Post Lemony Snicket and his Unfortunate series of Events, Brad Silberling takes a stab at his first non-traditional Hollywood film.

Written and Directed by: Brad Silberling
Starring: Morgan Freeman and Paz Vega
Distributor: ThinkFilm
Genre: Comedy and Drama
Rating: R for language.
Running Time: 82 minutes
/Film Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Recreating Lost In Translation in the lower class ethnic melding pot of Southern California, Morgan Freeman plays Him, a washed up out of work actor who has been unable to commit to a movie role in over four years. Abandoned while researching an indie film at a low-rent supermarket, the actor forms a friendship and bond with the 10 items or less cashier Scarlet (is her last name Johansson?) played by Paz Vega.

The fact that Vega's character takes on the same real life name of Sofia Coppola's lead, makes me wonder if the Lost in Translation similarities were in-fact intentional. While LiT featured too strangers in a foreign land, 10 Items or Less relies mostly on the social ignorance of Morgan Freeman's character. While amusing for a little while, the wonders of Target, the car wash and Arbys are no match for the wonders of Tokyo Japan.

But at the end of the day, 10 Items or Less is an enjoyable film which will hopefully find an audience on DVD and cable.

/Film Rating: 6.5 out of 10