For a Good Time, Call... (2012)

Co-writer and star Lauren Miller has played various smaller roles in several of her husband Seth Rogen's movies (Superbad, 50/50, Zack and Miri Make a Porno), but uses For a Good Time, CallÂ… as an attempt to step out of her hubby's shadow and distinguish herself as a star on her own. Her script is a fun, light hearted take on the so-called taboo world of phone sex, and while the endless amount of naughty jokes are humorous to a certain extent, the gimmick runs itself a bit thin by film's end. Miller, paired with veteran ditz-for-hire Ari Graynor make a fun female version of the Odd Couple, but it doesn't take long for these characters to run out of steam on screen. Along with Miller, Graynor has long been the sidekick in other people's starring vehicles, so it's nice to see her actually get the chance to carry a movie on her own, but her persona in this flick is virtually the same to her characters in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and The Sitter. Graynor shows flashes of what could be. I truly hope she gets the chance to do something different and show the world that she's not just a one trick pony. One plus going for the flick is the numerous cameos of big-time actors getting to come in and day play as the skeezy pervs calling into the hotline for some help with their self gratification. Rogen makes a cameo as an air pilot showing a possible reason why all our flights are delayed. Kevin Smith (Jay and Silent Bob) delivers huge laughs taking care of his business while driving a cab. Ken Marino (Party Down, Role Models) a blunt tax attorney, and Martha MacIsaac (Superbad) a female prisoner using her one phone call, also get to chime in on the fun as well. It's obvious the cast got a kick out of making this film. Although For A Good Time, CallÂ… is fun and has its charm, it doesn't have enough weight to dig past its superficial glossy exterior and tell a truly realistic story.

Fmovies: Y-A-W-N ... a perfect example of a film that had absolutely no reason to be made (other than the empty avarice, enabled by a palpable disdain for its' intended audience, manifested by the producers of such a useless, worthless, waste of time, energy, and resources), and has nothing original, intelligent, or entertaining to offer. Old, lazy, and tired, unimaginative, sitcom "writing", characters and situations. If you dislike being amused, challenged, or stimulated - go waste an hour-and-a-half having your intelligence insulted by this pointless exercise in vapidity. You would probably derive more engaging entertainment, mental stimulation, and satisfaction playing solitaire with a deck of fifty-one cards. Mimi Rogers should have passed on this embarrassment. Seth Rogen? Kevin Smith? Are you kidding? Red Flags. How do these lumps get work? I guess the poster boy for brainless pablum (Asston Kutcher) was busy. Do yourself a favor; stay away.

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning

Former bosom buddies turned long separated rivals Lauren (Lauren Miller) and Katie (Ari Graynor) find themselves thrown back together by chance, through GBF Jesse (Justin Long) and after sorting out their differences, Lauren learns Katie's making ends meat by being a phone sex operator. At first repulsed by this, she agrees to help only with the business side of things, but then unleashes the inner vixen inside her.

Good, clean wholesome comedy just doesn't do the rounds any more. Not that I want it to, but it says something that yet another edgy, sex based comedy has come out of nowhere, with what must have been a pretty limited theatrical release and an even more unnoticed DVD arrival. But of course, there's probably a more obvious reason for this.

Jamie Travis's film is just not funny, with a plot that's lost your interest about twenty minutes in and is just left to wallow in the mire, with little cohesion or comic timing. Current comedy favourites Kevin Smith and Seth Rogen make only the briefest cameos and, along with the film's minimal publicity campaign, this should be saying something.

For a Good Time, Don't Watch. *

For a Good Time, Call... fmovies. I had the privilege of seeing the premiere in Sundance and nearly peed my pants with laughter! I had read a blurb about the movie and heard comparisons to Bridesmaids, but this is the epitome of an independent comedy without the typical and predictable Hollywood plot lines.

Without giving too much away, this movie was very funny from the first scene to the last and the characters were not afraid to be REAL. There conversations were real, behaviors were real and emotions were real. I fell in love with Ari Graynor as an actress and can not believe she is not a mega-star already. I had never even heard of Lauren Miller (but found out she's married to Seth Rogen) prior to this, but this will most certainly be her breakout film. I am smiling and laughing as I am typing this!

For a Good Time Call is exactly what you think about with an independent film - no sugar coating or dumbing down to make it appeal to a mass audience. As sappy as it sounds, I laughed and nearly cried at the end and when the curtain went up at Sundance I was one of the people who stood up and clapped vigorously. I cannot wait for this movie to hit the theaters and I am hopeful the writers and actors are thinking about a sequel as I never wanted this one to end!

Lauren (Lauren Miller) and Katie (Ari Graynor) have a mutual friend (Justin Long), but they hate each other. A humorous flashback scene is included to help explain their hatred. Essentially, they hate each other because they're opposites. Lauren lives the settled conservative life with her perfect, boring boyfriend; Katie is an adventurous, flamboyant sex phone operator. And now their current situations force them to become roommates.

Our ticking clock of the three-month lease sets a good, quick pace for the adventures and relationships the girls get themselves into. Lauren's sudden unemployment coupled with the good head on her shoulders sparks her idea to help Katie launch her own sex phone hotline. Cut-out the middle man and take more of the profits.

A smart move the film made was to have their business be successful right off the bat. That's because the film isn't about the phone sex hotline business but rather Lauren and Katie's friendship. Written by girls, starring girls, about girls and for girls. Earlier this summer, the male stripper movie "Magic Mike" turned into a rather nice surprise as it became a quarter-life crisis dramedy. And now the crass and crude sex comedy "For a Good Time, CallÂ…" is actually a cute and sweet female buddy film.

While the dialogue is extreme, it is surprisingly fairly well written. It's all in context, and the vulgar and coarse sex jokes fit in extremely well with the plot. The final scene, the climax if you will, is an excellent example of keeping the sex-addled jokes funny and completely in context of the story.

A certain indie filmmaker shows up for one cameo scene where self-servicing has never been as funny. The other well-documented cameo with Seth Rogen isn't nearly as funny because it is also supposed to serve as plot advancement. Plot advancement is limited as it is very predictable and the jokes are very one-note, but it's still funny.

"For a Good Time, CallÂ…" is honest in what it claims to be, and despite an unresolved storyline, we're cheering for Lauren and Katie by the end because of the actors and how they have connected them to us. Lauren is beautiful and sympathetic; Katie is more complex and is gorgeously displaying one of the sexiest figures to grace the screen.

In Manhattan, the nerd aspirant editor Lauren Powell (Lauren Anne Miller) is dumped by her boyfriend Charlie (James Wolk) that is expatriated to Rome. Meanwhile, the manicure Katie Steele (Ari Graynor) can not afford the raise in the rent of her apartment at the Gramercy Park. Their common gay friend Jesse (Justin Long) brings Lauren to share the apartment with Katie, but they are college enemies and have difficulties to accept each other. Katie also works in a phone sex line but her income is very low. When Lauren loses her lousy job and is not accepted in a publishing house, she decides to use her knowledge to make a profitable business in sex for Katie and herself. But when Lauren's parents unexpectedly appear in the apartment, their friendship is tested.

"For a Good Time, Call..." is an uneven comedy, funny in certain moments and lame in others. The religious fanatic in very unfunny; the slut Katie being a virgin is something ridiculous. But there are many scenes that make laugh. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Para se Divertir, Ligue..." ("For a Good Time, Call...")

Note: On 21 July 2016, I saw this film again.