7 Chinese Brothers (2015) User Reviews (23)

If you love Jason Schwartzman...

[tinybirds · 7/10 · 17 June 2015]

Jason Schwartzman is one of those actors whose films you generally either love or maybe kind of hate. 7 Chinese Brothers (2015) is a film that is definitely no exception, but for those of us who are fans, it hits the mark head on. The film is a character study of Larry, a 30- something slacker and all around aimless weirdo ambling through his days trying to keep himself amused. The brainchild of director Bob Byington, this strange character loses his job at a restaurant after being caught stealing booze from the bar into his big gulp, only to find himself at war with the restaurant manager in an absurd ongoing battle that amusingly recurs throughout the film. Larry spends the bulk of his time discussing life with his lethargic boston terrier Arrow, Schwartzman's real-life dog and real-deal star of the show. Arrow is hilariously nonplussed and adorably immortalized in this film - his sedate screen presence as well as the evident bond between him and his owner contributes immeasurably to the tone of the film and the character, as well as its overall charm.

This film is low on actual plot lines, but there are a number of other characters with whom Larry interacts during his day to day. His best friend Major, played by TV On The Radio frontman Babatunde Adebimpe, helps to ground the antics of our main character, but his lucky life also serves to make stark the unlucky fortune of the far more everyday and unremarkable Larry. Olympia Dukakis is flawless as Larry's grandmother and voice of reason, with whom his self-concerned attitude makes itself evident early in the film. So while little of note actually happens throughout the film, we have ample opportunity to explore the recesses of this odd character's mind as well as watch his gradual arch towards some personal growth. The film's camera-work is primarily that shaky, hand-held feel that's currently relentlessly popular in this style of film. Byington really makes viewers feel as though they're following Larry around and watching him mess up, be erratic, and embarrass himself real-time. The camera is right in Schwartzman's face through the majority of the film so his acting had to be spot on to carry this film, and he succeeds in being both comically on-point and pointedly Larry at all times. The character never slips once while the audience eats up all of his bizarre habits, like imitating a fat kid getting out of a pool on every possible countertop, as only Schwartzman delivers this signature kind of absurdity with his particular sort of grace.

7 Chinese Brothers is strange, it's meandering, and it's even a little bit boring at times. It is possible that critics of Schwartzman could suggest that this sort of character exploration is just another means to show off and glorify that thing that he does, that quirky indie, alternative film thing for which Jason Schwartzman is sort of the posterboy. While we sat in the theater and the film came to a close, my partner even turned to me and just said "I don't get it, what is this movie about?" And that's the thing, it's not really about anything in particular. There's no genius, deep message in this storyline; while there's an element of wanting to connect and find a sort of joie de vivre here, these themes are dominated by just the sheer wandering into the character that dominates the screen time. Yet its richness can be found in the experience of watching an artist create a character that audiences simply want to watch. These are the sorts of ideas from which cult films spring, where there's just something that hooks you and reels you in about the world created by those involved in its production. This is what Jason Schwartzman is really good at and here Bob Byington has successfully crafted a memorable space that allowed him to do his thing delightfully. 7 Chinese Brothers is just right for those that found themselves psyched just on seeing its advertisement, and you know who you are. If you aren't one of those people, maybe you could just go to see Arrow in all his drowsy glory.

Less a film, more a thought that surprisingly works

[StevePulaski · 7/10 · 1 September 2015]

Bob Byington's 7 Chinese Brothers is less a film and more an idea, a thought, or even a potential TV show pilot. At seventy-one minutes in length, it's a film that practically questions what can be done with a film that has no cogent plot and relies on one simple, yet complex, character and his circumstances, most of which caused by his obnoxious attitude or his general indifference. On that basis alone, the film shouldn't be half as successful as it is, but through its feet-dragging narrative, practically impulsive structure, and low stakes, I did admittedly enjoy this film.

This film isn't laugh out loud funny, nor is it particularly compelling or insightful. It gives us Larry (Jason Schwartzman), a man evidently in his early thirties, living alone with his bulldog, who gets fired from his restaurant job minutes into the film for sneaking drinks at the bar. He wanders over to Quick Lube for an oil change, asks the cute manager girl for an application, and soon enough, he's working for an incorrigible man named Jimmy (Jimmy Gonzales), who encourages him to steal any spare change out of customers' vehicles. On top of all that, he's constantly going back and forth to the nursing home to visit his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis), who remains his last living relative, in addition to seeing his friend Major Norwood (Tunde Adebimpe).

Larry is the kind of character only Jason Schwartzman could play to great effect, for he conveys multiple different feelings with nearly every line or facial expression he conjures up. Larry is also the kind of character that acts like he has everything under control and that his cleverness and falsified feelings of self-worth will carry him to the places he needs to be. The problem is Larry really isn't half as good as he thinks he is, and this results for a lot of awkward scenarios thanks to Larry's random jokes/physical comedy and a multitude of impulsive, inappropriate actions that have consequences on his part.

Schwartzman has to carry a lion's weight of Byington's film on his back, and with that, succeeds because without a dynamic screen presence, 7 Chinese Brothers could've fallen apart in its first few minutes. But because Byington keeps the film moving, through fluid scenes that reflect humor and believable, albeit rather light, drama and never stalls into romantic or comedic clichés, the film, in turn, keeps moving and assembling a fun and breezy personality.

I have no idea what relevance the title has towards the story, nor can I figure out the takeaway from this film other than life can pass you by if you think you're funnier and more important than you actually are. However, through very little in the way narrative structure and flair and glamour, Byington has made 7 Chinese Brothers work almost solely on the charisma and dynamic talents of his leading actor, in addition to making this a largely fun, project. At the end of it all, I can admire that.

Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Olympia Dukakis, Tunde Adebimpe, and Jimmy Gonzales. Directed by: Bob Byington.

Another likable loser

[themissingpatient · 4/10 · 8 September 2015]

Jason Schwartzman is Larry, a pill-popping alcoholic who lacks any ambition whatsoever. When Larry isn't getting fired or looking for a new job he can make a joke of, he spends his time visiting his grandmother in a nursing home and talking to his dog.

Schwartzman seems to be the go-to actor for insightful, comical and somewhat dark character studies. Though he is quite charming in this quirky role, 7 Chinese Brothers isn't really insightful at all. There are a few funny moments here and there but when the film takes a more serious, dramatic turn towards the end, the most unpredictable thing is how inconsequential everything turns out to be.

It's a sad story about a likable loser, like many of the characters Schwartzman plays. When it's revealed why this character is the way he is, it makes sense but it's hard to feel anything for him due to his unwillingness to admit his true feelings and embrace the opportunities given to him.

Tedius beyond description

[rbsteury · 2/10 · 1 August 2015]

As I overheard someone going out of its showing at the Traverse City Film Festival saying "That was fricking torture." A story about an unlikable slacker going nowhere, the movie is filled with people uttering painfully unfunny lines. At first the packed theater politely laughed and by the end of this pointless 75 minutes the audience was dead silent (or asleep). I won't dwell on the plot because there is none. Sorry if I sound angry but it was a wasted evening and $24 for my wife and me.

How sad that Olympia Dukakis has let herself sink to the level of appearing in a movie this banal. Jason Schwartzman's pug Arrow is the only star that earned his pay.

Stay away. (2/10)

Wash and vac

[Prismark10 · 3/10 · 26 June 2016]

7 Chinese Brothers is a song by REM. It is also an ultra low budget independent film directed by Bob Byington. Jason Schwarztman plays Larry, a lazy, lying slacker always playing stupid pranks and who drinks too much from a Styrofoam cup to make out he is not an alcoholic.

At the beginning of the film we seem him get fired from job for stealing liquor from the bar. His only friend is a nurse who supplies him with stolen pills and the nurse looks after Larry's grandmother at the nursing home. His time with his grandmother is the only time he has a grown up conversation. Apart from his grandmother his dog is the only other thing he cares about.

There is little plot to this movie. Larry gets a job at a garage valeting cars. His co-workers tell him to steal loose change. He takes a shine to his female boss, he gets fired because his boss finds out that he was fired from his previous job for stealing. In fact the same guy owned both the places he gets fired from. His grandmother dies, he plays stupid pranks to antagonise people like keying cars or throwing his hat on passing cars.

Somewhere along the line Larry grows up a little. Schwarztman plays Larry with a deadpan, downbeat comic charm. He is the only thing that keeps the film going. There is very little that happens in this offbeat film that feels long even though it is only 75 minutes long.

Schwatzman and his dog delight

[levifilm · 10/10 · 19 May 2015]

Absolutely charming and hilarious. Jason Schwartzman is pitch perfect as Larry, a slacker who gets fired from his job in a restaurant at the beginning of the film, sipping through a straw from his Big Gulp.

Schwartzman isn't the only tour de force in the film, his dog Arrow makes the perfect comedic counterpart, exasperated and non-plussed at many of Larry's diatribes and philosophies.

Bob Byington deserves a lot of credit as well, his previous film Somebody Up There Likes Me is equally hilarious, but 7 Chinese Brothers is less surreal and more rooted in character and pathos. 7CB has lots of mainstream appeal and will undoubtedly be listed in with other iconic Schartzman roles.

7CB is always surprising, always pushing at the edges of conventional narratives. The film works so well because it is coming from a very unique voice of storytelling and sense of humor. It's exciting to see a film come out like this and almost instantly feel like a comedy classic. Do yourself a favor and get a big gulp of 7 Chinese Brothers.

I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for something to happen....

[planktonrules · 3/10 · 29 October 2015]

Sometimes you watch a film and wonder to yourself 'what were they thinking when they made this movie?!'--such was my reaction when I watched this new and oddly named film starring Jason Schwartzman. Bob Byington wrote and directed this strange movie and it's one that left me confused and bored.

When the film begins, Larry (Schwartzman) is a complete slacker and a bit of a loser. He's just lost a job because he was caught stealing and he doesn't seem to care in the least. What he does care about are drinking, taking drugs and his dog (incidentally, this French Bulldog is actually Schwartzman's dog in real life). Later, when he gets a job in a quick lube store, you keep expecting Larry to somehow show that down deep he's capable of change and will become responsible and likable...which never really happens in any meaningful way. He is, throughout the entire film, a jerk who has serious issues and who doesn't seem to care about this nor does he see much of a need to change. There is a tiny change at the end...but clearly not enough to offer any real hope for the guy cleaning himself up and achieving something with his life.

This film is quirky...almost in a Wes Anderson sort of way, which is what I expected since Schwartzman frequently appears in Anderson's films. However, the quirkiness isn't humorous...just quirky and the film never really resonates with the audience. It's strange...just to be strange. And this soon becomes tedious. Had this been a short film, it might have been an interesting character study. But at 90 minutes and with a leading character you cannot help but dislike the film dragged. No sense of reason for all this seemed evident to me at any point. A clear misfire and I can see why this film went to straight to DVD very quickly. If you care, it's out this week but I wouldn't rush to see it unless you are a die-hard Schwartzman fan or you like long and ponderous films.

Larry Sings Liner Notes

[FloodClearwater · 4/10 · 2 September 2015]

This film is a case study on why film criticism exists, to separate the chaff of it from the wheat it pretends as.

Neither an evolution nor simulcrum of Lost in Translation, Office Space, or Bottle Rocket, this extended screen test of Jason Schwartzman inhabiting deep suburban environs as a narcissist layabout was likely pitched to distributors as a mashup of all three.

Writer-director Bob Byington begins with an old R.E.M. song, 7 Chinese Brothers. This song, from the band's Reckoning album, was naught but a prank; it was Michael Stipe singing the liner notes to a random gospel LP he'd found laying around, which the studio engineer mistakenly recorded, and which the band, finding the track's accidental provenance hilarious, formed into a nondescript, mildly jangly tune.

Does this near non-song by R.E.M. inform Byington's film in any measure? No, except that he cues the song at the end credits so that the key grips might have a mildly jangly ruffle and flourish behind their accrediture.

From the song Byington derives the title, and upon the meaningless title Byington builds no story whatsoever, and by no story I mean not even a Seinfeldian non-story proposition.

Jason Schwartzman is the lead as "Larry." Schwartzman, who is a celebrity and a very good actor, and who might perpetually attract some long-tail audience interested in watching him do anything--say, selling peanuts in a ballpark vendor's uniform-- for a duration of 76 minutes, is required by Byington to move in and out of bland sets (a quik lube garage, a dingy convenience store) and make slight actions (throw a hat at a Mazda, deny your grandmother a sip from a Big Gulp) that are supposed to stand in for the plot or un- plot as it were. Nothing worth filming, nothing that would be worth filming by students, is there.

These are petty crimes against cinema Byington is caught at, but that should be no taint against Schwartzman, who screen tests as plumly as ever, or indeed against Tunde Adebimpe or Eleanor Pienta, who check in as friendly companions who join us in wondering just what is supposed to be fascinating about a character who is simultaneously so self-possessed and so lacking in initiative of thought, credible emotion, or stirrings.

Rather than screening this movie, Schwartzman enthusiasts are better off hunting down Hotel Chevalier and spending the time gained from unspent viewing balancing their checkbooks.

Maybe 'Plotless' would have been a better name for the movie

[Seth_Rogue_One · 4/10 · 8 September 2015]

Cause it really doesn't have much of a plot, and the little that resembles a plot doesn't seem to make a ton of sense.

It's basically about a self-absorbed 'loser' who played by someone else other than Jason Swartzman would probably be tedious.

But Jason's natural charm and charisma redeems the character somewhat from feeling like a total prick and the 'movie' from being a total trainwreck.

I write movie as 'movie' because it really doesn't feel like a movie, it feels like maybe it would have worked better as a TV series split up to 3 parts instead (although I'm not sure that people would tune in every week to see the next episode).

There are some okay scenes, mainly the ones between Jason and his (also real life pet) dog, they have better chemistry together than Jason has with any of his human co-stars in the movie.

So I would only remotely recommend this to hardcore Jason fans who has to see everything he's in, if you're not too fussy about him give it a skip, if you dislike him then well you will without a doubt hate it.

guy has a dog who can only kind of breathe

[GertrudeStern · 3/10 · 13 September 2015]

Friday night of this week, my friend, DF, got a bowl of Paomo at what I determine to be a very good Chinese restaurant. Upon receiving the brothy meat with breed, he noted that the smell was something between garbage and vaginal. He ate three quarters of the bowl and when we walked later in the night, he kept logging higher levels of dream-like status. Barring the full range of after-effects, 7 Chinese Brothers was sort of like the soup: smelled rank, I ate it anyway, and left feeling sort of tired.

Comedy? This one was reaching for dolorous, had a few risible moments a la the man and his dog plot line, and then wound down.

Great film - don't get the title though

[mbtownplanning · 8/10 · 18 April 2016]

Reading some reviews I half expected a slacker film as in something a bit like American Pie (but with slackers). But this was good - I like films that are realistic like this one. That is the main thing I liked - not big high stakes drama or clichés or tilting towards a message.

The character was not pointless - the character does grow.

I didn't really understand the title though. I like REM (I was really into them as a young adult - probably too much). But whilst the song might have an interpretation that makes sense in the context of the movie, it surely doesn't enough to name the film after it. A kind of random incidental-ism is fine, but it should make some sense.

the indie slacker thing

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 13 August 2017]

Larry (Jason Schwartzman) is a slacker with little ambition. He works a menial job at the oil change garage. He has his dog. He is joined by his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis). His friend Major Norwood gets him his drugs.

It's Schwartzman doing his slacker thing. For his fans, this may be interesting. Indie filmmaker Robert Byington is not strictly mumblecore. His dialog is not mumble but it has much of the indie sensibilities. In the end, there isn't much going on with this character. It's hard to tell if he cares or is he just scared like when he runs out on a sure thing with a girl. It makes it hard to care about him.

Garbage....pure and simple

[qui_j · 1/10 · 9 June 2020]

This is your usual low budget, Indie film that looks like it was filmed with a hand held videocam. The script seems improvised and the story line non-existent. The film has absolutely nothing going for it, which begs the question....why was it made?

I wasted my time

[dabigplanet-96102 · 1/10 · 20 December 2020]

This was supposed to be meaningful in its meandering meaninglessness. It was not. As aimless as its protagonist, this movie was a waste of my time. I loathed every single character except for Arrow.

Just bad

[broggoethe · 2/10 · 22 October 2021]

Nothing happens. I like Schwartzman but this drek went no where. No real ending, not much of a beginning.

The title has nothing to do with anything.

The characters were predictably quirky. This is labeled a comedy?

Is there a label of droll?

Biding his time

[cekadah · 10/10 · 14 September 2015]

This is not a complex movie! It's a nice simple story of a basic slacker biding his time in anticipation of an inheritance. In the mean time we see and experience his daily life.

Director/writer Bob Byington brings us a story of 'Larry' (Jason Schwartzman) who feels no need to do something with his life because he is the sole survivor in his grandmothers family. His grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) resides in an assisted living retirement center. Larry occasionally visits, mostly when he needs cash. He knows his grandmother is wealthy and he is confident he will inherit all because he is the only 'family' she has. Larry is comfortable with his dog Arrow and a bottle of booze and job at a quick lube auto service.

The day arrives when he learns his grandmother has passed away and Larry makes a move which turns out to be a big mistake! And in his rush to know what his inheritance will be he botches the memorial service. The estate lawyer explains to Larry how 'the will' is portioned out. At this point Larry realizes his past has caught up with him and there's nothing he can do about it now.

This is a charming quirky film that is funny and lighthearted. Any indie cinema buff will enjoy this fine production and acting by some well known actors.

Watching the dog sleep was the most exciting part

[jordan2240 · 3/10 · 26 March 2023]

Thought this might have some promise given Schwartzman was involved, but this dredge went absolutely nowhere for the time I was able to stand it. I think I watched about 40 minutes, but it seemed like 40 hours. I assume it's supposed to be a comedy, as it doesn't really fit any other category, but comedy is a huge stretch as well. The dog is cute, as is the boss at the lube joint, but those are the only two remotely entertaining aspects of whatever this is.

If you suffer from insomnia, this might do the trick in helping you get some sleep. Otherwise, this film has no entertainment value whatsoever. There is nothing redeeming about Schwartzman's character, and he certainly isn't someone you pull for. Apparently the dog was Schwartzman's actual dog, and I think this film might have been made just to give it some screen time. Mission accomplished.

I thought it was a Canadian film

[Kattheclosetstar · 2/10 · 25 March 2023]

It was well-enough acted, but that's all. There was no point or depth, just time wasted. Why was this filmed, and who paid for it?

The ai wants more words. There is really nothing more to say about this movie. The dog was cute. I got to see Olympia Dukakis, just not sure why.

Maybe someone was related to a person in a position to approve this project. There's no budget. It's like a college film class assignment.

I need one hundred -four characters. Don't watch this movie.

Watch something fun. There are plenty of other movies you can watch, just don't watch this one. Just 27 more characters, that is all.

Terrible, uncomfortable, and dull

[Charliesafari333 · 1/10 · 10 December 2021]

Reaching to connect to the audience through adult immaturity, this film paints the image of bad script writing and a dull storyline. It's not inspirational at all, or funny. There really is no point to this movie.

Another Jason Schwartzman Gem - Must See

[Melissa_Antoinette_Garza · 9/10 · 29 August 2015]

I had heard about this movie a couple months ago and kept it on my radar ever since. 7 Chinese Brothers stars Jason Schwartzman, who I've always been a big fan of. He has an undeniable likability that he has carried with him ever since Rushmore (1998) and it never shines so brighter as it does in this film.

The film opens with Larry (Schwartzman) getting fired for taking $5.00 of a $10.00 tip from his job as a bartender. He goes out the way anyone who has left a job under bad circumstances wants to go out. He loudly tells everyone he was fired and takes a bottle of tequila.

He goes home to his adorable dog Arrow which is arguably the most significant relationship in his life. Not that he doesn't have people in his life. His only surviving relative is his grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) who he certainly cares about but like most family dynamics the unconditional love is far more complicated than with Arrow. He asks his grandma for money and though she has it, she refuses; and with good reason. She asks him how he would feel if someone consistently showed up with they needed something. Her hope is that he stand on his own two feet, learn Spanish, and find someone to be with.

His closest friend is Major (Tunde Adebimpe) who works at his grandmother's senior facility. He's nice, sincerely cares about Larry and sells him prescription drugs at a low fee. Beyond the scripts, he takes, Larry also drinks way too much. Rest easy, we're not going down the depressing spiral that is Leaving Las Vegas (1995). This isn't a movie about an addict or addiction. It's a movie about a guy who is nice and funny but just doesn't know what he wants or where to go to get it.

He manages to get a job at a Quick Lube where he instantly develops an attraction to his boss Lupe (Eleanore Pienta). Upon meeting her, Major develops feelings for her as well. The two men never really fight and though Larry definitely feels inadequate in many ways compared to his friend, they remain very close.

Once again, this movie takes a very high-road. In so many lesser films there's an all out war between best friends who fight to the death for the person they both desire. Aside from a moment of small sabotage where Larry lies about Major having a prosthetic leg, he doesn't try to keep the two apart. Even when Larry lies to Lupe it fits with the character completely and when confronted about the lie, there's is a big blowout or fight. There's just an honest explanation as to why he felt the need to tell her that.

Lupe plays a pivotal role that is refreshingly unique. She isn't treated like some prize to win nor do they follow the trope of having her accuse the men of sexism while playing a woman all-to- willing to be fought over. This movie is smarter than that and far more realistic. More often than not, when two friends who are both generally good people have affection for the same individual life just goes on. There's a discussion about it, but overall everyone tries to be careful and wary of the other's feelings which is what good people do. They're honest as much as they can be. They certainly fall victim to pride or jealousy once in awhile, but overall rationale takes over and things work out in whatever way they do. Most human beings accept that and it's great to see a movie which acknowledges that aspect of behavior.

Lupe doesn't play the victim at all. She doesn't pit the men against one another. She like everyone else is trying to figure their life out. She's a mother who works with her ex-husband. She's strong, self-sufficient and enjoys her job. She also isn't instantly charmed with Larry's quirky jokes. Some make her laugh and some make her roll her eyes which again is so real. She isn't a doe-eyed gal put there for eye-candy as merely a romantic interest. She has a real solid role in the film being both a good friend who tries to watch out for her employees and a good person overall.

Major life events trigger something in Larry that changes his perspective and reignites an ambition within him. It's not like there's a 180 on the character, but more-so just a comfortability in his own skin. Schwartzman portrays it brilliantly ensuring every moment comes across as genuine and real.

The entire cast is fantastic and adds so much to the production. Arrow is just an adorable French Bulldog that I want to hug and take home with me, but being that it is really Jason Schwartzman's dog, I don't think he's up for adoption.

Another key component of the film is the the music. From the start when Larry gets fired and all the way up until the last song, the music helps set the tone and the mood. They are all perfectly well selected and great tunes by great artists.

I would certainly suggest purchasing this one immediately. It's a smart movie for smart people and is all heart. Don't waste time or money renting, as with most of Scwartzman's work this is definitely one to own.

A nebbish is upstaged by his dog

[jakob13 · 10/10 · 30 August 2015]

Bob Byington has a following. No doubt about it. They flocked to the IFC in New York to see 'Seven Chinese Brothers'. And after the showing, to quiz Byington on his film. As everyone who has seen the film discovers that the narrative is thin gruel. Jason Bateman is plays the 'nebbish' Larry, who drinks his life away in small doses. A loner, he finds companionship with his dog Arrow. Talented that he is, he should never play against a dog nor a child. Olympia Dukakis does a cameo as his grandmother, who leaves him a spanking almost new Mercedes, but not her million dollars that goes to Larry's buddy Major, an aide at the nursing home grandma resides. She knows her Larry who won't make much of his life. In the end, Larry find a life of sorts at a lube shop with a pretty manager whom he has a thing for. But, will it work out, we cannot say for sure. One thing, Byington lets us in on is that in the end, Larry has found a sober zen moment with Arrow as this film ends after 75 minutes. What about the title? 'Seven Chinese Brothers' is a well known children's book. by Claire Huchet Bishop in 1938. Still in print today, it is a standard in library children's room. Bishop retells simply a story of seven Chinese brothers whose collective strength put a check on an evil emperor who cannot escape his downfall. No hit of a hero in Larry. Quite the contrary. Some posit, Byington had a kung fu in mind. Sorry old darlings. The nearest to a Kurosawa that 'Seven Chinese Brothers' comes to that genre is that Larry is a loner...a ronin, a masterless samurai. Forget about that thought. If the film has any strength it's Arrow and Bateman who a much underrated actor and la grande dame that is Olympia Dukakis. Wait till the DVD comes out, for the price of admission is not worth opening your wallet.

Engaging deadpan comedy

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 17 February 2022]

Drunken and shiftless thirtysomething slacker Larry (a fine and likeable performance by Jason Schwartzman) gets fired from his job at a restaurant, but manages to find a new gig at a Quick Lube station where he develops a crush on his new boss Lupe (an appealing portrayal by the fetching Eleanor Pienta).

Writer/director Bob Byington doesn't offer much in the way of a cohesive narrative, but fortunately compensates for this with an amiable lowkey tone, a neat array of quirky and colorful characters, and an aimless, yet still interesting protagonist who's just charming and funny enough to carry a picture for 77 minutes. Moreover, there are sturdy contributions from Olympia Dukakis as Larry's feisty grandmother, Tunde Adebimpe as easygoing best bud Major Norwood, Stephen Root as sympathetic lawyer George, Jimmy Gonzales as the smooth Jimmy, and John Gatins as the nerdy Dinsmore. Schwartzman's real-life pet bulldog Arrow is simply adorable as Larry's loveably lethargic canine companion. A nice little film.

Schwartzman at his best

[jess-96309 · 9/10 · 17 July 2022]

This is very well made movie, it deals with many of life's ups and downs. The main character is struggling, and he has been for a long while, he can't seem to find his way, maybe all the tequila he drinks? There is a lot of valuable life lessons in the movie. Some people might not relate to this movie, I understand that it's not for everyone, but if you like this type of movie, they made it just right.