DIY VIRAL
The author Robert Scucci
| Updated
Imagine a world where greeting card companies have disproportionate power over their employees and use their resources to manipulate the masses one cheesy love letter at a time. This is the world that Bob Odenkirk director Ray Wentworth occupies in 2017 Girlfriend's Daya romantic crime comedy that is as absurd as it is ambitious. Playing it straight as a legitimate, dialogue-filled crime drama, Girlfriend's Day is as sweet as a box of chocolates on Valentine's Day and as viscous as a hungover ex-lover who slashes his tires when he realizes he left his Elliott Smith record with you and they find out you've blocked their number when they try to retrieve it. it.
Although I wanted to love this movie because I've been a fan of Odenkirk's work ever since Mister Show with Bob and Davidi can't say it is Breaking Bad and Better call Saul star's finest hour. The setting is insane, but the concept itself would be better served with a 30-minute runtime rather than a stretched-out 70-minute feature film.
The writer's dilemma
Girlfriend's Day begins with Ray Wentworth (Bob Odenkirk), a recently divorced alcoholic greeting card writer who works for AAAAA Greetings. Ray is known for writing sweet little things that are equal parts corny and deep. However, Cormac McCarthy once said that “if writing is an occupational hazard, it's drinking,” and Ray tends to get lost in the sauce more often than he's bright, resulting in serious writer's block and a healthy blackout as a result. until his termination from AAAAA Greetings.
Ray runs into former and now homeless colleague Taft (Larry Fessenden), who left the business to pursue a career as a novelist. After seeing an all-too-real glimpse of his future through Taft, Ray knows he doesn't have much time to rebuild his life.
Developed setup
In the next three months Girlfriend's Day timeline, Ray spirals into alcoholic depression. That is, until Ray is approached by his former boss, Stuyvesant (Alex Karpowski). Stuyvesant explains that the state of California is holding a card-writing contest for a new corporate holiday called Girlfriend's Day.
One golden rule of competition is this current greeting card workers aren't allowed to participate, which means Ray is the perfect guy to get the job done.
When Ray sneaks into his old AAAAA office to pick up supplies, he finds a mortally wounded Taft, bleeding from a stab wound. Waking up on the couch the next day after being gunned down by an unseen assailant, Ray vaguely remembers the events of the night before.
While dealing with homicide detective Miller (Kevin O'Grady), Ray meets a charming woman, Jill (Amber Tamblyn), and learns that she owns a greeting card store. Sparks quickly fly between the two soon-to-be lovers, and things start looking up for Ray on the romantic front.
Newly infatuated with the muse-like figure, Ray must deal with a whole new set of problems after he learns that Miller works for both AAAAA Greetings and Paper Hearts, two rival greeting card companies owned by Gundy Brothers Robert (Stacy Keach) and Dillon ( never seen on screen). Warned by Miller that he will be convicted of Taft's murder if he doesn't bend to the Gundy brothers' will, Ray finds himself in the middle of a grand conspiracy to make sure Girlfriend's Day goes off without a hitch.
Should have been a comedy series
Girlfriend's Day suffers from one serious problem that undermines its story: it shouldn't have been a movie. Don't get me wrong, I've touted the benefits of tight runtimes and fast-paced action before, but only if the format makes sense for the story being told. in my mind Girlfriend's Day would have been a Powerhouse extended skit live Mr. Shaw The universe, unlike the notoriously gritty and surreal 1994 film Love and Sausages produced by Children in the hall.
Girlfriend's Day however, it is not without its charm. Narrated by David Lynch and starring Steven Michael Quezada (Breaking Bad) as Ray's offbeat landlord Munoz, it's an adequately staged comedic effort with excellent chemistry between its main cast, but leaves me wishing for less, which in this case would be more than enough to get the point across.
You can stream Girlfriend's Day on Netflix if drama, deception, and total delivery sound like something you're looking for in your life.
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DIY VIRAL
