Things To Do was made on a small budget, and while those budgetary constraints are apparent, they in no way detract from the story, which is solidly written and very funny in parts (of note here is a subplot involving a soapbox derby). A few of the minor roles were clearly filled by non-actors (or at least actors with a minimum of experience) but instead of seeming like a flaw, this somehow adds to the film's charms. Stasko is up to the task of portraying Adam initially as someone who's been slapped senseless by a traumatic event, and one can watch his character become more animated as the story progresses and he shakes off his lethargy, while Wilson's take on the flaky but likable Mac is the performance highlight of the film. In short, this sometimes funny and sometimes painful story of young 20-something adulthood rises well above its budgetary limitations with a well-written script, a couple of decent performances, and an abundance of good will.
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
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Article comments
1 - Connie Phillips
Thanks for bringing my attention to this film, Lisa. It sounds like something I will enjoy, I'll have to watch for it.
2 - Lisa McKay
You can put it in your Netflix queue, Connie, I think you'd enjoy this one.
3 - Gordon Hauptfleisch
Promising series debut, Lisa. With 'Earl' and 'Garden State's' as appealing comparisons for 'Things To Do' (plus, all movies should be limited to 90 minutes), I'll look forward to Shoestring Cinema's evaluations for guidance.
So maybe I'll keep my wallet-sapping Netflix account (I keep forgetting about it since the initial cost-free membership ballon burst).
4 - Lisa McKay
Congratulations! This article has been selected for syndication to the Advance family of websites and to Boston.com, which will allow even more readers to enjoy it.
5 - Mark Saleski
hmmm, i'll have to check this out. i'm often accused of liking films where "nothing much happens" (Mystery Train is the prime example), and this sort of fits in that category.
this probably explains why i enjoyed the film "Once" so much.