10 Items or Less

“***A small film that somehow restores your faith in life, in people and, well, everything*** This is a drama about an aged has-been actor (Morgan Freeman) who researches for an indie after a dry spell. He meets a spitfire checkout clerk named Scarlet (Paz Vega) at a supermarket in a Latino community of Los Angeles. Impressed by the young woman, he decides to help her while psyching-up for the role. The plot is obviously borrowed from 2003’s “Lost in Translation" with the female protagonist named after Scarlett Johansson. But don’t let that keep you from seeing this minor gem because the characters are very different, plus other nuances. For instance, Morgan’s character (simply called “Him” in the cast list) reflects le joie de vivre as opposed to Bill Murray’s amusing curmudgeon in “Lost." Moreover, “10 Items” is less melancholy; and the girl isn’t naïve or overly sweet like Charlotte (Johansson) in “Lost.” It’s a small film, with the end credits rolling a mere ten minutes after the hour mark, and so it lacks the depth of “Lost” and isn’t as moving (at least as far as pulling your romantic heartstrings), but it’s arguably more heartwarming and overall inspiring. It runs 1h 21 and was shot in Brentwood, Los Angeles, and nearby Carson (to the south). GRADE: B+”