Product Description

Todd Anderson (Josh Hamilton-Kicking and Screaming, The Bourne Identity) gets the bad news from his boss: his job has been outsourced. Adding insult to injury, Todd must travel to India to train his own replacement. Through a series of hilarious misadventures, this charming, critically acclaimed romantic comedy reminds us that sometimes getting lost is the best way to find yourself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5674 in DVD
• Brand: PORCHLIGHT ENT INC
• Released on: 2008-09-02
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 103 minutes

Amazon.com
The low-key, charming Outsourced is a thoughtful satire about the human side of contemporary frustrations associated with the global economy. Josh Hamilton (The House of Yes) stars as Todd Anderson, vice president of customer relations for a Seattle company that sells phone-order, patriotic kitsch. Part of Todd's job is keeping his operators' order-taking time down to a few minutes. He's good at what he does, but that doesn't stop the company from outsourcing Todd's entire department to somewhere in India, where local workers can field customer calls more cheaply. A reluctant Todd is sent to the subcontinent to train his own replacement and get the new operators up to speed. Neither task goes well, but adding to Todd's frustration is culture shock over everything from Indian table manners to public transportation to minimal bathroom fixtures. There’s something familiar about this particular fish-out-of-water tale (television’s Northern Exposure, as well as such features as Local Hero and Doc Hollywood). The gentle but illuminating Outsourced proves the story, as long as it's told well, never gets old. Todd eventually realizes the best way to escape India and get back to Seattle, ironically, is to let go of his resistance to India's culture and people. Transformation precedes liberation, but the lovely question in Outsourced is this: once Todd is transformed, what does he need to be liberated from? The film's deliberate, carefully paced narrative can't obscure the feeling of epiphany that permeates Outsourced. Nor can some of its other delights: assured location shooting and a fine supporting cast, including a wry Ayesha Dharker as Todd's romantic interest, and a brief appearance by Larry Pine as a kind of older, more serene version of the disoriented central character. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

A nice primer for an American traveling to India
This is an entertaining, light-hearted, and honest look at India from an American perspective.

I visited India (New Delhi) three times this summer (and counting..) for business projects, and I was able to watch this movie twice during the course of my flights. With each viewing I smiled and laughed at the way the American characters adapted after their first few "transition" days in India, and how the Indian characters earnestly tried to make them feel welcome.

As a previous reviewer mentioned, the movie doesn't mention the grittier side of India, such as the huge slum bordering the Mumbai (Bombay) airport, or the muddy, pot-holed, trash-filled streets and sidewalks of every town. However, it does shows the predominantly sweet nature of the Indian people which IMO is one of an India traveler's best rewards.

Aside, if you are planning to travel to India for the first time, take anti-malaria pills with you, a couple rolls of your favorite toilet paper, a phone that works in the 091 country code, and an openness of different cultures. Also, sit in the back seat of your hired car, because the view out the front will be like a widescreen viewing of the craziest "close-but-no-contact demolition derby" you've ever seen. Most, but not all, of these points are implied in the movie.

I recommend watching this movie after your trip, you will probably appreciate the movie more than if you watch it before. If you watch it before your trip, make sure you watch it again when you get back!

Really Good Movie
This film is not your typical Bollywood although it is set in India. A sweet and insightful film, it looks at the impact of outsourcing, not just on Americans but others also as we continue our "race to the bottom" economically speaking. In addition the ethnic differences are dealt with humorously but make a point about how much we in the U.S. don't understand other cultures and how enriching it can be to open ourselves up. Throw in a love story (not a chick flick, though), a "hero" that is just an ordinary guy, along with the great location - both beautiful and painful to see at times (the conditions of the "lower" castes)- and the movie is very compelling. I just loved it. Not a "great" as in a "big" movie, but great in the way that a small, quiet yet powerful film is.

Wow, what an unexpected find!
What a great find! This is a charming comedy that mixes cross-cultural faux pas with romance. India offers a rich canvas for this original plot. Some scenes were so funny and memorable that we replayed them after watching the film. They were still funny the second time around. I highly recommend this film that will please both men and women.