EVERYDAY PEOPLE

US, 2004, 90 minutes,

Jordan Gelber, Brigid Barkan, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Sydnee Stewart, Billoah Greene, Victor Pagan, Reg E.Cathy.

Directed by Jim McKay.

Everyday People is well worth seeing. As the title indicates, the characters are all everyday people, or connected with a diner in Brooklyn, Jewish owners, a landmark in the area and available to everyone in the neighbourhood, especially the black population who are comfortable going there.

The action takes place mainly over the one day. Ira, son of the owner, and manager has made a decision under pressure from developers that he should sell the restaurant. He is a sensitive man, especially when he comes under pressure and hostility from the staff when he makes the announcement. His father is far more hard-headed. In talking with some of the staff and bearing the brunt of their hostility, he contacts the developer to indicate that he is changed his mind.

The other characters are principally those working on the staff. There is an old veteran, friend of the father, worried about his position, acting as a host to the visitors. There are several young women, one white who, it emerges, has a child who is of mixed race. She has an encounter with a socially concerned preacher who attacks her about payment and change, later returns, but also stands outside asking donations from passers-by for the education of young black men.

There is also a wealthy young woman who plans to be a poet, seems jealous of the other worker, has a visit from her dominant mother to discuss her future. There is a black young man, his foster mother, white, visits him at the diner along with a foster sister. He is educated, has plans to go to college and is being pressurised by his foster mother to contact his long-lost father. There is a very strong episode where he has a conversation with one of the customers at the diner who has lost his wife, admits to being a bad father, and the two gradually talk to and with one another.

In the kitchen, there is a dishwasher who emerges as a former doctor, alcoholic and drug, addict, getting older, who feels threatened with the loss of his job, clashes with Ira and walks out. There is also a waiter, with a family, aged 58, desperate at losing his job also.

The film also gives attention to the well-dressed and educated agent involved in the sale, also black, who lays down the law to Ira but later has some hesitations and returns to the diner engaging in conversation with a woman sitting at the bar.

1. The title? Ordinary Americans? In Brooklyn? A New York slice of life?
2. The setting, the Brooklyn diner, seen from across the street, the interiors, dining, the kitchen, break areas? Some glimpses into homes, offices? The musical score?
3. New York and diners, their popularity, customers, from the neighbourhood? This diner with Jewish owners? Yet welcoming everyone, the black population at home here? Staff, customers, the age range?
4. A humanitarian film? The range of characters, the details of their lives, interactions, hopes and dreams, possibilities? A sympathetic screenplay?
5. The revelation about development, the sale of the diner, the real estate personalities and their pressures, bigger and more modern restaurants, the threat to the diner even if it survived?
6. Ira, the pressures from his father, his father looking at the situation objectively? The effect on Ira, his telling the staff, their hostile reactions, upset? The effect on him? The staff and their turning against him? The effect on changing his mind, the interview with the agent? The agent and his threats, diminishing the price? Harsh?
7. The agent, well-dressed and dapper, his company and representation? His pride in doing the deal? Ira is recanting, his angry reaction, going home, in his office, rethinking, going to the diner, talking with the woman at the bar, his having to make a decision?
8. The various members of the staff, Arthur, veteran, dapper, with the customers, upset at the news, his own motivations, the discussions with Ira? Conversations with the staff, with the customers? His mulling over the sale during the day?
9. Jolene, her work, revelation of her son, looked after by relatives, mixed race son? Her work at the diner, conversations with the staff, clashes with Erin, Erin jealous? Their arguments? The friendship with Symbol? The man with his campaign, saying he gave her $20, her response, his denouncing her, later return and his change of heart? The effect of the sale, weary, going home?
10. Erin, wanting to be a poet, her work, self-confidence, her verses? Going to the club and her recitation? Wealthy family, her mother’s visit, her mother professional, arguments with Erin? The contact with the firm buying the diner? The clashes with Jolene? Envy? Her future?
11. Symbol, the young black men of the area, his being different? In the diner, his foster mother and her care, his sister and her hanging around the diner? His studies, plans, going to Howard University? The issue of his absent father? Phoning him or not? His foster mother urging him? The effect of the sail? At the bar, John at the bar, Jon wanting conversation, symbol and his attitude, lying about his father, John, desperate, the death of his wife, a failed father, his grief, wanting to talk? Symbols response?
12. The campaigning man, his cause, education, the clash with Jolene, his later return? At on the street, talking with people, the importance of education?
13. Soul, background, doctor, drugs and drink, prison? Washing up in the diner? Age, no prospects, his anger about the sale, attacking Ira, prospects?
14. Victor, waiter, 58, the sale, upset, wife and three children, not knowing how to tell them, his taking the extra meals, the interaction with Ira?
15. The range of the staff, the range of customers? The slice of Brooklyn life?
16. The ending, uncertainty, Ira not wanting to sell, the doubts from the agent, leaving to the audience for their moral and practical judgements?