Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Waiting…’

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​The power of dreams and the wonder and reward that goes along with pursuing them is often the subject matter of a great many films and well, storytelling as a whole, and with good reason. Because let’s be honest, we come to the theater, or pick up a book or watch a particular show, to be entertained and escape everything for a couple of hours and enjoy a compelling story that may in fact lift our spirts up and motivate us to do more when it comes to where we currently are in life, which makes motion pictures quite the wholesome and worthwhile experience when all is said and done.
 
But there is an inherent danger in only watching movies that offer a supremely positive message and also feature simple roadblocks for their characters to overcome in that, some people will come to believe that chasing and achieving their respective dreams in life will be an easy task. And while we can rip on people who find that kind of hope from a film ad nauseum, the fact of the matter is, a lot of people turn to fiction for life advice and direction, which is why I’m so supremely grateful when a motion picture offers up a more honest look about life and our dreams and how difficult it can be to achieve them and one such story in 2005 provided us with that honest look, in the most unique way imaginable, by making us laugh while we learned in, Waiting…
 
Now this particular cult classic is one that just about everyone knows, so we won’t be rehashing the plot today. No, instead, I want to talk about how this film offers up an honest take on life and pursuing one’s dreams, and that’s all accomplished by way of our main character in this tale, Dean, who hasn’t a clue as to how to find what his purpose is in life, or what dream he wants to pursue and that…is painfully relatable and accurate. Because so many of us are or have been clueless when it comes to such matters, and we’ve worked jobs that we can’t stand in the hopes that somehow, an epiphany will drop itself into our laps, finally giving us direction and it is just so refreshing to find a film that features characters that are just outright getting by and trying to do their best to make it to a better tomorrow.
 
Yet, while those elements are supremely philosophical in their own right, one cannot forget to celebrate the fact that this is a dynamic and delightful comedy. The jokes just keep coming in this one and the cast’s magnificent comedic timing allows for so many memorable and powerful jokes to resonate with the audience and of course, in some ways this movie is a freakin’ documentary when it comes to the food industry. Because anyone who has worked in a restaurant knows some of the customers that walk into Shenaniganz and can recognize or relate to some of the people that work there, and that’s no small feat and all the credit for making this film feel so natural deservedly goes to the writer and director of the film, Rob McKittrick, whose work on this story was downright incredible to say the least since he really did capture a slice of restaurant life.
 
If anything, this is that rare comedy, the kind that knows how to reach its audience on a fundamental level, while keeping a smile on their faces and while some of the jokes don’t quite work as well now, since the times have changed, the good here far outweighs the bad. And some of the moments that happen here, like what Dean says to the cheapskate couple that leave him a teeny, tiny tip, is a dream come true for food service workers and retail employees abound and if by chance you haven’t seen this one, please do so, as quickly as you can. Because this one, is a lot of fun, and it’s one that truly sticks with you long after it’s come to an end since it makes you wonder if you’ve done enough in life to chase what you really want, or if you need to make a change, like Dean, and it also leaves you wondering, what kind of day does someone have to have to flat out yell at a server? 

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