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Movie:		5.0
Picture:		7.0
Sound:		6.0
Extras:		1.0
Score:		5.0

Director(s):	James Dodson
Writer(s):	Tracey Jackson
Starring:	Jesse Metcalfe • Shirya • Larry Miller
Genre:	Comedy • Romance
Website:	http://theotherendofthelinedvd.com/
Release Date:	March 31, 2009
Rated:

List Price:	DVD - $19.99
Amazon:

When you juxtapose two cultures on top of each other you have incredible potential for comedy. You can use a variety of device to mine the premise for all its comedic gold: fish out of water (Coming to America), misinterpretation (The Gods Must Be Crazy), full-out mockery (Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls), and so on. These are the overarching themes that combine smaller tools of comedy to make a full movie. The Other End of the Line falls short of completing one of these themes and never rises any higher than joke after joke of colloquialisms.

Granger Woodruff (Jesse Metcalfe) runs a small marketing firm that has recently run into a few snags. Their biggest potential client, a major hotel chain, rejects their latest pitch sending them back to the drawing board. To make matters worth, Granger discovers that he's been the target of credit card fraud and must spend hours on the phone with a credit card representative to sort the legitimate charges from the fraudulent ones. On the other end of the line, Priya Sethi (Shirya) in India has perfected the art of Americanization. She has the lingo, the pop culture references and the accent down pat. Convinced Priya lives in California, Granger and Priya blossom a phone relationship that sweeps the two up in a romance neither expected (even if we did).

Over in India, Priya's parents have their hearts set on a man for her arranged marriage unaware that Priya's heart belongs to a man she's never actually met. Pushing her and her fiancée-to-be ever closer, the parents are shocked to discover that Priya has suddenly left for California for a rendezvous with Granger. Where The Other End of the Line had a chance to escape from You've Got Mail's shadow is when Granger and Priya's rendezvous goes awry after he fails to recognize her at their meeting place. With the uncomfortable circumstance of explaining who she really is out of the way, she starts her relationship with Granger anew using her actual name in place of the telephone pseudonym she'd been using all along.

The Other End of the Line doesn't stray outside the lines - ever. It finds its niche, its groove, and just rides it all the way to the end. The moment Granger and Priya will have their first conflict - you'll see it coming. The new slogan that wins Granger the contract - you see it as soon as it pops up. The movie dances about with the grace of Roseanne Barr and pretty much lumbers into each and every formulaic checkpoint.

Jesse Metcalfe was at least entertaining in John Tucker Must Die - but then again, he didn't have to carry that one on his shoulders. The Other End of the Line doesn't bode well for his leading performance capabilities. It's a shame too, as he's certainly charming enough, but just can't elevate material without any inspiration. Shirya is another one of those beautiful gems from India who can act but really doesn't have much presence. It's all in all a very basic piece with neither Metcalfe nor Shirya having to do much beyond read their lines with a hint of love struck wonder in their eyes.

In all fairness, The Other End of the Line isn't a bad film. It just isn't all that great either. It straddles the line of mediocrity and never lets go no matter how hard the actors and director would try to shake it. If you trust the casting and directorial choice, there was never any intention to rise above that mediocre level. The film was aimed at and hit its middle of the road mark. If you're not looking for anything special - maybe you want a new light comedy without any of the serious padding of an Oscar drama - then The Other End of the Line will deliver. If you don't expect too much substance, you'll enjoy it.

DVD Bonus Features

None at all.