While its attempts at merging the courtroom drama and the psychological thriller genres don't always make for a smooth connection, the ambitious "The Operator" has enough playful spark and colorful characters to keep viewers on the line.
A Santa Barbara festival world premiere, the picture serves as a sturdy debut for writer-director Jon Dichter, who turns to features after an extensive career in theater.
Michael Laurence stars as Gary Wheelan, a card-carrying cad of an adulterous Dallas attorney who receives a life-changing comeuppance after messing with the wrong telephone operator (Jacqueline Kim).
In retaliation for his vicious words, the 411 operator puts the old "reach out and touch someone" tag line to work by systematically ruining his fast-paced life thanks to a little modern technological know-how.
Very soon, the unseen Shiva, as she prefers to identify herself, manages to effectively end his marriage to the long-suffering Janice (Christa Miller of TV's "The Drew Carey Show"), get him in serious hot water with his bookie Doc (Stephen Tobolowsky) and put his professional reputation in serious jeopardy.
Having fulfilled Shiva's desire "to destroy you, Gary, and set you free," our hero hits rock bottom before ultimately finding spiritual redemption and becoming a better man in the process.
Lest this all sounds a little hokey, it should be pointed out that "The Operator" applies liberal doses of humor to its life lessons. Dichter's script is peppered with some nice satirical touches and sharp dialogue. But it also squanders some valuable tension by having Gary and Shiva meet up early in the vengeance game. Doing so takes the edge off of the concept of this unseen entity wreaking so much havoc on somebody's life.
Things also get just a tad sanctimonious in the depiction of an Asian-American phone operator and a black preacher (John Beasley) as the resident purveyors of deep wisdom and ultimate truths.
Laurence makes for convincing yuppie scum, but the theatrically trained actor is on shakier ground when his role calls for more extreme emotions. Less would have definitely been more.
The well-cast supporting players, including the late Brion James as an accused embezzler and Frances Bay as an old woman of failing health, fare better, capably providing some lively distraction whenever things threaten to get a little too meaningful.
THE OPERATOR
Black Wolf Prods.
Producer-director-screenwriter: Jon Dichter
Executive producer: Jay Barnet
Director of photography: Bert Guthrie
Production designers: David Sewell McCann, Kara Sutherlin
Editors: Michael Coleman,
Darren Kloomok
Costume designer: Kari Perkins
Music: Victor Zupanc
Color/stereo
Cast:
Gary Wheelan: Michael Laurence
The Operator: Jacqueline Kim
Vernon Woods: Brion James
Doc: Stephen Tobolowsky
Janice: Christa Miller
Reverend James: John Beasley
Running time -- 102 minutes
No MPAA rating...
A Santa Barbara festival world premiere, the picture serves as a sturdy debut for writer-director Jon Dichter, who turns to features after an extensive career in theater.
Michael Laurence stars as Gary Wheelan, a card-carrying cad of an adulterous Dallas attorney who receives a life-changing comeuppance after messing with the wrong telephone operator (Jacqueline Kim).
In retaliation for his vicious words, the 411 operator puts the old "reach out and touch someone" tag line to work by systematically ruining his fast-paced life thanks to a little modern technological know-how.
Very soon, the unseen Shiva, as she prefers to identify herself, manages to effectively end his marriage to the long-suffering Janice (Christa Miller of TV's "The Drew Carey Show"), get him in serious hot water with his bookie Doc (Stephen Tobolowsky) and put his professional reputation in serious jeopardy.
Having fulfilled Shiva's desire "to destroy you, Gary, and set you free," our hero hits rock bottom before ultimately finding spiritual redemption and becoming a better man in the process.
Lest this all sounds a little hokey, it should be pointed out that "The Operator" applies liberal doses of humor to its life lessons. Dichter's script is peppered with some nice satirical touches and sharp dialogue. But it also squanders some valuable tension by having Gary and Shiva meet up early in the vengeance game. Doing so takes the edge off of the concept of this unseen entity wreaking so much havoc on somebody's life.
Things also get just a tad sanctimonious in the depiction of an Asian-American phone operator and a black preacher (John Beasley) as the resident purveyors of deep wisdom and ultimate truths.
Laurence makes for convincing yuppie scum, but the theatrically trained actor is on shakier ground when his role calls for more extreme emotions. Less would have definitely been more.
The well-cast supporting players, including the late Brion James as an accused embezzler and Frances Bay as an old woman of failing health, fare better, capably providing some lively distraction whenever things threaten to get a little too meaningful.
THE OPERATOR
Black Wolf Prods.
Producer-director-screenwriter: Jon Dichter
Executive producer: Jay Barnet
Director of photography: Bert Guthrie
Production designers: David Sewell McCann, Kara Sutherlin
Editors: Michael Coleman,
Darren Kloomok
Costume designer: Kari Perkins
Music: Victor Zupanc
Color/stereo
Cast:
Gary Wheelan: Michael Laurence
The Operator: Jacqueline Kim
Vernon Woods: Brion James
Doc: Stephen Tobolowsky
Janice: Christa Miller
Reverend James: John Beasley
Running time -- 102 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 3/10/2000
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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