Review of Kabluey

Kabluey (2007)
7/10
The man in the blue monkey suit
10 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Leslie is a desperate housewife in need of relief. She is stressed out after getting to know her National Guard husband's tour of duty in Iraq has been extended; she has no inkling in how to deal with her two boys, Lincoln and Cameron, two brats that seem hellbent in destroying the house. What to do? Talking to her mother, it is suggested she brings home her brother-in-law, Salman, as in Salman Rushdie, to give her a hand with the house chores. She has to return to work to make ends meet.

Salman is a man that has not amounted to much in his life. His last place of residence was in Nevada, where he did not get a decent job, so going to Austin to help Leslie is perhaps the best news he has been offered in a while. Leslie, an airhead, offers Salman a blanket that has still some vomit to sleep, thinking he might have brought his own bed with him, when he is only doing her the favor! What could be wrong with taking care of his two nephews? Plenty! For starters, Salman and the boys clash. He is an inept person when it comes to do what is expected of him by Leslie. He can not even get the boys to behave. As a solution, he decides to use straps on them whenever he must take them to the stores, eliciting dirty looks from the supermarket cashier and manager.

Leslie decides to get him a job. The building where her office is located is looking for a person that can work cheaply. Kathleen, the woman in charge, offers him a kind of job that presents Salman with a challenge. He is to wear a huge rubber suit that represents the logo of BlueNexion's mascot, Kabluey. Kathleen takes him to an isolated highway where he is supposed to distribute leaflets that promote the virtues of renting space in the company's headquarters. The bus ride Salman takes to get to work, gives him an earful of a loud mouth woman talking about her love life to a silent partner.

Salman is not prepare to the indignities he must suffer to earn six dollars an hour perspiring profusely under the hot Texas sun. The only good thing that comes out of this job is getting hired for a birthday party where he is offered a hundred bucks for entertaining the kids that are mesmerized looking at him when they go by. To his credit, Salman is a big hit at the birthday celebration. He is a silent figure among all the mostly mothers that talk all kinds of intimate details and gossip.

Salman, who has made a friend with the supermarket cashier that comes to cater the party, and another person that impersonates a big wedge of cheese, come to Leslie's rescue when she goes to a motel with a guy she works with. Leslie, at long last, realizes Salman is the nice person she had taken for granted, not giving him all the credit he was due.

"Klabuey" was an amazing discovery when it showed on cable recently. Written and directed, as well as acted by Scott Prendergast, this indie comedy has its heart in the right place. It might not be for everyone, but watch it with an open mind and it will work magic with the viewer that comes with no preconceptions about the film. The film works because Salman is not judgmental about anything. Life has not been kind to him, but he is not stupid. He walks through situations where nasty minded individuals thinks he is incapable of doing anything right, and yet, he proves he is way above everyone.

As Salman, Scott Prendergast does a deadpan take on the character he created. He presents a serious face in funny situations that might give people the wrong impression. Lisa Kudrow plays Leslie, a small, but effective role as the harried mother with big problems she cannot solve. Conchatta Ferrel is amazing as Kathleen, the boss from hell. Teri Garr is seen on a couple of scenes.
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