Tag: A Little Help

SLIFF 2010 Review: A LITTLE HELP

Review by Stephen Jones

The main failing of A LITTLE HELP is, in some part, Jenna Fischer herself. Or, rather, it’s the role she is given. She plays the part well enough, but the character is written in such an inconsistent manner that there are times when she, through no fault of her own, seems to be playing it in a far too likeable manner. The opening shot is from the point of view of one of her patients as a dental hygienist. She’s pleasant and cheerful; when she starts to cry at the end, you feel for her. But after she leaves the job, argues with her kid, et cetera, she starts to be one drinking problem short of a pathetic character. Then when she gets home she starts drinking.

It’s a problem throughout the film, and it strikes me as odd considering none of the other characters have the same problem. Granted, it’s because most of them are fairly shallow to begin with, but her brother-in-law Paul (Rob Benedict of the show “Threshold”) has a decent amount of depth and consistency to him. Fischer’s character, Laura, is the only one with this problem. Once the film gets going it wouldn’t be as noticeable except for one of the story arcs involving her son. She allows, and even helps perpetuate, a lie he tells at school. In the context of when the movie was made it isn’t AS bad, but in the context of when it takes place it’s appalling, and kept me from really sympathizing with her for much of the film.

The scenes between Laura and Paul are the film’s highlights. They have really good chemistry together, and the way their story played out resonated a great deal with me. If the film were built around their relationship rather than Laura’s life as a whole, I think the film would have been much better. As it stands, it is still well made, and well acted, but with a central character that is too inconsistent to get behind.

A LITTLE HELP will play during the 19th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, November 21st at 4:00 pm  at the Hi-Pointe with actress Jenna Fischer in attendance. Ms Fischer will receive SLIFF’s Cinema St. Louis Award.

Jenna Fischer Talks To Melissa From WAMG

Hi all… Melissa, your beloved geek here. I just had the privilege of talking with Jenna Fischer, star of the upcoming indie film A LITTLE HELP, and HALL PASS. (Do I need to mention that she plays the role of Pam on THE OFFICE). She was extremely nice, and very sweet. I thank her much for her time. So, naturally I have to share it with my fellow geeks!!! ENJOY!!

Your character is very relatable and real. How did you prepare for such an intense role?

The character that I play is so unlike me. At the same time it was fun playing such a misfit. I actually had to learn to smoke for this role, because I don’t smoke. I am not a beer drinker either. For most big budget movies, they will make cans with fake beer in them, but for an indie film, they just don’t have the budget. So for two hours, I had to drink beer while filming, and I got drunk. I just don’t have a taste for beer.

Even growing up in the hometown of Anheuser Busch ?

I have never really had a taste for it.

Your character goes on a date in the film and they end up sleeping together. How do you prepare, or go into a scene where someone is talking dirty on top of you?

I think a big thing for me is whether or not the male actor is uncomfortable going into the scene. If the man is a gentlemen, he is more uncomfortable than I am going into the scene. We spent some time together beforehand, rather than just “Hello, now I’m going to hump your leg”. The scene could have been more graphic than what it was, but in the end it was important to the story of my character. He is actually a very funny guy. His name is Jim Florentine. He’s on the Howard Stern Show all the time and he does these prank calls where he harasses telemarketers. You should listen to him sometime, he’s very funny!

I thought we could wrap up with your rescue work. I was actually very impressed to find out that you have done some work with animal rescue and have even fostered. Can you tell us about the organization that you are involved with?

Kitten Rescue. I haven’t been able to foster lately, but I have in the past. I had two that I named Mifflen and Dunder, but now they have homes. I fostered them until they were old enough to be adopted. I just got a picture of them now that they are a year old. It’s really cool. My mother actually got her kitten from Stray Rescue in St. Louis. They do a wonderful job. I think it really is God’s work.

A LITTLE HELP is playing during the St. Louis International Film Festival on Sunday, November 21st at the Hi-Pointe Theater at 4pm. Jenna Fischer will be on hand (schedule permitting) to recieve a SLIFF Cinema St. Louis Award and follow the film with a Q&A session.



Synopsis: “A Little Help” takes an affecting, seriocomic look at a few pivotal months in the troubled life of dental hygienist Laura, who’s played with delicately shaded nuance by St. Louisan Jenna Fischer (“The Office”) in her first major starring role. Stuck in a tense and loveless marriage to Bob (Chris O’Donnell) and no longer able to connect with her alienated 12-year-old son (Daniel Yelsky), Laura is already coming emotionally unmoored when she finds herself completely at sea after the unexpected death of her husband. Stunned by this abrupt turn, Laura becomes entangled in a web of bizarre lies that further complicates her life. Rejecting the unwelcome advice given by her intrusive mother (Lesley Ann Warren) and judgmental older sister (Brooke Smith), Laura finally receives “a little help” from an unexpected source – her sister’s husband, Paul (Rob Benedict), whose unrequited crush on Laura offers both new problems and new possibilities. The feature-film debut of respected TV veteran Michael Weithorn – creator of “King of Queens” and writer/producer on “Family Ties” – “A Little Help” features original music by Jakob Dylan.