And Now a Word from Our Sponsor (2013) Reviews

• Better than your average commercial break

  StevePulaski2013-05-17

  Adan Kundle (Bruce Greenwood) is a brilliant marketing executive with age-old tricks of the trade which have pushed him on to the road of success. After he passes out in front of TV's at the mall, he can only speak and communicate through ad-slogans. You know, like "have it your way," "you're now free to roman around the cabin," and "Maybe it's Maybelline?" He is taken in by his CEO Karen Hilldridge (Parker Posey), who is a single mother living with her bitchy, hormonal daughter. While Adan is on leave from his company, Karen is trying to assure it won't be taken over by a much-younger executive despite the current owner being unable to communicate coherently. She must find a way to keep the company under the control of Kundle and find a way to restore his stability. I contemplated littering my review of Zack Bernbaum's And Now a Word from Our Sponsor with an abundance of ad-slogans myself, but I feel that would be smarmy and dishonest. It's a film that almost, just almost gets by solely on the likability of Bruce Greenwood as a screen presence. Even in his wacky, mentally-disjointed state he remains as friendly and innocuous as one could be. The soft, reminiscent smile he wears after reciting a slogan that was meant to be encouraging or a compliment is simply priceless and the entire character he builds off of one quirky-feature is heartwarming. However, the issue I take with the character is how little we actually know about him. When the movie begins, he is already awake in the hospital, alert, active, and comfortable aside from difficulty communicating. Never do we get insight or experience from when Adan was a normal-talking executive who could hold a conversation and construct an empire. Because of this, we really don't know exactly what we are missing in terms of personality and character. It's this and the fact that the film is, essentially, predicated off a one-note joke. The cuteness of the cleverly-placed witticisms involving the ad-slogans never wears off, but the comedic value does making the classification for And Now a Word from Our Sponsor more a "charmer" than a comedy. Nonetheless, there's subtle, recognizable talent dropped in here in terms of writing and focus. I can't imagine writer Michael Hamilton-Wright would say it was an easy challenge to pen lines of dialog for a character that has to bat off catchphrases on a subject germane to the one being discussed. While the film goes on to become a bit too much of a muchness, it's still not as silly as it could've been or over-the-top and contrived. It flows slowly and delicately, careful not to belittle or offend. At a solid, serviceable eighty-seven minutes, it's better than your average commercial break. Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Parker Posey, Callum Blue, Allie MacDonald, and Rhys Ward. Directed by: Zack Bernbaum.

• heartwarming

  annelidem862013-05-09

  I seriously don't understand why it has such a low rating. It's funny - the dialog. The characters are quit simple and maybe some will say it is over acted - don't know if that is proper English - but it is not overdone - i think it is clever and well executed by both actors and the whole team around it. It made me smile and i found it heartwarming, its about people connecting without (in some way) not speaking the same language. Plus Bruce Greenwood/Adan - for an older person :-) - he is quit cute in this movie. I liked the 'chemistry' between him and the leading lady Parker Posey/Karen. If you want to watch something good/sweet/entertaining/funny, lay back, enjoy and feel happy at the end. Its not a 'fast' story, but i think the pace the film is in suits the story and character of the film.

• Take it or leave it !

  cekadah2013-12-22

  If you decide to watch this movie you'll enjoy it - maybe. If you decide to skip this movie - you haven't missed much. Don't get me wrong it's not a bad movie! For me I found it a bit confusing because I do not watch much television --- therefore I am unaccustomed to a lot of the phrases and jingles that are so important to the Adan Kundle character. But I got the point of the plot line - it's pretty easy. One important thing I did notice - directly from the start - is the color coordinated interiors and clothing !!! Please take notice .. the colors on the walls, the furniture, the drapes, even the auto interiors are color coordinated. The costumes match the surroundings and when thing become 'testy' the colors reflect this. Believe me --- even my dentist can see it!

• Very much worth watching. The dialog is actually very funny and witty. Acting is great. I liked it. I say B

  cosmo_tiger2013-09-06

  "As amusing as it is for you, Adan, the real world isn't just a bunch of commercials on TV." Adan Kundle (Greenwood) is one of the world's best ad executives. He owns his own company and it is one of the best in the world. When he wakes up in the hospital he is unable to speak in anything but ad slogans. When Karen (Posey), a nurse at the hospital he is at recognizes him she agrees to take care of him for a few days. This is an example of a movie where you hear what it is about and your first reaction is "really, that is movie?" but when you watch it it really surprises you. While this movie will not win awards the acting is great and the dialog is actually very funny and witty, considering half of the dialog is nothing but commercial slogans. I really like Bruce Greenwood and he is the main reason I watched this but I am very glad I did. Overall, a very good movie with great acting that is very much worth watching. I liked it quite a bit. I say B.

• Might not be a commercial hit, but still worth exploring

  meeza2013-07-16

  And now a word from our punster on the movie "And Now A Word From Our Sponsor"; that would be me with the cheesehead on top. Before you cut me off and go to commercial break, please stay! I deserve a break today, so please don't get mad, get glad with these incoming puns; wouldn't you like to be a punster too? Anyways, "And Now A Word From Our Sponsor" stars Bruce Greenwood as Adan Kundle, the CEO of his Kundle Advertising firm. Adan suffers a mental breakdown and starts speaking in advertising commercial slogans; it's OK, sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. He does it rampantly also, nothing outlasts the Adanizer, he keeps going and going and going. Parker Posey also stars as Karen Hillridge, a Fundraising Executive in a hospital. Karen is a single mother to teenage daughter Meghan who 4 out 5 psychiatrists recommend for her to seek help for her teenage angst. Karen takes in Adan at her home for a few days before he is transferred to a mental institution. Karen is a former student of Adan, but their relationship is strictly platonic, so Adan "never had it, never will" from Karen, so there is no need for a "where's the beef?" insert here. Callum Blue co-stars as Lucas Foster, the arrogant Vice President executive of Kundle Advertising who vehemently & viciously will do all it takes to get Adan renounced as CEO of the firm; I guess nothing sucks like an Electrolucas. Zack Bernbaum 's effort in directing the movie with its creative premise was a decent one, but "wazzz up" with the incoherent subplot of Karen's relationship with her daughter; I think there is where I was shouting for "Calgon, to take me away". Nonetheless, Bernbaum fixure on Adan's condition was the strength of his direction in the movie, and his ability to think different was commendable. Screenwriter Michael Hamilton-Wright's clever scribe on Adan's character with his verbalization of the commercial slogans was a comedic delight that made me clap on a lot, but when his scribe turned to Karen and her daughter Meghan it made me clap off plenty. Now, take it was an independent movie and the filmmakers did not have enough of "what's in your wallet" so therefore I must admire their efforts within their limitations. And when it positively absolutely had to deliver the commercial slogans from Adan, it turned out to be an overnight success; sort of. Adan's commercial slogan responses were a trip; yep, "they're Greeeeat!" Greenwood's phenomenal performance as Adan was a treasure, the best work I have seen so far in 2013; I hope it leaves a light on the minds of academy members & actors' guilds during next year's movie awards season. As much as I adore the indie queen Posey, I think that her work here as Karen was less filling than great. She did not pack that Parker punch which she usually inhibits in her indie movie roles. Callum Blue played the caricature role of an executive villain quite stereotypically, it did not have any "snap, crackle, pop" in it. Newcomer Allie MacDonald did not bring it our way by giving a lackluster performance as Meghan; I was not lovin' it at all, Ms. MacDonald. And now a final word from this punster: I am endorsing "And Now A Word From Our Sponsor" mainly due to Greenwood's super performance, and there is an up for that. **** Good