On April 27, 2007, a little independent movie premiered at the Newport Beach Film Festival. The audience laughed, they cried… but mostly, they laughed. The film? David Mackay’s Ten Inch Hero. Initially only making its appearances at special screenings and film festivals, two years later, this charming film has made its way to DVD as a Blockbuster exclusive. Does it do the movie justice? Ten Inch Hero is a romantic comedy centering around a sandwich shop in Santa Cruz, CA, where the motto for employment is “Help Wanted – normal people need not apply,” leading to a staff of colorful and often hysterical twenty-somethings. Tish (Danneel Harris) just can’t find the right guy, but has fun looking; Jen (Clea DuVall) struggles with the complications of online romance; Priestly (Jensen Ackles) is the kilt-wearing, tattooed rebel who doesn’t mind being a bit different. Lastly, Piper (Elisabeth Harnois) jumpstarts the entire story, traveling to Santa Cruz in search of her daughter that she put up for adoption years ago. The movie itself is quirky, fun, and clever.
On the comedy end of “romantic comedy,” it’s got more one-liners that will make you laugh out loud than you can count and a snappiness to its writing that is quick and witty without being overdone. Personal favorites include reading Priestly’s t-shirts on a shot-to-shot basis—you’d be surprised at how often they change—and a now famous supply run scene. Not familiar with it and not quite sold on the movie itself? Hop on YouTube and search for “Ten Inch Hero scene.” You’ll love it. On the romance side, each and every character has a romantic obstacle to overcome, all through vastly different means. Everyone has their eye on someone else, and no one seems to notice.
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