THE EX (FAST TRACK)
Us, 2007, 89 minutes, Colour.
Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Jason Bateman, Charles Grodin, Mia Farrow, Donal Logue, Amy Poehler, Josh Charles, Paul Rudd.
Directed by Jesse Peretz.
A brief, sometimes breezy, sometimes blustery, romantic comedy – about marrieds. Zach Braff (Garden State, Scrubs, The Last Kiss) is a restaurant chef who stands up to his puffed up boss (Paul Rudd) and finds himself sacked just as he expected to be promoted. His wife (Amanda Peet) goes into labour and they have a beautiful son.
What is to be done? Go back to Ohio and work for his father-in-law in a sales company that has overdosed on New Age camaraderie and creativity? Dad is played by Charles Grodin and mum by Mia Farrow.
However, there is a demonic Iago at work who used to date Tom‘s wife, now finds all kinds of insidious, sneering but surface respectable ways of putting down, undermining him, while he plans to go to a top firm in Barcelona. All of which comes to a comeuppance head but not until after some hard slapstick as tries to defend himself (and gets himself further in a mess) because is a wheelchair bound paraplegic. He is played by Jason Bateman with quite some relish.
The film is in favour of marriage and love, shows the difficulties (and some amateur counsellor’s attempts to resolve conflicts), the hardships in trying to work while continually under pressure.
In many ways, it’s a throwaway film but one that is entertaining enough while on screen.
1. A likable contemporary comedy? Marriage, children, career, defending rights, the workplace, advertising, meanness and stupidity?
2. The title? Reference to Tom? The alternative title, Fast Track?
3. The city, the couple, names for their children, Tom’s work as a chef, the fight, his defence of his friend? Sophia going into labour, the issue of epidural, the doctor and his reluctant help, the baby called after him, Oliver? The crisis with Tom being sacked, Sophia not able to work, decisions?
4. Moving to Ohio, to the quiet neighbourhood, folksy? To their parents’ house, the chintzy furniture? The welcoming of Bob and Amelia? The parents and their characters, nice? Settling into the house, Bob as loving grandpa, merely as a loving grandma? The offering of the job?
5. Tom, manner, meeting the old school friend in the street, his living in the Hamptons, the yacht? Tom as a chef? The manager and his brutality, work demands? The source, Tom defending the Cook, his friend attacking the manager? Their being sacked?
6. Tom in Ohio, the company, advertising, New Age, genial, dress code, throwing the imaginary ball? The campaigns? Chip, in the wheelchair, Tom throwing the ball but his not being able to catch it? The meeting, online, direct mailing and the owner not wanting it, Tom and his making a mess of things? The way of apology, the Japanese comment, writing the note?
7. Sophia, at home, with the baby? Phone calls to New York and her friend being busy? The woman from school, with the baby, inviting Sophia to the meetings, the soothing gel for the nipples, laughing with the babies, making Sophia seem a bad mother? Sophia’s outburst against her?
8. Chip, in the wheelchair, his position in the company, his past attachment to Sophia, his undermining Tom, not catching the imaginary ball, Tom eating his yoghurts, watching him, the taunts, taking the photo and cutting Tom out? Carol and her warnings to Tom against Chip? Giving him a week?
9. Manny and Doug, cheerful, Manny and his hairpiece, training to be a marriage counsellor, the session with Sophia and Tom, getting them to hit each other, touching, his yelling at his mother, Tom hitting him? The laughing afterwards?
10. Wesley, the neighbour, his father and his being busy, Sophia allowing him to watch television, at the meals, swallowing the hamburger in one gulp? Tom filming it, offering to the campaign, everybody liking it? Tom meeting the Irishman in thinking he had a fake accent? The screening of the video – and Chip taking all the credit? Leaving Tom to explain the flowcharts and his foundering?
11. The video, Bob’s desk, the substitute, the fire, the destruction? Bob and his being unable to explain, his being sacked, blaming himself – and beginning to drink? Tom talking to him, the reconciliation, Chip being a substitute son, now his accepting Tom?
12. Sophia, upset, Chip and the meal, Tom finding the photo, the twin brother, Tom’s challenge, throwing Chip down the stairs? Sophia leaving?
13. Tom, confronting Chip, Chip getting out of the chair, the pretence, the sympathy, the fight, Chip fighting from the chair?
14. The phone call from Barcelona – and the fact that it was from Tom’s friend in New York? Chip and his defiance, getting out of the chair, offering to take Sophia, her answer to him? The scenes in Spain, after getting hit by the bus, two legs broken, his being evicted from the company?
15. Tom, the ups and downs, the backing of the New Age Don, buying the bike and Sophia upset, the bike accident, the Irish accent, interactions with Chip?
16. Tom setting up his own company, with Bob’s support, filming Wesley (and his star caravan status) happy family and future?
