Product Description

Once the center of Hollywood, an aging actor finds that his fear of failure has made his career dry up, and he’s now forced to consider a role in a small independent movie. While researching for the role, he stumbles into Scarlet, a spitfire check out clerk at a Latino community market. Soon abandoned by his driver, the world famous actor must rely on Scarlet to lead him back to his side of the tracks. This trek through Los Angeles features richly unexpected situations, chance encounters, and personal revelation that neither character could ever have anticipated.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #18605 in DVD
• Brand: FIRST LOOK HOME ENT.
• Released on: 2007-04-24
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds
• Running time: 82 minutes

Features

• Once the center of Hollywood, an aging actor finds that his fear of failure has made his career dry up, and he's now forced to consider a role in a small independent movie. While researching for the role, he stumbles into Scarlet, a spitfire check-out clerk at a Latino community market. The two begin a trek through Los Angeles finding richly unexpected situations, chance encounters, and person

Amazon.com
Morgan Freeman isn't really in every movie that's been made recently; it only seems that way. And considering the variety of roles he's had, it's perhaps appropriate that he plays himself in 10 Items or Less. Well, not exactly--Freeman's character has no name, but he is a recognizable actor who's also known as a voice-over specialist, and several references are made to a movie he made with Ashley Judd (although its title is neither Kiss the Girls nor High Crimes, two actual Freeman-Judd flicks). As directed and written by Brad Silberling (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, plus a long list of TV credits), the actor is considering taking a part as a store manager in an indie production (his first film role in four years--nudge nudge, wink wink). His research brings him to Archie's Ranch Market, a grim spot in featureless Carson, California, where he meets Scarlet (Paz Vega, Spanglish), who handles the titular check-out line, a dead-end job which, added to her terrible marriage, makes for one unhappy rancher. Finding himself stranded at the store (his driver has vanished, he can't get his agent on the phone, and he doesn't even know his own home number), the gregarious actor takes the feisty, smart-mouthed Scarlet under his wing, prepping her for an interview for a better job, pitching in when she takes her Gremlin to a car wash, helping her pick out some new duds at Target (where the rich movie star discovers the many wonders of discount retailing), and generally bringing her out of her funk; the two bond, and she drives him back to Brentwood. Story-wise, that's about it, which makes the film almost entirely character-driven. That's not a bad thing by any means, but despite Freeman's and Vega's winning performances, 10 Items or Less is little more than a slight, amusing diversion. --Sam Graham

Customer Reviews

Knowing When To End It Is Important
Knowing when to end a movie is just as important as casting, directing and acting. And it's nice to see when a director/script get it right. Clocking in at just 82 minutes, 10 ITEMS OR LESS doesn't stretch the story, trying to grasp at inane topics. It stays focused, being funny, sad, and well thought out.

Morgan Freeman (Lucky Number Slevin) stars as "Him", an aging actor grasping at any roles presented to him. We're introduced to "Him" as he travels to a supermarket in an out-of-the-way section of town by The Kid (Jonah Hill, Click). Realizing he has a star in his car, The Kid pressures Him to talk about his absence in cinema over the past few years. Him isn't very forthcoming because, not only has he been out of it for while, he's also en route to a shooting location of an indie film he might act in ("I haven't decided if I'm going to accept the part."). The Kid is a relative of the director involved in this indie venture and soon drops him in the middle of nowheresville. Stuck, Him decides to check out the local market. He immediately runs into the beautiful Scarlet (Paz Vega, Spanglish) who operates the 10 items or less register. Not just strikingly pretty but intelligent, Him begins using her as his prime research subject for his upcoming independent film role. He learns how she figures out numbers so quickly and why she knows the quirks of every member of this isolated community.

But Him doesn't just use Scarlet, he helps her so he can see deeper into her life. They travel together to get her car back from a cheating husband, and he teaches her how to act to get a new job she's pining for, and how to dress for success even when confronted with Target as the epitome of local clothing. This is probably one of the funniest moments as we get a glimpse of Him, too, showing his complete lack of understanding of the chain-store retail world ("These shirts are only $12 bucks! How is this possible?!")

The ending, as stated at the beginning of this review, is abrupt but apropos. There's no way these two could ever remain friends even though they form a unique bond. They know when to say goodbye and what each garnered from the other. It's a quiet but riveting moment as Scarlet's clunker car sits idling outside Him's L.A. mansion.

This is a great independent production and one that wastes little time getting going. And it won't waste your time either.

Getting back your life
He's (Morgan Freeman) not making a commitment, he's just doing research. He's a known actor, who's made a film with Ashley Judd, but hasn't been in a film in four years. The indie film company drops him off in a market where he meets Scarlet.

Scarlet (Vega) is the 10 items or less aisle checker. She's running the market while the manager and his new girlfriend (Scarlet is his ex) are messing around.

When Freeman's ride home doesn't show up, Scarlet takes him home on her way to a job interview. In helping to fix her up, Freeman regains his own confidence.

"10 Items" is an interesting character driven film, which Freeman and Vega can mostly carry. I found myself noting a bit too much product placement in this vehicle, but it's still an endearing tale of two very unalike people who are able to help each other.

Simply enjoy
If you want to laugh, think hard, grin and maybe look at life differently, enjoy this film. You can't help but thoroughly be engrossed in it.