10 Items or Less(2006): An Underrated Gem

You never know what adventures could happen in one day.

10 Items or Less is a 2006 film. An actor preps for a role at a grocery store. He meets a clerk who is on her way to a job interview. The pair hit the road together, making stops along the way, and get to know the other's secrets and desires.

Behold - an underrated film found in the museum of underrated gems. This is a film I wish I could watch for the first time again. Since I only watch one minute of trailers, 10 Items or Less is an unexpected adventure of friendship and travel. It’s a funny story with a message about learning to take risks.

This is Morgan Freeman like you’ve never seen him before. Playing a nameless actor, he takes an unexpected adventure where he makes a new friend, happily buys a mop on his first trip to Target, and creates a dance party at a car wash.

Freeman was fantastic! This has become my new favorite role of his. While he still plays a level-headed voice of reason, Freeman is goofy and has over-the-top reactions. It’s a very different performance I want to see more of.

On this eventful day, Freeman meets Scarlet (Paz Vega), a young woman looking for a change. Vega was intuitive about her character. Although Scarlet appears orderly and doesn’t mess around, she is afraid to seek change. As Scarlet says, she’s never been on the other side of the checkout stand. That line is so relatable.

Freeman and Vega had fun chemistry, even improvising a song while driving in the car. They improvised most of their scenes on the spot. They made their interactions feel real, creating a heartwarming friendship. In this brief time, they point out one other’s vulnerabilities that have been ignored.

Although the film’s main focus is the duo, a few actors appear in small roles. This is a film that uses small roles to its advantage. Small roles are so important! As I have said, they significantly impact the film world.

It’s crazy how this film was the beginning for some actors before their prime. For example, Jonah Hill and Jim Parson appear in small roles. This was right before Parson’s success in The Big Bang Theory started. More credits include Kumar Pallana, Anne Dudek, Bobby Cannavale, and cameos from two successful comedic actors.

Indie films like 10 Items of Less are so important. I thought the film would take place in the market the whole time. Instead, we travel with our duo to several locations. Brad Silberling did an excellent job with the atmosphere and moving the characters to different places.

He gave his actors the freedom to create their own ideas on what felt right in scenes. I like it when directors do that. I wasn’t expecting to laugh so much while watching this film. My favorite moments are Freeman’s ecstatic reactions to Target and his dance party. This is the type of comedy that films need to bring back. The comedy happens spontaneously and the actors don’t have to try too hard.

This film takes place in one day. The writing in this film is very good. Our characters have several conversations, like interview prep and listing 10 things they hate. There’s never a dull moment. Writers implemented unique ideas and conversations. The people you meet, even only for a day are so important.

10 Item or Less is a comedy filled with surprises. I had never heard of it before. You must watch this underrated film.