Review: Pizza (B)

Pizza (2005)
Directed By Mark Christopher
Starring Ethan Embry, Kylie Sparks, Julie Hagerty, Judah Friedlander and Marylouise Burke
MPAA: R
Grade: B

Review by Scott Standish

One of my favorite films of all time is American Graffitti. In the film, a young Michelle Phillips gets to spend the evening cruising with the legendary John Milner, played by Paul Lemat. Milner is a little too old to be hanging with a bunch of high schoolers, but he can't seem to make the transition into adulthood. Or perhaps he simply chooses not too. Anyway, the two hang out all night (as friends) and they learn a little bit from each other.

Pizza is a sly little underrated indie film that deserves a wider audience. Ethan Embry stars as Matt Firenze, a pizza delivery guy that is way too old for his job. Like John Milner, he is popular with kids younger with him, but that's because he is hiding from his future, while living in the past, stagnating in a small town.

Enter Cara Ethyl, played by the remarkable Kylie Sparks. Cara is smart, funny, and completely unpopular with her high school classmates. It's her 18th birthday, but no one comes to her party. Matt the piza delivery guy arrives with pizzas, and a friendship is formed. Matt has sympathy for Cara, and because it's her birthday, he lets her ride with hin on his deliveries.

Pizza is sweet, funny and very unconventional. The whole "older man/younger girl" relationship is a touchy subject - for obvious reasons. The entire situation sounds creepy, but the director deals with the subject with openness, and restrained sensitivity. Despite the awkwardness of the subject matter, director Mark Christopher confidently lets the story unfold and when its all said and done, it works.

I need to rave a bit here about Kylie Sparks as the slightly overweight, too-smart to be hip Cara Ethyl. She has great comedic timing and she seems very confident on-screen. We'll be keeping an eye out for this young actress in the years ahead.

Pizza is silly, funny and every now and then, a little heartwarming. Its not a classic but its definitely worth checking out.