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From the moment I first saw the trailer for Waiting, I knew that it was a film that I wanted to devote an hour and a half of my life to. I had a strange feeling that I had already seen the funniest parts of the film inside the trailer — but with Ryan Reynolds, Dane Cook, David Koechner, and Justin Long in the same film, how could it go wrong?

Unfortunately, once the film made its silver screen debut, word-of-mouth buzz indicated that the film was, indeed, crap. That, combined with the fact that I was dead broke at the time of the film’s release, contributed to my missing out on its initial release. Now, however, through the magic of Digital Video Disc (and much thanks given to the good people at Blockbuster), I have finally seen the wonder that is Waiting.

Waiting is an interesting film. My initial reaction was that it was directed terribly. The colors were bland, the camera angles were weak and ultimately uninteresting (with the exception of the dinner rush shot that runs through the entire restaurant), and the director must have approved of Andy Milunakis being cast in the film — so that means they’re completely unqualified to helm a picture. Strangely enough, my views were slightly changed by the DVD making-of featurette, which showed the director explaining why some of the shots were the way they were. Although I don’t think a director should have to explain his film (it should do the talking for itself), I chalked up my misunderstanding of the direction to my inexperience in the restaurant industry.

The script, on the other hand, is absolutely phenomenal. Waiting is an absolutely hysterical, dialogue-heavy occupational comedy (a la Clerks)… expertly delivered by the fresh, new, talented cast.

Ryan Reynolds is naturally funny. He manages to make acting choices that are both unique and hilarious. Speaking of unique and hilarious, Justin Long may well be one of the best young comic talents the film industry has today. While on the subject of funny, there’s Dane Cook — who is certainly not utilized enough in this film. That’s not even mentioning Luis Guzman, who always manages to be hilarious when he wants to. The only weak link in the cast is the aforementioned Milunakis… whom I’m not even going to wasted any more precious internet space talking about.

Waiting… is certainly a great movie in the style of Office Space and the aforementioned Clerks. If you liked those movies, chances are you’ll enjoy this one.