5 STAR DAY
5 STAR DAY is a prime example of a natty independent film desperately needing the backing of a major production company. The premise for the film is rather intriguing, but lacks the cohesive glue to give it box office stamina. Its doubtful production company Breaking Glass Pictures was concerned about the film’s run, though. After opening this week in a dozen selected cities with a limited engagement, the film is scheduled for near immediate spin into Video on Demand (VOD) and home video. Currently, it is not set for a Pittsburgh release and considering the marketing strategy, one is not in the offing. It could be due to the cast of B and C list actors; or the meanderings of Screenwriter Danny Buday, who also directs, or the choppy editing of Curtis Pierce. Wherever blame falls, 5 STAR DAY will join others of its ilk with promising potential, but lacking the necessary gravitas to make it a contender.
Cam Gigandet plays Jake Gibson, a man who religiously reads his daily horoscope until he suffers an ordeal of faith. On his birthday, his horoscope promises success in all his endeavors, a true five star day; however, he loses his job, is tossed from his apartment, finds his girlfriend in bed with another man and his car is stolen instead of his promised Astrological bliss. These incidents cause Jake to pick horoscopes as his subject for a school term research paper. He searches the birth records of the hospital in Chicago where he was born, and discovers three other babies were also born within minutes of his arrival. Destined to prove Astrology and horoscopes are nonsensical rip-offs, he seeks out the three other people celebrating the same birthdays to discern if their days were as disastrous as his.
There are holes in the screenplay the viewer is forced to fill. One assumes Jake returned to school to better his career, but this path is given short shrift. What is he studying that Astrology is one of the subjects, especially if he wants to find another job? Is this a work retraining program, or has Jake done this on his own? If he’s just been fired, how is he paying for a college education? There’s a rush to advance to the main plot, without creating the character’s need. This apparently is more than a research topic.
Jake finds his Astrological twins. They are Sarah, played by Jena Malone, a single mom with an unpleasant past; Yvette, played by Brooklyn Sudano, an overworked nurse; and Wesley, played by Max Hartman, a “Nick Nightclub” character who hasn’t caught the limelight. Jake interacts with each character, bringing changes into all their lives yet somehow manages, despite the film’s anecdotes to insist on the veracity of his paper’s thesis.
Gigandet has moments as Jake, but they are periodical. He’s not totally convincing as he barges into these peoples’ lives, especially when he goes Rambo to retrieve a necklace. Malone and Hartman put in yeoman duty, never providing convincing elements to their characters.
5 STAR DAY wraps a little too nicely. There’s an entire gestalt aura to the final reel which counteracts the premise. The concept isn’t bad; it certainly has a lot of doorways to pursue; but the wagon is heavy and Buday doesn’t have the horses to pull it.
THE RATING FOR 5 STAR DAY = D
BFCA RATING = 4/10
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