How to Go Out on a Date in Queens (2006) User Reviews (14)

**SPOILER** How to Go Out on a Date in Queens

[aepex · 3/10 · 13 August 2006]

**SPOILERS** (not that it really matters) The film starts off with hints that it could be an original, interesting piece with less-than-great acting (except for Mr. Alexander, who made the film, if the film was made at all) alongside a well-thought out plot line. But, after a mere five minutes into this monstrosity, the main character sees a dove, a move the writer/director seems to have thought was inconspicuous yet clever, but is literally the most cliché set-up in film, and maybe even storytelling history. Midway through, the main character literally has a nervous breakdown masked as passion and torment in the middle of the date, the focal point of the film (one date in Queens, New York), and comes off as a whiny, weak, insecure, confused and depressed sociopath. Of course, none of this prevents the same character from falling in love with the waitress of the restaurant where the date occurred, followed by both of their sightings of doves at the end of the movie. Jesus.

The character's shadow, a greasy little weasel who is supposed to be some sort of dating expert, comes off as nothing more than a greasy little weasel. Perhaps this was the intention of the writer, since such an obvious move hopes to teach viewers how great the main character is supposed to be (an innocent and simple blue collar worker who yearns for love) by comparison. Unfortunately he is nothing more than a confused moron who can't get over his wife for the life of him (his words, not mine) but somehow manages to fall in love with a random waitress who overhears his whiny rant about loss.

I give this movie a 2 point because both Jason Alexander and Ron Perlman were in it (probably as a favor to one of the producers) and raised the bar as far as character development and acting go (even through Ron Perlman did not have a large role). I give it another 1 for effort. See this film for any of the following reasons: boredom, you were paid to, to learn how to make a bad film, or because you think something of what I described truly appeals to you. Cheers!

Disappointed

[writer0412 · 3/10 · 12 December 2006]

I am also one of those who bought the movie because of Jason Alexander, as I was curious how he would develop his career.

I found the movie full of clichés, the man crying about his lost wife etc., not very realistic.

I was not able to see the connection between the former man with Alexander's story about money. What was the connection? And besides, I wasn't sure why Jason had to gain so much weight and grow a beard for this role. Do you know? I have to write another two lines to submit this comment.

Well, I have done this by now.

worst movie I've seen in years

[ErnieMuraoka · 1/10 · 3 February 2007]

I too, went out and rented this movie because of Jason Alexander and was woefully disappointed. The movie is a character driven piece with great actors---among Esai Morales and Ron Perlman, however, it's just boring. The back notes---"Love and Laughter Reign in Queens" of the DVD must be about another movie because even after a couple of beers watching this picture, I never laughed once. I also like the way they shot some of the movie in southern California to make it seem like they're in New York, but last time I checked, there weren't many palm trees in Queens. Unfortunately I am a stickler to watching a movie, no matter how awful it is, to the end. I couldn't wait for the thing to end. Alexander was 1,000 times funnier on Senfeild and if you are a Jason Alexander fan, do not watch this movie, it will ruin his following.

AMAZING Film!

[contactdjakarta · 21 May 2010]

Fantastic! Amazing! Hilarious! Funny! I could watch it over and over. It's a MUST see! I'm taking scene study classes with Michelle Danner at The Edgemar Center. She brings a wealth of knowledge and well rounded experience to the class. I have learned SO much from her. Because she has a great directorial eye. Her attention to detail is very supportive. Michelles' feedback is excellent. I always feel like her criticism is constructive and I never feel like she is talking to down to me. I recently got a callback for a feature film that I went in for. I wouldn't have gotten it without her. I've studied with a lot of teachers in Los Angeles and she at the top of my list. She genuinely cares about actors.

Intriguing look at life in a borough under the shadows of Manhattan!

[inkblot11 · 7/10 · 5 April 2017]

Queens, a borough of NYC, has an intriguing sub-culture, if this movie is accurate. It aspires to being as "hip" as Manhattan but doesn't quite get there. In this tale, Artie (Rob Estes) is a top tier auto mechanic and body repairman, still in rather deep depression after losing his wife two years ago. The front office man at the shop, Stan (Brian Dillinger) is a know-it-all who has been dating, as he says, for 16 years and wants to set Artie up with a blind date. Artie resists until he sees a dove land on a car. Believing it to be a sign from heaven, Art agrees to meet a friend of Stan's current girlfriend, Amy (Kimberly Paisley-Williams). Before the big event, Stan overloads Artie on how to make the date a success. But, when the foursome actually meet, things don't go very smoothly. Artie does have eyes for the bartender, Karen (Alison Eastwood), as the night moves along. Meanwhile, the restaurant manager, who longs to plan a wedding, is upset that her fiancé, Frankie (Esai Morales) is going to bet their wedding money on the Superbowl. Finally, a two bit gambler, Johnny (Jason Alexander) is in deep debt to the Russian mafia and may have only one hope of repaying them before they make him suffer the "ultimate interest rate". This terrifies his lady, Ann Marie (Christine Dunford) who wants to marry him. Henchman Vito (Ron Perlman) may be on his way to find Johnny. How will romance thrive in Queens? This interesting film has a good cast, a unique locale, fun accents, well-chosen costumes, a competent script and so on. No, its not a light-hearted romantic comedy, as one might suppose. However, there are amusing moments, amid some very touching and very scary ones. Those viewers who like the offbeat flicks will most likely want to make a date with Queens.

Interesting role for Jason Alexander

[alecsz99 · 8/10 · 15 August 2006]

Being a huge fan of the Seinfeld series it seemed only natural to want to see this movie staring Jason Alexander as soon as it was out. I didn't quite know what to expect of it but I wasn't surprised to find it to be a good movie. It's about the dating world with its ups and downs and it makes a strong case in the end. It was nice to see a movie really about something and who's producers and also the actors staring in it certainly weren't interested in just the money. It's not a commercial movie but that doesn't make it just on bit less interesting. Jason Alexander's role is a lot different from what he did in the Seinfeld series but he pulled it of in a true Hollywood star's manner. Him staring in this movie is what made me see it in the first place and I can say it's a great movie. Really really worth seeing! 8/10 for this one.

Loved it!

[becka-worthington · 8/10 · 24 May 2010]

What a fun movie! I was having a rough day at work and literally the whole debacle of the dinner date made my evening. I loved how the director was able to weave such intense emotional responses amongst a lot of good humor. And I'm huge Jason Alexander fan anyways so getting to see him in that light was so much fun. Also Rob Estes was super sad the whole time- I just wanted to squeeze him! Also I have some relatives in Queens and the stereotypes they were poking fun at were actually quite life like. Its dangerous territory that's for sure. Seriously though I'd certainly recommend it for a date night- the chemistry between the characters was great.

Will find you disappointed and leave you shocked & bewildered

[nitropowrd · 11 May 2013]

Here is a classified 'Indie' movie, that nearly stars Jason Alexander amidst a dozen other acting classified ads that have the cohesion of dogs meeting at a park. However, some manage to sustain interest in their performance for a certain melodramatic harpsichord and despite being leashed around through piles of right doo. Too clustered to be considered a B-movie (or realistic D-movie if you will), there is an eccentric, inebriated sway to the nature of seriousness to the plot, which consists of horribly stereotyped themes from 80's cop-movie paced action, single-lady romance novels, and a stab at the 90's harmony of Friends. Also Jason Alexander's acting is in it, and his performance, and occasionally those of others are only the efforts of the man trying to push the boulder up the hill. It is such that will stimulate you to punch through the tacky icons, and the instability that wavers throughout every act of this brooding play.

Ultimately, it becomes its own self-fulfilling storyline, leaving you wishing that the phony Russian mobster just whacked Jason at the beginning, putting him out of the miserable mistake he made with this movie in good valor. Cinematically distressing enough to make me register to write this review, as it is just not fair that movies like this have to be made. The only consideration it deserves as "Indie" is by means of fiscally-latrined pictures that are the conglomerate. Not worth it, unless you are in the producer's classroom vying for a gold star by your comments.

A Fantastic Film!

[persephoneroman · 10/10 · 25 May 2010]

What a delightful movie. I laughed, I cried, and I recommended it to all of my friends. It reminded me of MOONSTRUCK.

The directing was spot on, and Michelle Danner did an excellent job weaving an emotionally enticing story that really focused on the relationships between the characters.

I was equally impressed with the acting and thought that this was a great role for Jason Alexander. Rob Estes and Brian Drillinger were also great additions to the cast and I found them both really entertaining.

I would highly recommend this movie to anyone out there looking for a great film to discover.

Highly Recommend

[NathanAviron · 10/10 · 25 May 2010]

I just rented How to Go Out on a Date in Queens and was not at all disappointed. If you are looking for a good movie that succeeds in combining humor and drama, this is the perfect film for you. Although the undertones were funny, that did not at all take away from the poignant ending. One aspect of this movie that I enjoyed was how it forced you to really think about the relationships humans have. The message is delivered smoothly and effortlessly by Michelle Danner, who directed in, starred in, and produced How to Go Out on a Date in Queens. Renting this movie is a definite must; everyone who does not is missing out on a satisfying piece of entertainment.

You know, I really liked it

[hasanrostanda · 10/10 · 24 May 2010]

Okay, I was pretty skeptical going into the situation as I'm one of the few peeps who was not a huge Seinfeld guy (please don't throw stones). But my wife netflixed and talked me into watching it with her. Believe it or not, not a bad movie! I like Alexander doing a different kind of guy this movie as opposed to the high stung guys he usually plays. Also the only other time I saw Estes was in Silk Stockings so it was pretty cool to see the seamy detective as vulnerable. Over all it was a fun ride! Also I got a kick out of the sex crazed character that Danner played, lol. I mean come on, who hasn't been at a table struggling to think of something to say with on a blind-date. There were a few continuity issues (i.e. palms trees in queens) BUT those are forgivable considering the engaging performances of the leads.

Triple Threat!

[cherryblue83 · 21 May 2010]

Wow! I'm kicking myself for just now seeing this film. It was delightful! I just watched it with my boyfriend. We couldn't stop laughing. The acting was superb! I ADORE Jason Alexander and all of the characters he brings to life on screen. This film is another great credit to add to him resume.

It is a breath of fresh air to see a movie of this caliber. It is well written and dynamically directed. Kudos to Michelle Dannon for being a triple threat. As a producer, directer, and actor she proves that women can take over Hollywood. I tip my to her. This is sure to be a classic. I highly recommend you see it.

Unique, a great mix of genres

[luckconquersall · 9/10 · 21 June 2010]

My boyfriend and I enjoyed this star-studded films, with strong performances from the actors, even the smaller supporting roles.

I love all the comedic moments with the splash of cute romance.

I am a little confused why people are complaining about the performances. Rob Estes was hilarious and his freak-out scene in the restaurant made us laugh so hard.

As an actress, I know how hard comedy is to block out and nail down the specifics for, and then act as though everything were unplanned and react spontaneously. The cast really succeeded in surprising me (and it looked like themselves too, which is a delight to get to watch).

Fabulous little date movie

[Darb3Chuck · 21 July 2011]

This is a wonderful movie to watch on a date! Directed and produced by Michelle Danner (the renowned acting coach at Edgemar who also stars in this as a sex-crazed eccentric), How to Go out on a Date in Queens perfectly blends comedy, romance, drama and features an interesting ensemble of character actors. Interestingly, Jason Alexander has the least comedic role out of the cast as a gambler in trouble for owing money. He is always great though in everything he does. Christine Dunford is hilarious as his lover who will do anything to help him out and be with him. Ron Perlman has a small role as the gambler hunting down Jason Alexander's character. Stan (played by Brian Drillinger) narrates the beginning of the film and sets the tone with his New Yorker accent as the dating expert with very specific rules. Right after the narration, he is seen advising his widowed friend, Artie (played by the handsome Rob Estes), on what to do on a date since he hasn't dated for many years. Artie is a nice blue collar worker who is broken-hearted over his dead wife. He isn't familiar with the game playing and bullshitting of the dating world that Stan encourages. Stan sets him up on a date with Laura (Michelle Danner) while on a double-date with his girlfriend (played by the adorable Kimberly Williams-Paisley). Hilarity then ensues on this "worst date ever" while other side stories are interspersed throughout. Michelle Danner is a riot in this! I couldn't stop laughing when she hits on Artie! I loved the music, the story and the acting. How to Go out on a Date in Queens is quite a charming little film.