Customer Reviews

Haiku Tunnel [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Josh Kornbluth (Josh Kornbluth), ambles from temp job to temp job as he contemplates writing the Great American novel. He is perfectly content to take these jobs, because, as he points out, he's a really good temp. They also allow him the freedom to concentrate on other things. Yes, he has to live in a small dump of an apartment in the Mission District in "San Franclisco" (a `fictional' town, the setting for his `fictional' story, but he actually enjoys his life. Then he accepts a temp assignment working for Bob Shelby (Warren Keith) at the law firm of Schuyler & Mitchell. Josh notices strange things at S & M, but he goes about his assignment. Then Marlina D'Amore (Helen Shumaker), the head Secretary, asks Josh if he wants "to go perm?" Josh accepts and everything begins to unravel.

"Haiku Tunnel" is simply one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long, long time.

Josh Kornbluth reportedly developed a one-man show called "Haiku Tunnel" based on his adventures as a Legal Temp. He and his brother Jacob worked for a long time to turn the play into a film. The film, directed by the Kornbluth Brothers works amazingly well. We follow Josh's adventures as he wades through the bureaucracy of office life and John frequently takes us aside to share his observations.

Every character in the film is pitch perfect. If you have ever worked at a law firm, in an office or for a temp agency, you will most likely recognize the people. Bob Shelby is easily one of the funniest characters ever created for a film and Warren Keith is brilliant in bringing the stoic, emotionless lawyer to life. He almost steals every scene he is in. This is quite an accomplishment considering the actor playing against him, Josh Kornbluth, created the character. Keith's monotone is very evocative of a supervisor who wants to do a great job, expects his employees to do a great job, but can't quite summon the will to enforce this desire.

Josh Kornbluth is hilarious playing a character that he goes to great pains to try to convince the audience is fictional. He makes frequent observations, which is usually a technique that is sure to annoy me, but his observations are very funny, very accurate and well-timed. He has to deal with the stigma of being a temp, the quick revelation of going perm, his various office workers, office machines, procrastination, artificial environments, desperate office celebrations, security guards and computer professionals who work all hours. There isn't a single joke in the film which doesn't create a laugh.

Marlina D'Amore, played by Helen Shumaker, is also perfect. Slightly condescending, finally embracing the role of mother to the office, she walks around with an all-knowing, silent attitude which is simply a marvel to behold. "Josh, would you like to go... perm?"

Mindy, Clifford and DaVonne (Amy Resnick, Brian Thorstenson and June Lomena respectively) are the three other secretaries in the office. Each is a perfect example of a specific type of office worker you have already met. Each is well-thought out and very unique. It is unusual to have this level of detail for the individual characters in any film. These three have been in the office long enough to recognize all of the ins and outs. "She's a pusher" and "Hi, Josh. So we hear you went Perm?" are just two of their many funny lines.

"Haiku Tunnel" is a rare thing. The pitch perfect, consistently funny and inventive comedy.

Laugh out loud funny, Haiku Tunnel is a dry and witty look at the universe of the temporary employee and how that world is effected when a job becomes permanent. At the center of Haiku Tunnel is Josh Kornbluth, a 'fictional character' played by writer director Josh Kornbluth who narrates, comments, and pontificates about his life as a temp. Kornbluth is somewhere between Woody Allen, Spaulding Grey and Dilbert with a profound sense of comic timing.

One of the stand-out aspects of Haiku Tunnel is Kornbluth's spot-on characterizations of the different type of office people, especially the head secretary of S&M (a law firm), Marlina, played brilliantly by Helen Shumaker. Kornbluth goes beyond the office stereotypes and instead of portraying his fellow co-workers and bosses as 'evil' he manages to find the quirky element in each one which makes them endearing.

It's easy to want to draw comparisons between The Haiku Tunnel and a movie like Office Space but the two films are more different than alike. Haiku Tunnel ultimately is less about working in an office, and more about feeling impermanent and transitionary. When it does lampoon the working world, the results are hilarious, but the real core comes out of Josh's search for himself. Haiku Tunnel is extremely funny and completely enjoyable, and I highly recommend it. [Geoffrey Kleinman,

I saw this movie on HBO. When the movie started, I did not think much of Josh Kornbluth, I did not find him engaging.

However, as the film progressed, I found myself laughing, several times out loud. The next day, I thought of scenes in the movie and found myself laughing over and over again.

The beginning of the movie does not seem to lead someone to believe that this is going to be a rip-roaring, laughfest, but in fact it was.

The trials and tribulations faced by this character is mountains made out of molehills, with the infamous 17 letters. The secretaries are funny, all the attorneys named Bob are funny, and the oldest bike courier in the world is funny.

I really can not say enough great things about this film.

It is a quiet comedy and requires some thought and careful attention. But it will have you chuckling for days.

As if there were a lot of comedies about office temps. Actually the last one (and only other one) I remember was called "Clockwatchers", which was an indie movie that featured Lisa Kudrow, Toni Collette and Parker Posey. This one doesn t have as much star power (although there is a scary looking Harry Shearer making a kind of unnecessary cameo that anyone else could have done) but "Haiku Tunnel" is that rare indie comedy that you think might be slightly funny when you see it one the new release rack. It's much better than that! You know when a movie starts with the Pixies classic "Debaser" that something good is coming up. Josh Kornbluth plays himself (kind of, sort of) in this office comedy of errors. Josh is temp that often works at law firms and while he like most of us can t stand the 9 to 5, he gets by (his solace is the fact that his bed is waiting for him at home). Josh get signals that his latest job might be for the devil, so he better do a good job. He is proficient that he is urged to take permanent status on the first day. He does and that s when things should turn around for this man that lives in the temp zone. It doesn't as he finds a myriad of excuses to prolong an important task that he was suppose to do right away (the mailing out of 17 very important letters).

This movie has to be seen to be believed. It is filled with witty dialogues (and monologues), real life scenarios and the talent of this cast. Helen Shumaker (Marlina) is such an excellent comic actor she deserves the Academy Award for Supporting Actress (alas, no nods for this movie). "Haiku Tunnel" is the universal office comedy that is about a loser s loser but he is so real and candid that you can t help but like him and feel his predicament. I unfortunately bought the video on impulse so I can t talk about the extras on the DVD but the movie is a laugh riot. Its a must own or at the very least rent.

Any movie that opens with The Pixies Debaser begins with 5 stars and this one lost no points with me. Funny from start to finish. The dialogue was clever and the filmmaker's commentary was almost as much fun as the feature. Another gem from the Sundance Film Festival. Support your independent filmmaker and buy this DVD.

I think the biggest problem this movie faces is that people watch it expecting the next Office Space, which really isn't fair to either film. Office Space is, of course, a truly great comedy well on its way to becoming classic. But the style of humor employed in Office Space and Haiku Tunnel is way different.

That being said, I don't believe a minute passed in this movie where I wasn't laughing out loud. Although I did not really identify with the main character of Josh in any way (nor any of the characters now that I think about it), I found him to be very interesting and I enjoyed following his daily adventures as a temp gone perm.

This movie was a great character study of various people from all walks of life ending up in the same small space, which I'm sure anybody that's worked in any kind of office can relate to. And in between all the comedy is some pretty brilliant social commentary as well.

Not to say that intelligent people will automatically like this, nor that those lacking intelligence will not, but this film definitely caters to those who tend to prefer smart humor.

Very funny office comedy, circa 1995 (i.e., before the internet boom). Sure Josh Kornbluth plays himself and he knows he's funny, but his take on the minutae of life and office work is so accurate that it's laugh-till-you-cry funny for those of us who have done temp work. One of the best moments in the film is when Josh's new boss advises him to: "go back to your office, calm down, focus, and catch up!" (complete with hand signals). The supporting actors and characters are somewhat underused in the shadow of Josh's foibles, but they are still very funny. At least rent this movie, then judge for yourself.

This movie is hilarious. Unfortunately it is in limited release in the theaters so may be hard to see. It has special significance if you have ever worked as a temp office worker. This movie is well worth seeing. Bring someone you like to laugh with.

This is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. I can think of few movies that have made me laugh out loud more while watching. I contemplated renting this movie many times but always held back because of the mixed reviews. One day I finally broke down and rented it and was very glad I did.

Maybe it hits home for me because I also worked for a temp agency before "going perm." And I do have this burning sense of creativity inside of me that sometimes takes priority over my work, just as the character of Josh places more importance on working on his novel than mailing out 17 "very important" letters for his boss. And yes, I do have a co-worker that is as flamboyant as the character of Clifford. But I don't think either of these qualities make it necessary to enjoy this film.

Anybody with a slightly quirky or odd sense of humor should definitely enjoy this one. After renting this one it did not take me long to go out and buy it. Since then, I have actually found it gets funnier with repeated viewings, as you may catch things you missed before due to laughing.

"Haiku Tunnel" is the best thing to come along since Charlie Chaplin. An auteur film with the best of live comedy and of film, "HT" has it all: laughs, social commentary, pacing, super cinematography, crisp direction. Captures the blankness, drudgery and also the humanity of life lived daily in myriad offices in the USA. Kornbluth is a natural comic presence.