The Seat Filler
Picture: B-
Sound: B- Extras: C Main Feature: C
Kelly Rowland goes solo again, but as an actress in Nick
Castle’s showbiz comedy The Seat Filler, a 2004 release about a singer
(Rowland) who meets a young man at an awards show (Duane Martin) who she
mistakes for a showbiz attorney. She is
interesting in more than business with him, and the feeling is mutual, though
he believes he will cease liking her when she finds out he is a struggling
student. Shemar Moore and Curtis Armstrong
also star in a well cast film that does not go as far as it could have.
The problem comes form the confusion about what the film
wants to do and be. It wants to be a
pleasant film and comedy, but at the same time is punctuated by constantly
crude and unfunny jokes any time it starts to get interesting. Co-star Martin co-wrote the script with Mark
Brown and his very talented actress/wife Tisha Campbell-Martin, but the odd mix
of what is going on here never gels, even when the leads do. It is still an interesting independent
production, but it never fills out into what could have been a minor indie
classic, especially if showbiz had been targeted more cleverly.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is not bad,
with good color range and a sold-enough look, while the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix
is pretty good, with good bass and decent surround activity that extends to
more than music. Extras include a
featurette, deleted scenes, extended version of Rowland’s music number, weblink
for more on Rowland and preview for two other Magnolia Pictures releases.
- Nicholas Sheffo
