looked down or slighted any of the other workers. Never the dreaded and ugly superiority complex for menial tasks. Some reviewers have pointed out, however, he got it easier because of his background to be accepted and trusted in such a position. I don't disagree at all, but some films don't need overthinking.

I didn't feel there was any agenda here to make him some kind of hero, though there is the reality in the US of the WMC having things easier because everything was built to support and facilitate and protect them. Sometimes though? Just watch the movie. The labels of redemption, etc.? Redemption from what? The character's statement of his background, his schooling and yes, privilege might be vexing to some but it was just the truth. If you don't like what was presented and how, help change America to where there is equality away from the century spanning oppression and privilege. Help change the presentation in film too, otherwise: face the facts. He couldn't have changed who were his parents any more than anyone else, but it is what he does with the privilege that's important. He still respected and treated others well, listened to them, tried to help. Whether it succeeded later was immaterial. We were just presented a "slice of life." Jimmy lost a big job from his own culpability then went to work in a comparatively "lesser" job from the perspective of his parents and former colleagues, but found he liked it better as it was entirely more honest. One wishes more WMC might have such an awakening and the country and world would be a better place.

Danny Glover was a nice but typical mentor, but it was a far better role than many he's recently played in low budget/rating action films. Otherwise, the acting was okay in general, and nothing special about the filming or location but I liked it. Yes, there were very stereotypical portrayals of minority people that lessened the whole. That crap really isn't necessary to be comical, and it just unnecessarily brought the film down a couple of levels to maybe get a laugh or two, but I liked the main characters. They were believable. The story wasn't anything new but it was an hour and a half of likability. Also was nice to see "Beetroot McKinley" again.

When the movie started stating this story was based on real life events I was expecting that the main character James Adams was going to accomplish something stunningly remarkable but in the end it's just not that exceptional, on the contrary it's quite dull and non significant. That said the story is still pleasant to follow, with good acting from James Lafferty, Julie Gonzalo and the rest. Danny Glover plays a character we're familiar with for him by now, the old wise guy that has seen it all, nothing spectacular but it works in this movie. I wouldn't say I laughed a lot, just some giggles, but for a dramady it's worth a watch. It made me crave some waffles though.

I really enjoyed watching this with my wife. It was fun, entertaining, funny and had a really good message. Knowing that all of this really happened really added to it.