Waiting...

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Waiting... (2005) is an American independent film directed and written by Rob McKittrick. McKittrick wrote the screenplay while working as a waiter. Friend and producer Dean Shull, who met McKittrick while he was dining at an Orlando, Florida T.G.I. Friday's, teamed up with Rob to help make the film. The film is the first effort by McKittrick as a writer/director.

The script was initially sold in a jumbo movie deal to Artisan Entertainment, but was then released by Lion's Gate Films (which purchased Artisan in 2003). Producers Chris Moore and Jeff Balis of Live Planet's Project Greenlight fame also took notice of the project and assisted. The film made over 6 million dollars, more than the budget of the movie, in the opening weekend.

The story

A waiter for four years since high school, Dean has never questioned his job at ShenaniganZ. But when he learns that Chet, a high school classmate, now has a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, he is thrown into turmoil about his dead-end life. Dean's lecherous friend Monty is in exactly the same boat, but he could not care less. More concerned with partying, Monty is put in charge of training Mitch, a trainee who never seems to get a word in edgewise. Over the course of one chaotic shift, Mitch gets to know the rest of ShenaniganZ's quirky staff: Serena, Monty's tough-talking ex-girlfriend; Amy, Dean's sensitive girlfriend; Naomi, a high-strung, loud-mouthed waitress in dire need of anger management; Dan, ShenaniganZ's overzealous manager; Tyla and Danielle, the bartenders, the former of whom is a lesbian whilst the latter is the head cook's girlfriend; Natasha, the underage hostess; Bishop, the philosophical dishwasher and general counselor to the others; Calvin, a waiter with a shy bladder and relationship problems; Nick and T-Dog, the perpetually stoned wigger busboys; Floyd, an obstreperous cook who is disrespectful to everyone and mishandles food; and head cook Raddimus, who is obsessed with a senseless staff-wide competition, known as "The Game", which involves exposing genitals to unsuspecting coworkers.

Trivia

• In the DVD extras, it is revealed that director Rob McKittrick and actor Luis Guzmán staged an elaborate prank on the other actors. During filming of the scene where Calvin is imagining his friends cheering him on in the bathroom, Guzmán began an argument with McKittrick over a line he was supposed to deliver: the two exchanged very harsh words in front of the other very worried actors for several minutes, after which Guzmán walked off the set. He returned minutes later, arm in arm with McKittrick and laughing himself silly.

• McKittrick often credits Kevin Smith's Clerks. as the inspiration for the film. Ironically, Smith had planned a sequel to Clerks. called Bussing which was never made but likely would have resembled Waiting... A promotional poster can be found in Smith's comic book store in Red Bank, New Jersey.

• ShenaniganZ, coincidentally is the name of a real restaurant chain - Shenanigans. In the film Super Troopers, Shenanigans is mentioned as Farva's favorite restaurant with "the mozzarella sticks and all the goofy shit on the walls."

Cast

• Justin Long - Dean
• Anna Faris - Serena
• Ryan Reynolds - Monty
• David Koechner - Dan
• Andy Milonakis - Nick

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