Camera Store

source: Camera Store

Pretty simple review here, if your looking for a Jonathan Rys-Meyers one man show than boy is this for you! All he did was rant and rave and wax poetic, I literally fast forwarded thru all of his scenes.

I was astonished to see the 10/10 reviews of this POS. Then I realized that the writer/director surely had penned them all because no film lover could ever had.

This movie is set in 1994, the year Clerks was released. It takes place mostly in one location, and its characters swear a lot while working behind a cash register and experiencing major life changes over the course of a single day. That's about all it has in common with Kevin Smith's first feature, as it contains none of the charm, wit, or dramatic weight of the earlier film. It has more professional actors, camerawork, editing, and better filmmaking in general, sure -- but nothing all that interesting or important happens, and nothing these characters do makes any sense. They just talk and talk and talk without getting anywhere or learning anything. Nothing changes, no one evolves, and none of the characters relate to each other in a meaningful way...and some of them are super racist for no reason whatsoever! Its themes fall flat, and by the time it's over one is left wondering what the point was...turns out, there wasn't one.

With brilliant Actors like John Rhys-Davies and John Larroquette, how can a movie miss? Easily. With that said, Camera Store is one missed opportunity after another. The collection of f-words throughout the movie is evidence of a cast attempting to work with a script with several holes in it. The story-line as well as the character development of the cast both lack substance. The audience finds themselves asking the question: who is the main character of this movie half way through. The first obstacle is to get passed the first 15 minutes of the movie. It's hard to see what the main plot of the movie is until it is too late. Supporting characters come and go and intersect with the central characters, not as comic relief but as part of the overall plot that falls short time and time again. The audience is trapped in a movie that they feel obligated to watch since they are roped into watching. Once we learn of the character's back story, if any, we are left not caring since none of the characters are believable let alone appealing. The idea that every photo has a negative side may be the premise of the movie, but in the end, who cares? Camera Store tries to be something that it is not. Scenes from a Mall, or a real depiction / Cassavetes like story, this movie is not. Much like the movie's poster, the genre is not properly depicted. Looking more like a Spy / Film Noir thriller, Camera Store has elements of comedy, but is far from a comedy. A weird drama type / low budget movie that depicts characters with no beginning, middle or end. In the end, Camera Store tries to be a "hit or miss" movie that is only for a certain type of audience. It is that reason alone that makes Camera Store a miss. Secondly, the motivation of every character in the story is questioned since we are looking at both the positive and negative, the real and the fake sides of the characters. Sounds good on paper, but on film, it's mostly negative.

The choice paradox has been a challenge when finding newer movies of quality. Therefore, I just chose "Camera Store" off handedly and what a great surprise. It's become more rare to find movies which capture atmosphere in a meaningful level. The film really captures the sense of change which has been occurring in the past 10 years. I remember the rise of 80's America and the promise of hope based on consumerism. The local mall was the hub of business. Often times neighbors worked or owned businesses in the mall. The mall was part of everyday life in America. No one really ever imagined that "the mall" would become a relic just like "the camera store" in a time which everyone has a camera in hand. The film speaks to the change in our midst. Photos are almost arbitrary these days. Many of us take hundreds of not thousands of pictures with our phones then delete them in seconds. We can buy anything online without having to put on clothes. The shift from old to new when redundancy becomes real and possibly painful is palpable in this movie. The atmosphere of the movie conveys a sense of loss. A loss of connection with one another. A feeling of having been lost in a perception of the American Dream which never existed in the first place. An exhibition of the artifice of human existence in a world thoroughly corrupted by materialism. The years of relationships in the camera store basically come down to money. No more, no less. A very lonely place to find oneself in modern America.

I forced myself to watch this whole movie, which felt like a mash up of 4 different stories, 4 planets revolving around John Larroquette, who was packed tighter than a stick of dynamite. The movie was odd and uncomfortable to watch, even though it had a stellar cast, the premise COULD have been GREAT, but the writers KILLED it by making everything so desperately awful by making it about people hopelessly in dead - end jobs that they can't get out of, but worse than that, they are oon Christmas Eve working in a tax write- off store being told to not sell because they don't want the numbers- AND THEY WORK ON COMMISSION!!! Plus their Christmas bonus is 1% of that nothing, and every year they don't get it until the last minute... BUT, THE WORST thing is that JL's old partner pulled something, stole the store pour from under him, THEN STOLE HIS WIFE!!! AND HE'S the boss doing this to them!!! So this story MAINLY is about 2 older men selling cameras in a store where they're treated badly, knowing that everything's breaking down because digital cameras are taking over after 27 years in that store, their subsequent mental breakdowns...It just made me feel so SAD. That's NOT what movies should do.

In the hustle and bustle of this 21st century electric life one rarely reflects on times gone by. This movie is a rich portrayal of a life lived with and between people, with its moments of purposelessness, morbidity and delight. Not something most people would enjoy these days perhaps but for myself it was a warm breeze laced with memory. And once in a while, we need to remember. Script: 7/10 - Solid Direction: 8/10 - Hit mostly right notes Acting: 9/10 - Brilliant

A fantastic diatribe into the inner workings of a mall camera store. The writer put out a few movies that really resonated with audiences and a prepubescent me. What a profound waste of time. It took me 4 segmented viewings to finish this debacle. Well acted and well written. The good nonexistent lord gave me the option to skip 10 seconds ahead on my netflix app. I've never done a Yelp or movie review but wow what an addition to mediocrity.

Well let's see if I can start with a positive Erm...hold on, lemme think...hmmm, well, just a mo let me think harder....oh right I got one! John Larroquette is excellent. OK so now for the rest of the film. Well i can best sum it up as Utter. Boring Drivel. One thing did provoke me to thinking...the casting of John Rhys-Davies. Why is he still working? He's truly awful. His character is awful and he's awful. The plot is awful, although to be fair it's non-existent. The film is awful. It's boring drivel, utterly. I feel like maybe I've not put my point across very well...