By BJ LEWIS

bvl001@latech.edu

 

Ryan Reynolds (The Amityville Horror) is one of the funniest men alive but even all his deadpan dialogue and outrageous humor cannot save the crude snooze fest that is “Waiting.”

The story takes place at a restaurant/bar where Reynolds and an assorted cast of pretty, quirky employees work and play. Joining them on the outset is Mitch, a new server who dishes little dialogue and maintains the stupidest look on his face throughout the entire movie.

There’s also a plot dealing with Justin Long’s (Dodgeball) character. This guy finally realizes he needs to do something with his life, stop being such a slacker and all around loser.

That so-called plot does not matter much; it is just a paper thin plot to weave around the antics of the employees at the bar.

Some of those antics involve doing rather disgusting things to the food of customers they don’t like.

One particularly rude woman was treated to a steak plate littered with certain additions from all the cooks in the kitchen.

It really makes one think twice about the next time he/she goes out to eat.

The employees are a motley crew to say the least as one of them has a shy bladder, one has anger management problems, two of them are want-to-be gangsters -- they just go down hill from there.

Reynolds is on top form as the man in charge of the film, dutifully delivering quips here and there with the timing that makes any movie he acts in tolerable.

Everyone else is just there, trying to be cute as they fumble from one line of dialogue to the next.

“Waiting” is Rob McKittrick’s first directorial endeavor. So, perhaps he can be forgiven for spawning this disappointment of a film.

He puts the bulk of it on Reynolds to be his savior but it just does not happen.

Waiting can be summed up as 90 minutes of drugs, sex and a liberal use of the “F bomb.”

The film is perfect for the “Harold & Kumar” or “Van Wilder” crowd, but for those who want a good movie, they need to wait on the next one to come by.