MSaxe Reviews

Looking Forward (2012 Video)

"Looking Forward", Part of TV History. Funny and Clever.

[10/10 · 3 March 2010]

Now you may be wondering about the statement above in the title. But is it true? Yes.

"How is that possible? That a show I have never heard of made TV history?" you ask.

Well the answer is simple. "Looking Forward" was selected by a panel of TV producers and executives as a Finalist in the 2006 "Create Your Own Pilot Contest" on FX sponsored by MySpace and "Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia". Then, a year later in 2007, the show was selected as a Finalist for the Comedy Central "Test Pilots" Contest sponsored by Comedy Central, Atom Films, and Subway, by an entirely different panel of TV producers and executives. Thousands and thousands of entries were sent to these two contests, around 25,000 or so total. Maybe more.

"Looking Forward" was the ONLY show that was a Finalist in BOTH contests.

Why was it selected by these two different groups of producers? Because its smart and funny. Not just funny-laugh out loud funny. I don't want to give away any gags here, or spoilers (Making it clear here-there are NO SPOILERS in this post), so I won't say anything specific--but the show is an improvised mockumentary, and is loaded with clever wordplay, funny twists, awkward/cringe moments on the level of "The Office", outrageously offensive funny statements, along with some great physical comedy all done by some of the most original characters you'll ever see performed by a talented ensemble cast.

Its all part of a great story concept--what would happen if a regular guy just decided to run for President--12 or 16 years early? If you like shows like "The Office" or "Parks and Recreation" or Christopher Guest films like "This is Spinal Tap", "Waiting for Guffman", or "Best in Show" with a political twist, you'll like "Looking Forward". Think of it maybe as a Christopher Guest directed "Bob Roberts". Yet its much more than that. All those reasons are why it was the only show that was a Finalist in both of these huge contests.

Does anything else need to be said? It proves that "Looking Forward" has the potential to be HUGE. Even though it did not win either contest, it was considered by FX and Comedy Central for development due to the potential of the show, it has inspired a book, it has been discussed on Air America Radio, it has been seen by maybe a million people or more in the course of the two contests and since then. You can still see the actual entry that made it a Finalist in both of these contests on YouTube. I highly recommend that you do.

"Looking Forward" Made TV History. Its a fact. Be a part of it.

Front of the Class (2008 TV Movie)

Interesting, Well Performed Film-However, Truth Needs to be Said.

[7/10 · 6 February 2010]

Hallmark Hall of Fame movies are always interesting and heart-tugging. This one is no exception. It features fine performances by veterans Treat Williams and Patricia Heaton-they're always good. Williams makes an unsympathetic character, one easy to dislike-a human. He makes him human, you understand his feelings, his point of view. Its truth in acting-its a great performance. Heaton is inspiring and delightful. She takes the easy role of "Mom as Hero" and makes it so much more rich and in-depth.

However, the stand out performances in this are by Dominic Scott King and Jimmy Wolk as Young and Adult Brad Cohen. Both do a simply amazing job incorporating Cohens Tourettes tics into their acting. Considering the fact that this was Wolks first leading role out of college and Kings youth, its simply extraordinary. They're incredible.

The film is well written (although does it really need the dying kid?) with moments of humor, inspiration, and more. The ignorance of people is astounding, their casual cruelty towards Cohen and his syndrome shows how truly awful so-called "good people" can be when something seems strange or different to them. This is something this film does an excellent job in showing. You want to leap into the screen and pound the people who are unjustly cruel to Cohen. You want to stand by Heaton as his mother and the actor playing his brother Jeff when they stand up to people on his behalf. The film illustrates these uncomfortable and embarrassing moments for Cohen in an excellent way. It does an equally good job showing his worries when it comes to finding love in a relationship and Cohens own frustration at his syndrome. You truly feel sad for him when he tries so hard to control his tics and simply can't. Both Wolk and King do a fantastic job showing every side of Cohens efforts to handle his Tourettes and live his life to the fullest.

The film is well edited, and is directed well. I really have no complaints about any technical aspects of the film.

In case you're wondering about the title of my post-I knew Brad and Jeff growing up in St. Louis. We went to summer camp at Camp Sabra in the Lake of the Ozarks in MO. together, and were in BBYO together as well. Both of them are a few years older than me, so I never really got to know them well at all. However, I have observed Cohens Tourettes in person and its not always as extreme as it was in the film. I admit, as a young kid (9-10) I was sometimes scared and frustrated by his tics. However, when I learned that he couldn't control it-I was shocked and felt terrible. I learned to get used to it and expect it when I was in a place with him. For the most part, both he and Jeff were pretty cool guys. Though sometimes, they could be jerks. Especially Jeff-he was something of a bully with a chip on his shoulder as I remember. But as I have learned-that's just being human-and especially being a teenager. We're all jerks sometimes. I knew that they wouldn't show this in the movie, so its not like I'm crying "J'accuse!". I just wanted to put that out there. "The more you know" you know. Regardless of what I think about the "real" Brad and Jeff Cohen, its a fine TV movie.

What Cohen has done with his life is a great story-worthy of Hallmark Hall of Fame. I just wish as an actor, I could have been in this movie or at least auditioned for it. Its a major bummer because its a good film about people who I have actually met.

Considering that Wolk was practically just out of college, had never had such a large role in a film before, was working with two seasoned vets like Heaton and Williams, and is maybe a decade or so younger than the "real" Brad Cohen, I am even more impressed with his performance watching it again than I was before.

A nice family film, and a great true story.