THE OTHER END OF THE LINE

US, 2008, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jesse Metcalfe, Shriya, Larry Miller, Sara Foster, Austin Basis, Anupam Kher.
Directed by James Dodson.

The Other End of the Line is the lightest of romantic comedies. It begins as a phone comedy, a comedy of mistaken identities, crisis, final love and commitment.

Jesse Metcalfe appears as an advertising agent for a hotel chain, the proprietor being played by Larry Miller, giving one of his deadpan variations in comic performances. Austin Basis is Charlie, the sidekick for the advertising campaign who is forever being told by the boss to keep silent.

In the meantime, the advertiser is contacted from India because of problems with a credit card. The agent does not realise that the caller is from India, trained in India, to put on American accents and to learn how to be gracious to the American customers. She is attracted by the agent, looks him up on the internet, offers him all kinds of help. Eventually, she decides to go to San Francisco to meet him, she has said that her base is San Francisco. When he looks through her, she wants to go home but an accident, literal, puts them together and they spend a lot of time in San Francisco, touristic places, and falling in love.

She is also engaged, in a forced marriage. The Indian sequences, especially with her parents, are over-the-top satire. The family comes to America, there is a confrontation, she returns home, wants to be her own woman, is finally supported by her father. When the agent goes to his best friend’s wedding and gives a speech, he comes to his senses and hurries to India – where all is a happy ending in this contemporary fairy tale.

1. The popularity of this kind of romantic comedy? For men? For women?

2. The New York settings, the sequences in San Francisco, the sequences in Mumbai? American flavour, international flavour?

3. The plausibility of the plot? The advertising agent, his job, ambitions, relationships? His friend? The contrast with the Indian, her being trained for the phone centre, her falling in love over the phone, the trip to America? Whether realism mattered or not?

4. Granger Woodruff, his age, experience, his dealings with Kit Hawksin? Hawksin and his dominating of Charlie, keeping him silent? Granger, his hopes, meeting the requirements of Hawksin? The phone calls, Jennifer and her help, his enjoying the conversations, her being helpful with his cold and with the medicine? The bonds between the two, the frequent phone calls? His going to San Francisco, his wanting to meet Jennifer, the situation for the advertising campaign?

5. Priya, in her family context, the fussy family, the pre-arranged marriage, visiting the fiancé, his parents, the talk? At work, her best friend and confiding in her? The job, the training, the vocabulary, the discussions about film stars? Pandering to the American clients? Priya on the phone, her American accent, being Jennifer David? Her liking for Granger, helping him out, ringing him up, their discussions? Saying she was in San Francisco? Her decision to go to America?

6. The hotel, Priya’s arrival and booking in, waiting, Granger looking right through her? Her being upset, phoning, deciding to go home, Granger literally bumping into her? His apology, going out?

7. The days in San Francisco, the touristic aspects – the audience sharing the tour views with the couple? The romantic attitude? The encounter with Hawksin, Priya charming him, her discussions about hotels? Hawksin giving her the free apartment?

8. Priya not telling the truth, having to go to the family wedding? The shock to see her parents there? Granger and his return with the gift? The confrontation, the father’s anger, the talking in the toy house? His leaving?

9. The Indian sequences, the family, the fussiness, everybody talking over one another? The young boy and his music, like Tom Cruise in Risky Business? The American Indians, adapting to United States – the rock ‘n roll dancing of the daughter? The arrival of the family from India, settling into America? The confrontation with Hawksin and the father’s suspicion of him?

10. Granger, the preparation for Charlie’s marriage, the ceremony, his speech, coming to his senses during the speech after looking at Charlie’s life and proposal?

11. Priya, back at work, going to see the fiancé, standing her ground, her father supporting her? The breaking of forced marriages?

12. At work, the other workers, Priya coaching them? Granger’s trip, his arrival, the difficulties of getting there, his declaration? The kiss, the applause, the happy ending?