10 Items or Less

10 Items or Less

This review is about the movie and not the unrelated cable TV show. 10 Items is a film about a famous actor, Morgan Freeman, wants to do research into an independent film role. The character in the movie is only referred as ‘him’ and is never given a name, which is part of the joke because it is more or less Morgan Freeman playing himself. The catch is this version of Freeman hasn’t worked in four years, but hasn’t fully committed to a role in a film where he plays a grocery store manger. I found all this amusing because it’s a joke within a joke. Freeman isn’t afraid of making fun of himself throughout the film.

The movie really starts to take off when he discovers the extremely hot Paz Vega as a very skilled grocery clerk, yet she hates her job. Freeman sees something special in her, and he tags along with her throughout her adventure around LA. The two become good friends and help each other out, becoming better people in the end.

The movie is cute and clever in a harmless way. Shot on a small budget, we don’t get too many grand shots, but that means we focus in on what these two fascinating characters have to say about things going on in their lives. Freeman and Vega have such great chemistry that it elevates the movie above some of the shabby camera work and direction from Brad Silberling. Brad Silberling certainly knows how to write though. These are characters that are generally good people that we care about.

This is basically a feel good movie with some good writing and acting. I enjoyed the film, and I believe you will too.

Grade: B+

Note: The film does make fun of High Crimes and Ashley Judd just a bit. They call the movie Double Down in this movie; I love Freeman’s reaction to seeing the film in the bargain bin at the stores.

Freeman: “You know I was in that disaster Comet Movie.”

Vega: “Armageddon?”

Freeman: “No the other one...”

Vega: “If you ask me, they both should be considered disasters.”

Freeman: “This coming from the woman that co-starred in Spanglish with that guy that makes poop jokes.”

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Paz Vega, if you're ever looking for a loser, single, blogger, I'm your man. Call me...

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Washing cars, Lucius Fox's other job.

Didn't you get the memo?