Plot: What’s it about?
Dean (Justin Long) doesn’t have a lot of direction in his life, as he’s stalled in his college education and balances his time between a dead end job and wild parties with his co-workers. Dean is a waiter at Shenaniganz, a low end restaurant where he works with the outlandish Monty (Ryan Reynolds), short tempered Naomi (Alanna Ulbach), sharp tongued Serena (Anna Farris), and his beautiful girlfriend Danielle (Jordan Ladd). He has just learned that one of his high school classmates has graduated from college and landed a solid position with a real future. This sends him into a depression of sorts, as he examines his life and where he is headed down the road. When he arrives at work, he is offered an assistant manager position, which only complicates things that much more for him. Will he choose to take the safe route and become the assistant manager, or will he strive for more and will Monty be able to bang the underage hostess?
If you’re in the mood for a well written, intelligent comedy, then by all means, don’t watch Waiting. But if you just want to have an hour and a half of rude, mindless entertainment, then you’ll want to check this out. I know Waiting is low brow and crude, but I still had a lot of fun with the movie. I wouldn’t call it non stop hilarity, but the insane assortment of characters and off the wall dialogue provided countless laughs. Of course, if your taste in humor is more literate or droll, then you’ll hate this movie. But if you like flicks like Van Wilder or Employee of the Month, where you just turn off your brain for a while, then Waiting is worth a look. Ryan Reynolds is decent in the lead, but I think Anna Farris, Alanna Ulbach, and Luis Guzman add to the fun. The best role goes to David Koechner however, who plays the kind of guy we’ve all known at some point in our lives. Lionsgate’s Blu-ray disc is superior to the standard in all respects, from video and audio to supplements. So if you’re interested in a potential upgrade, this is one title where you’ll want to trade up for sure.
Video: How does it look?
Waiting is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. I was disappointed with the standard transfer, but this new high definition version is impressive. I found detail to be excellent, with a lot of depth and closeups look great. A few scenes don’t quite pop as much as far as detail, but the bulk of the movie looks superb. The contrast is stark, but at times a little too dark, though even then, no real detail is lost. No worries with the colors, as hues are bold and vibrant, with no errors to mention. Overall, this is a big improvement and fans should be more than satisfied.
Audio: How does it sound?
Of all the movies in Lionsgate’s vault, this one winds up with an uncompressed PCM 7.1 soundtrack. Now I am glad to see the effort, but this isn’t the kind of movie that benefits from such a lavish treatment. To be sure, this is a huge improvement over the standard release, as it packs a lot more power and presence. The nature of the material limits the audio, but there is still some good stuff here. The bass is what stands out, as the music is deeper and even the voices have more bass than usual. Overall, this is as good as we could ever want for this material, but that doesn’t mean this is a reference level soundtrack. This disc also includes a Dolby Digital 5.1 EX option, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Almost all of the supplements from the standard release are present, plus some Blu-ray exclusive goodies, so fans should be thrilled here. The Works is a feature length documentary, about eight-five minutes in duration, that guides us through the process, from concept to finished product. As you watch the interviews and behind the scenes footage, you can also choose to watch even more material, as an icon appears and prompts you to push a button on your remote. The documentary is as in depth as this kind of movie calls for, though the additional material wasn’t as good as the main piece. The telestrator commentary is back also, so as director Rob McKittrick feels the need, he can pause the movie and direct your attention to certain moments. A unique concept and if you liked the movie, you’ll want to give this a chance. Also returning are some deleted scenes, alternate takes, outtakes, and a brief promotional featurette.
Now for the new stuff, which kicks off with an audio commentary track with director McKittrick, producer Dean Shull, and several members of the cast. The session starts off well enough, but soon spirals into nonsense and bad jokes. I would have rather had stars Ryan Reynolds and Justin Long, as opposed to those with smaller roles, but in any case, this track doesn’t offer much. The other Blu-ray exclusive supplements are a featurette with McKittrick and star Andy Milonakis, a very strange director’s introduction, and the film’s theatrical trailer in high definition.
