Jameel Khan’s film springs from the format of The Office like a blurred reproduction from a bad copy machine. The half-assed workplace in this case is a cheapo strip-mall appliance store (“Electri-city,” one of Khan’s more inspired touches). In lieu of Steve Carell’s hopelessly inept and earnest manager, we have his creepier duplicate, Glenn (Dave Foley).
Instead of the boorish brown-noser played by Rainn Wilson, there’s the more obnoxious Rick (Cory Christmas). And taking the place of John Krasinski’s hip “normal” guy is the less amusing Kyle (Rodney Scott).
Kyle is the store owner’s son, and herein lies the conflict: Dad wants the boy to follow in his joyless, borderline-psychotic footsteps, and Kyle doesn’t put up much resistance until he bumps into kooky free spirit Melissa (Jenny Wade), who encourages him to break the mold. Advice Khan himself might have heeded, though as he goes through the familiar paces, he does manage a few wry twists of his own.
