Photo by:
Do you ever wonder what really goes on at your favorite place to shop when no one is looking? This topic has been the subject of some extremely entertaining films such as “Clerks.”
It can be very comical to experience the inner workings of the unique sub-culture that a business creates through its own hierarchy of power.
Add some distinctive individual employees and the basis for a good comedy is constructed. This is exactly the premise of “Employee of the Month,” starring Dane Cook, Jessica Simpson, and from the hit MTV show, “Punk’d,” Dax Shepard.
Cook fans already know his hilarious stand-up comedy. It is logical that such an accomplished comedian would cross over into the world of film.
Unfortunately for Dane Cook, what works in theory doesn’t always work in practice. “Employee of the Month” is Cook’s first film after his premier in “Waiting,” which has a similar premise, giving audiences a comical look into the food service industry.
However, in “Waiting” Cook plays a small part as one of the cooks in a restaurant, whereas in “Employee of the Month” he takes on the lead role of Zack Bradley, a local Super Club employee and class clown.
His acting in the film isn’t terrible. In fact, his position as lead for the film was not a bad decision by the filmmakers. He is entertaining and delivers his lines well.
Nonetheless, while Cook’s fans may not be disappointed at his acting ability, they may be let down by the level of comedy the movie contains.
“Employee of the Month” takes place at Super Club, an equivalent to wholesale stores such as Sam’s Club or Costco.
The main character, Zack (Cook) is on the bottom of the employee ladder, a simple box boy chastised by lead checker Vince Downey (Shepard).
Zack and his slacker friends do anything they can to get out of doing any actual work; that is until Amy (Simpson), a transfer from another store, catches the eyes of both Vince and Zack.
The two discover that Amy has a thing for the employee of the month, and there begins the struggle of Zack to try and take the employee of the month tile from Vince, who has held it for months.
While the premise is entertaining, the film is bogged down by clichCB) characters and situations throughout.
Each character fits into a typical mold that viewers can remember from countless other films. There is an employee who talks in badly formed crude metaphors, one who acts as the antagonist’s stooge and follows him around repeating everything he says, an overweight mentally disabled security guard, and a gorgeous blonde, dressed completely out of place in a low-cut top.
For the most part, the film’s humor is based around crude jokes. The situational humor is close to non-existent. The real humor should have stemmed from the oddities and idiosyncrasies of the Super Club environment itself, not on predictable bathroom humor.
The plot also contains elements that are overused and predictable. In the movie there is great tension between the distinction of cashiers and other employees.
This tension is so strong that there are separate lounges for the different groups of employees. In order to get on the good side of management Zack has to make that age-old pivotal choice between moving up on the employee food chain or being true to his friends.
Overall, audiences may not find the movie as entertaining as their expectations.
Those expecting Cook’s usual wit won’t get what they are looking for. Acting is one thing. Comedy is another.
