siderite I find the mark on IMDb really low for the quality of the movie. The characters were complex and the acting great. Maybe the problem was that the characters really were too complex. Imagine a classy diner where 5 women try to satisfy the whims of their high-paying customers, while fighting a rat infestation and each having emotional issues to deal with.It is, by all means, a film for women. Men watching this might not enjoy the endless laments and the emotional way in which the characters deal with their problems. However I find that the roles themselves were well crafted: a boss who seems to employ every annoying management technique in the book and drive her employees insane with difficult requests, but underneath a nice person that fights to reconcile her job with her conscience; an unemployed actress, always acting superior, but underneath feeling that she has failed in her life; a hysterical writer that can't publish her book; a new-age type of girl who lives in the past and tries to fix everybody; a middle aged woman who wants to feel alive again.This is it. It feels like a play, it has only 5 characters and a guest appearance of Danny Houston, it plays with your emotions, but it really has a more appeal to women than men. Good movie though, and it deserves a higher mark.

Christian This is a film which many can relate to on many different levels. The first, obviously (and on the surface), is of a handful of people trying to make a higher class restaurant work with an over-taxed staff. Many in the service industry can relate to that--especially (in this case), those working in a restaurant. You have the over-worked cook, the manager who attempts to befriend everyone whilst attempting to keep things running those smoothly, and the others who are trying to make a buck whilst focusing on their primary goals. On another level (that many others, other than restaurant folk, can relate to), it's a story of pursuing your main goals whist trying to make ends meet. Each of these women have a goal (other than working in this nameless restaurant) which they're trying to pursue. Throughout the entire film, they attempt to maintain a delicate balance between staying true to themselves and their goals and achievement, and--keeping the customers happy. On another (similar, yet most important) level, it's a story of doing what you have to do. It's a bittersweet theme. You work hard to get where you want, by means of working a meaningless (and thankless) job to make ends meet whilst pursuing your dreams and goals; and for all anyone knows, you may not even get where you want. Many hopes will be dashed in the meantime, but in the long run, though, you keep on trucking and hope you get what you want.

lem82 The problem with art-house films is that it is a lot like abstract painting. No one has any idea of what is art and what is simply a self defined art. I can come up with a film that reflects my feelings and thoughts and call it an excellent film because i can relate to it and it is reality for me. But, to others this film maybe far from reality and can carry no weight for them. This is so true of this film, i came into it thinking that it would approach the ills of working 9-5. Boy, what a shocker!!!It talks about the ills of being lost women in a world full of lost people,not focusing on anything interesting or real.And with each unnecessary scene comes even more outrageous and unnecessary dialogue which makes for an even more outrageous unnecessary movie. This movie doesn't move, inspire, or even tickle a an arthritic bone. And even so it makes matters worse by parading a naked neve cambell(barf!), and turns into a brief musical to boot. Sorry, but this one takes the cake...no more art-house independents for me, i think i rather got to work for 12 hours than watch this drivel!

eperdos An excellent theatrical movie about 5 girls working in a restaurant but in fact looking for the meaning of their lives. Great acting on all 5 actresses, 2 of them being Romanian. Composition roles that request creativity and power: Shirley Henderson is a terrific almost hysterical woman and I would give her the Oscar for her performance. Oana Pellea is a delusional older woman, speaking just in philosophical words and behaving like nothing around her is happening; until frustration gets her too! I would like to see this script on stage eventually, and with same casting would be a stunning show. I saw the movie (an absolute world premiere) at TIFF (Transilvania International Film Festival) in Cluj, Romania, and I enjoyed every second of it.