Kabluey

Kabluey is a movie about a man who goes to help his sister-in-law take care of her two sons and in the meantime gets a job as a corporate mascot. Doesn't sound like much, but the movie's offbeat humour (think Lars and the Real Girl or Run, Fatboy, Run) is derived from the characters' extreme personalities.

Salman, played by Scott Prendergast who is also the director of this film, is the brother-in-law who was enlisted only as a desperate last measure to babysit two homicidal nephews. When he takes on the job as a mascot for a failing dot-com company, Salman slowly discovers that he can be a hero, albeit in a blue costume.

Actresses Lisa Kudrow and Conchata Ferrell play their respective roles fantastically. Kudrow portrays a despondent woman, a far cry from her Phoebe days, while Ferrell throws out curses and anger like nobody's business in a bizarre, but often funny, way.

I love how Kabluey shows the sad reality of the hero's life, but without the melodrama. At only 68 minutes long, the film is able to capture the quirky ways people relate to one another, as well as how they deal with their present situation with what resources they have. Although there is no overt political agenda to this film, it does put a spin on economic tension, which underlies some of the characters' motives. My favourite movies are usually ones that are character-driven, have plot lines that don't require a lot of fanfare and explosions, and contain witty dialogue that only English teachers and the linguistically-inclined can appreciate with a hearty laugh. Kabluey did not disappoint.