DVD Review: Haiku Tunnel (D)

Haiku Tunnel
Directed B: Josh and Jason Kornbluth
Starring Josh Kornbluth
Grade: D

Review by Scott Standish

The marketing for Haiku Tunnel ("An Office Comedy!") really plays up the film's supposed similarities to the cult classic Office Space, but this clunker has none of the restrained sarcasm that made the latter so hilarious.

Josh Kornbluth plays himself in this silly "wacky adventures of a temp" tale. Kornbluth is a sloppy, tardy, wannabe writer that has gone from one temp gig to the other without much success.

There is a stupid plot involving whether he mails an important batch of letters or not, but frankly, it's so corny and unsophisticated that it doesn't really merit much detailed analysis. What makes Haiku Tunnel so annoying is that throughout the entire film, Kornbluth is neurotically spewing bad jokes, trying to make something stick, all the while winking at the viewer with this "aren't I a clever/funny filmmaker?" tone.

Like a new office worker that is trying way too hard to fit in, it becomes extremely annoying (and even a bit embarassing). Trying to be Office Space II, Haiku Tunnel just ends up more like a bad pilot for a cancelled sitcom.

Avoid this stinker, and choose Office Space instead - or for an even more on target analysis of the temp life, seek out the underrated indie film Clock Watchers.

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