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Imagine if a spoiled rich brat like Paris Hilton made a sex tape (I
know, it’s a real stretch, but stay with me here) and, in one angry
tirade went to cool off and dropped in her rental tape at the local
video store and in her frustration, gave them her sex tape instead? Now
you know the plot of “Drop Box”, a hilarious observational comedy about
a video stores clashing with a pop princess (Rachel Sehl). Except the
brat in question is not Paris Hilton, but a bitchy celebrity. But before
the actual plot kicks off “Drop Box” is an utterly hilarious story
revolving around an irate video store clerk, and from the beginning it’s
clear that directors Anesty & Spiros Carasoulos has an actual grasp on
what the term comedy means. In one utterly laugh out loud sequence, the
clerk begins ruining surprise endings for an annoying customer (Now
that’s revenge!), and the Carasoulos’ capture the work a day
irritations that plague all us working folk.
David Cormican gives a very funny performance as a normal guy forced to
deal with the idiocy of his customers and finds himself stuck in a
larger situation that he’s responsible for. Rachel Sehl, who does an
imitation of a Britney Spears archetype but ironically looks a lot like
Mandy Moore, is believable as a spoiled pop brat who is bitchy enough to
warrant us anxious to see if she gets what she has coming to her, but
nice enough to keep us rooting for her. “Drop Box” goes from a comedy
about an irate minimum wage pusher, to a morality story about karma.
Sometimes what goes around really does come around, and it comes around
hard, and our main character Tom gives Mindy that very message. The
Carasoulos’ comedy is both enlightening and funny, and it’s a surefire
treat.
One aspect about "Drop Box" you'll have to keep in mind is suspension of
disbelief. Why would a pop star who has supposedly sold over five
million albums rent a VHS from a rental store in a local neighborhood,
and why would she go herself, without an entourage, and not be instantly
recognized or bombarded by customers? Hell, it's stated that many of
these people don't watch MTV so they don't know her, but I don't watch
MTV (I have taste and a brain, what can I say?) or much TV and I know who Kelly Clarkson, or any other crappy pop
singer is. And why would a successful pop star do it with a VHS and not
something more advanced? It's little plot points like that that are
never fully touched upon, thus I was left with nagging questions that
never glued together as a solid believable story. Not to mention the
second half really never keeps up with the pace it sets in the first
half by becoming utterly predictable in terms of the relationship of Tom
and Mindy.
It’s great to see
comedies that are actual comedies, and it’s nice to see people who have
a grasp on dialogue and human idiosyncrasies. In spite of a weak second
half, “Drop Box” is a great film.
It excels because it’s a hilarious, has great dialogue, and very good
performances. It’s like “Clerks”. But funny.

- For more
information on production, festival runs, impending release, and
creator interview, visit the "Dropbox" official site:
http://www.dropboxthemovie.com/
- Rachel Sehl is hot.
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