CMFH Film Reviews

2006, USA
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Review by Deborah Dearth

In the present climate of über-patriotism and ethnocentrism, "outsourcing" is an evil term. We buy from Wal-Mart because it is an American company...despite the fact that everything is made in Taiwan. We buy American-made vehicles...even though they are assembled in Mexico. And in John Jeffcoat's charming debut feature, we buy our American kitsch from Indian operators.

Todd (Kicking and Screaming's Josh Hamilton) is waiting out life as a manager in a catalogue company, selling over the phone the sort of tacky items usually reserved for mall kiosks and gifts from grandparents. Although the overnight shipping for a cookie jar that squeals when you open it may be expensive, the item itself is worth pennies. And why pay the labor who sells the knick-knacks much more than that? This is where the genius of outsourcing comes into play, and Todd has been forced to learn the game when he is sent to India to train his cheaper replacement.

It is a tricky task for a film to avoid being racially insensitive when handling the matter of divergent cultures, but it is also important to circumvent the sticky-sweet trap of ultimate understanding. The usual comedic adventures ensue as Todd travels to his distant, new office: low-tech transportation, misuse of currency, indigestible dishes and of course, toilet etiquette. However, Jeffcoat is careful to present the situation from both hemispheres, and this stranger in a strange land is not considered wildly advanced or there to educate the savages. He has a little something to learn from this vastly different culture himself.

And therein is where the path may diverge into afterschool special or heartwarming film. Some may say that is a thin line, but this movie is quite enjoyable without sending the viewer into diabetic shock. The humor of cultural taboos and learning to take life in stride are presented in a realistic manner, without characters becoming ethnographic experts within a short time span. And it does not hurt that love bridges borders and becomes the quick-dry glue for any trepidation towards adaptation.

Religion cannot help but find its way into a film placing a (possibly) Christian in a Hindu nation. Though Todd is initially frightful of portrayals of certain destructive and violent gods, he eventually takes the time to stop and ask for explanations. As this hard-won concept of understanding trickles into other aspects of his new day-to-day life, he learns to view the outsourcing predicament from all angles. Through a literal and emotional baptism, his satellite office of Fulfillment opens doors to enlightenment.

Sweet but not saccharine, thoughtfully humorous without being disrespectful, this film has created steady ground for both worthy discussion and pure entertainment. Hamilton breezes through his role without the need for exaggerated slapstick, and his counterpart Ayesha Dharker is a dramatic actress to keep an eye on in the future. Jeffcoat has created a lovely crowd-pleaser without insulting his audience, and hopefully he will be able to maintain such impressive balance in forthcoming films.