Customer Reviews

Kabluey

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

There are few movies that can spark your interest, humor and empathy and "Kabluey" is the best one. With a star as unbeatable as Lisa Kudrow as a mother who's husband is shipped off again to Iraq, leaving her with two monstrous sons, she can barely hang on. Enter her brother-in-law loser (Scott Prendergast), also the director, and the film escalates. Salman (loser brother-in-law) shows up to help with the kids, but only proves that he makes matters terribly, terribly worse. Mom (Lisa Kudrow) is struggling with a full time job and the loneliness of no husband. To help, Salman (the fish salmon jokes are endless) gets a demeaning job as a corporate mascot to hand out `office rental space' on a highway to nowhere. From here, the plot moves on to the other community parents, other nasty kids, sexual gossip, affairs and much more than you would ever anticipate. Teri Garr makes a great cameo as a disgruntled former employee of the `mascot's' firm. Conchata Ferrell is a hilarious character actress that brings levity to every scene as Salman's boss (this woman is brilliant). The turnabout ending is perfect as truth comes visiting and the family dynamics produce a believable and welcome happy ending.

To add: I have never seen SO MANY deleted scenes as extras on any DVD. And all of them are priceless. This is the kind of film you wish you could have witnessed the filming from beginning to end. Lots of extras on this DVD.

2007's Kabluey is a brilliant, offbeat film written, directed by and starring the quirky Scott Prendergast.

Salman(Prendergast) is a 30-something year old who's got nothing to show for himself, without enough money to buy even a bus ticket. He's called for a favor; to help his brother's wife and kids while he is away at war.

The life at home is chaotic and Salman is not welcomed with open arms by either of the two children or his sister-in-law Leslie(Lisa Kudrow).

When Salman lands a job as a big blue character handing out fliers for open office space for rent on the side of a not-so-busy street, Salman begins to get some attention that he deserves.


With a little help from the alien-like blue suit, Salman starts to turn his life around; performing at a child's birthday party, connecting with his nephews, and replacing a kind old man's thermos.

Includes a great offbeat indie soundtrack and fabulous surreal and hilarious visuals, with cutting witty dialogue.

Kabluey is enjoyable, entertaining and a lot of fun. (also, watch the end credits, they are adorable!)

Doesn't the title of this film arouse memories of your childhood reading your favorite superhero comic book? Kabluey was one of the sounds indicating a loud, ground shaking explosion letting the reader know that the commencement of hostilities between powerful enemies had just begun. I think the spelling was different but I believe the comparison is valid and accurate. The quirky '08 film `Kabluey' tells the tale of a family about to self-destruct. With the prolonged absence of her husband overseas fighting the war in Iraq poor Leslie (Lisa Kudrow) has fallen into deep depression mode and her two young sons aren't fairing much better. In an act of desperation she invites her inept, out of work brother-in-law Salman (Scott Prendergast) to move in and help take care of her two sons while she's at work.

Upon his arrival it immediately becomes obvious that Salman is no better off than they are and hence the situation appears to be progressing from bad to worse. With Leslie's help Salman is hired to wear an outlandish blue costume and stand on the highway passing out brochures' advertising rental space. What first appears to be yet another disaster slowly begins to turn into a stroke of good fortune and Salman finds himself a popular figure amongst the local children attracted to the cartoon-like figure. Hiding within the `blue man' he discovers a part of himself that eventually gives him the strength and courage to do what he must do with or without the costume.

`Kabluey' is one of those slow moving indie films that rely more on visuals and mood than on dialogue or storyline to sustain audience interest and that it does quite well. It also contains an off-beat soundtrack perfect for the surreal environment unfolding on-screen. Maybe not something that would stand up well to repeated viewings but certainly worth seeing at least once.

A beautiful multi-layered film. While it does have more than a few funny moments, the film is a thoughtful reflection on an array of characters that are adrift and emotionally isolated... but who still manage to keep pushing forward. There is also a real sense of quiet desperation that runs through some of the characters and makes their stories all the more endearing and bittersweet. When the main character is dehumanized into a large, faceless, blue thing(Kabluey), his lack of objections are completely believable.

With nice acting and superb writing the film achieves a nice feel. In "True Stories" (1986), David Byrne used the characters in a small town to offer a quirky yet optimistic view of what America was becoming. Kabluey, in its' own quirky way but with a similar feel, uses a minimal cast in a small town to convey some of the realities of what America actually became.

Some of the humor is a little dark, but this is a WONDERFUL movie. My teenage daughter just flipped for it.

Kabluey, written and directed by Scott Prendergast is one of our family's favorite movies. Prendergast brings his characteristic perspective to a feature film, starring in it as he does many of his shorts (The Delicious, Anna is Being Stalked, etc.). I will leave the plot summary to some of the other reviews (perhaps i should review the reviews). Both humorous and heartbreaking at times, the underlying message of this film is the strength in family, even when they may seem to be your biggest obstacles. The film quality is very professional, and Lisa Kudrow is at her usual best. The great thing about watching non-formulaic independent films as compared to big blockbusters is that you really don't predict what may happen. As an avid movie watcher, it's too easy to predict to the minute what is going to happen and when. The characters in Kabluey are real, and face things we all face, deployments, alienation from family, hideously torturous children to whom you are related and from whom you may not escape, marital affairs, everything but shrieking eels and ROUS's. Like the great character actors you will see peppered throughout this movie (Teri Garr, Conchita Ferrell) the characters within the film are funny and interesting. Prendergast can speak volumes with his facial expressions alone and you can read the very thoughts going through his characters face that you hear being spoken inside your head when you are stuck in odd and intractable situations beyond both your control and understanding. Is this your typical family movie? maybe not, but it suits ours perfectly and has held up well with repeated veiwings. and in the end, if you dont agree, its just a movie . . .

Some of the best movies are not the popular star studded extravaganzas we are exposed to. If you are looking for a real moment this is the movie. Enjoy!
Jeff

An exceptionally heartwarming story with real-life ramifications and well-developed, well-drawn out characters. This film is as touching as it is hilarious - there's something that resonates or amuses or delights at every turn. This film is unexpectedly humorous and bittersweet in all the right parts.

The film has a simple unpretentious local feel.
It felt like a film Buster Keaton might have made.
Funny character driven with a wonderful animation coda run beside the credits.

A women with two annoying brats needs help controlling them until her husband comes back so she asks her out of work brother-in-law to help out.
Salman has the most adorable mascot outfit ever. I love the big blue guy. He stands out thier all day trying to hold flyers for a dying internet company. The zipper is in the back and he's able to get it open enough to stick his hand out the bottom and it's funny watching him get soda and numbers from his butt. There are good people in this and packs a fun plot. It's enjoyable and cute. A must see.