Written and Directed by Lake Bell
Starring Lake Bell, Rob Corddry, Fred Melamed, Michaela Watkins, Demetri Martin
For an hour, this is a clever, pleasant, and original story about a slacker, wannabee voice- over actor (Lake Bell) who inadvertently stumbles on some success much to the chagrin of her father (Melamed), a career voice-over actor of some repute. It is also a rom-com, a study of family dynamics, a look at the voice-over industry, a feminist tract, and a few other things I am probably missing. It is hard to pin a real genre on it because, to me, it was more reminiscent of a cable series than a movie. All of that was okay though until we reached the third act, which was trite, predictable, and preachy (Geena Davis as a studio exec).
On the way home, we were able to come up with several better endings than the one Bell stuck it with. But the soft landing does not diminish a look at an actor/writer/director who may be around for some time. It is good-hearted movie and there are many fine moments before the nose-dive.
Patti Abbott