'A New Wave'
(Andrew Keegan, Lacey Chabert, et al / DVD / NR / 2007 / Velocity - Thinkfilm)
Overview: The story for "A New Wave" centers on Desmond a mid-twenties frustrated artist who works a day job as a bank teller. Miserable with his job his eccentric roommate Gideon convinces Desmond to rob the bank in which he works!
DVD Verdict: The opening scene sets the stage all wrong. It's a good scene, in which Krasinski, as motor-mouthed trickster Gideon, works his way to stealing an expensive suit. But why open the film with him in a bit of amusing nonsense, then shove him aside? Why not open with the movie's second scene, the introduction of Desmond (Keegan), a struggling artist slogging his way through a bland day job as a bank teller? Doing so would not only immediately put Desmond up front in the audience's mind, but it would cement Gideon's purpose as comic relief troublemaker and not center of attention.
But the magic of that indie classic isn't anywhere near "A New Wave." Rookie writer/director Carvey follows the steps, leaping from quirky character to goofy situation while hoping to ultimately focus on Desmond's quiet angst, but that's the thing. When Carvey's screenplay drifts away from the caper, it fails to offer up anything of equal value. We learn of Desmond's struggles with making it in the real world, compounded with a relationship (the girlfriend, Julie, is played by a charisma-free Lacey Chabert) stressed by Desmond's constant fear of Julie's wealthy, overbearing father (William Sadler).
So "A New Wave" turns out to be a movie that never really knows where it's going, or why. It's a movie that feels made up on the fly, constantly changing in all the wrong ways. Krasinski and Edwards are funny, but ultimately they're just filler. Then again, so is our lead, a character who wades through whatever bland set-ups the script tosses his way! This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features of:
Sunriser - "Big Plans" Music Video
4 Deleted Scenes
Outtakes
A New Wave Trailer
Trailer Gallery
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