Spilt Milk (2010)

Directed by Blake Calhoun
Starring Jake Johnson and Chase Jeffrey
Runtime 80min. - Not Rated
4 Stars (out of 4)

Spilt Milk is available on many V.O.D streaming outlets, including YouTube, for $2.99.

"Spilt Milk" is arguably the crown jewel amongst a quarry of gems that constitute the Indie Rights library. I haven't been able to track down the history of the film's production, but it seems to me it should have made waves on the festival circuit. There are echoes of "Clerks", "Office Space" and other great workplace comedies. But like a Quentin Tarantino film, it's more than the sum of its parts.

Jake Johnson anchors the cast. Before "Spilt Milk" Johnson's credits included such prestigious roles as "Man on cell phone", "Basketball Player" and "Guayabera Shirt Man". Today he's known for his excellent work on the hit comedy "New Girl" with Zooey Deschanel. It doesn't surprise me that Johnson's role as Todd spurred his career to greater heights.

You may be thinking I have some sort of fantasy bromance with Jake Johnson. You'd be right. I've never seen a more natural talent. Even good actors often sound like they're reading lines from a script. No matter what material he gets, Johnson makes it sound like the dialogue is completely reactionary. It's almost as if everyone around him is reading their lines and Jake is just improvising. I doubt that is the case. The illusion created is the product of a unique skill set.

The story of "Spilt Milk" takes place in a grocery store. It's one of those grocery stores that you only see in movies. Every space on the shelf is fully stocked with it's designated item. The products line up so evenly that during a wide-angle shot cereal boxes appear to be walls. It's not really relevant to the story, but those of us who have worked retail know it's an inaccuracy. One thing that sets this grocery store apart from other cinematic retailers is the use of actual brand names. The reason for this difference is that indie producers probably don't bet on product placement for funding. "Walnut Circle Market" may be a fictional store name, but among its products are several "Great Value" items, a brand commonly found at Walmart.

Todd is the overnight manager of the store. Perhaps due to the hours, his customer base is a little eccentric. When a robber enters the scene, his only available hostages are a pharmaceutically intoxicated middle-aged suburbanite and some teenagers who insist they are of legal drinking age. When Todd refuses to sell them beer, it's revealed that the intoxicated lady is actually one of the teens' mother. Instead of being outraged, she demands that she be allowed to purchase the alcohol for the teens' enjoyment. The appearance of a masked gunman comes at an opportune time for Todd, who was at his wit's end with the ridiculous demands of his customers.

The movie's foundation is based on the fact that Todd can't open his safe to pay off the robber. It's on a time-lock and it will be five hours until the safe approves its digital combination. For reasons I dare not share, Todd encourages his would-be assailant to stick out the wait. The ensuing downtime sets the table for all sorts of comic situations and dialogue, all of which do their job. The time-lock scenario also gives the characters a chance to be fleshed out in full. The crook's role is to be the catalyst for change. He forces our characters to face their past, evaluate their present situations, and plan their futures. Blake Calhoun gives the viewer every opportunity to invest in his characters and after you're emotionally hooked, he subjects them to some perilous situations. However, the source of this peril is not what you may expect.

"Spilt Milk" is also excellent on the technical level. The use of space rivals that of the aforementioned "Clerks". Calhoun finds a near endless amount of interesting and fresh camera angles in a single location. The depth of field creates an illusion of grocery aisles that stretch hundreds of feet. Having worked in a grocery store, I can tell you the overall authenticity level is cranked to eleven.

The most appealing aspect for some will be that the film is genuinely funny. It's not just the gags, the film makes you think while you laugh. Its price, instant availability, and most of all its greatness makes "Spilt Milk" an experience not to be missed.