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'Waiting' serves up gross-out laughs
BY JOEL GEHRINGER / Lincoln Journal Star
Friday, Oct 07, 2005 - 12:02:36 am CDT

Let’s get something important out of the way up front: Those who planned to enjoy a nice restaurant dinner and a movie tonight should probably skip “Waiting.”

Actually, they should skip the dinner and see the movie, which will feed moviegoers’ appetite for laughs but won’t leave them with much of an appetite for anything else.

Directed by newcomer Rob McKittrick, “Waiting” takes a close look into the fryers and freezers of a generic franchise restaurant called Shenanigans.

The interior of the restaurant is filled with memorabilia and “atmosphere” like any chain joint, and the wait staff is as perky and personable as any.

Until they leave the dining room, that is. Once in the security of the kitchen and break room, the staff of Shenanigans is anything but perky and personable. Or normal, for that matter.

In fact, “Waiting” assembles the proverbial kitchen staff from hell and throws at them all the nuisances that food service has to offer, often resulting in tainted food and testy servers.

The cast of the film is filled with names no one will recognize but faces everyone will. The plot centers on Dean (Justin Long), a young, four-year employee who becomes discontent with his life after he realizes his high school classmates are earning degrees and getting nicer jobs.

The search sets up a weak backbone for the hilarious antics of Dean’s co-workers, including:

* Best friend Monty (Ryan Reynolds) using his slick, passive-aggressive humor to train a new waiter, deal with difficult customers and score with underage girls.

* Raddimus (Luis Guzman), the head cook, keeping an iron grip on the kitchen while trying to trick others into playing a lewd game he invented. The game would make me gag if I saw my local restaurant staff doing it, but it is pretty funny here.

* Loser manager Dan (David Koechner) spouting corny pep-talks and taking angry power trips when his employees act out, which is more often than not.

There’s plenty of other odd characters, including bit parts by brilliant comedian Dane Cook and annoying “boy comedian” Andy Milonakis. Not every member of the staff is equally entertaining, but even Milonakis will make people chuckle once or twice.

The plights and plunders of each staffer make up for the film’s overall lack of direction and, like many recent comedies, “Waiting” tries to throw in a “life lesson” for added points.

Whether or not the serious stuff hits home is irrelevant. “Waiting” serves plenty of raunchy, gross-out laughs and will likely make moviegoers’ stomachs hurt — hopefully from laughing.

Reach Joel Gehringer at 473-7254 or jgehringer@journalstar.com.