USA: The new independent comedy "Waiting" explores the underbelly of the U.S. food service industry

Veterans of the restaurant business have often shocked friends and, in some cases, the public at large with their lurid tales of shenanigans behind the scenes. Now comes an independent film with a comedic take on the world of cooks and waiters. "Waiting" tells the story of two restaurant employees who toil at the fictitious chain restaurant "ShenaniganZ," Dean and Monty. Both are burned out after years of dead-end work and frustrating encounters with customers, though Dean wants to get out while Monty is content to pursue a series of underage waitresses. But when a shy new employee enters the equation, the balance begins to shift -- and soon there's no telling what will happen to this band of misfits. First-time writer-director Rob McKittrick first came up with the idea more than seven years ago, after spending years in Florida working food service jobs. "I've done a number of years at a number of different places," he said. "And that's what hit me about it, was that ... when I was working at Roadhouse Grill in Orlando, it hit me how similar it was from waiting tables in Sarasota. It was like the exact same type of people in Orlando, and that was actually the moment where I was like wow, this is universal. I should write a script and eventually make a movie about this." Actor Ryan Reynolds, who plays waiter Monty, says he hasn't yet been put off restaurant food, despite the stomach-churning kitchen antics portrayed in the film. "I can't imagine actually ever running into the disgraces of people that worked at that restaurant," he said. "Because I've worked in a restaurant, I've always sort of had a great respect for how hard it is to be in the hospitality industry, so it really only reinforced what I actually know, which is ... you gotta love the people who are serving you food." Justin Long (Dean) hasn't forgotten the unsanitary kitchen antics he experienced in earlier days. "I did work in a restaurant and I think anyone who has worked in a restaurant will definitely be able to relate to a lot of the stuff that goes on, especially the kind of gross-out stuff," he said. "You know, Rob wrote a script that was deeply personal and it shows in the movie. We all had experience waiting tables like every actor out there." "Waiting" will hit North American screens in limited release on October 7.

ITN Source | October 15, 2005

Tags:. .serving. .explores. .content. .burned. .actor