Severance

"Severance" is an extraordinarily excellent first feature. The dialog is witty and tight, the acting above average for a small budget independent, AND it is shot on film. When's the last time you saw a film with a budget under $3 million shot on film?

The plot is a kind of Walter Mitty meets Sam Spade meets... uhhh... what was the guy's name in "Office Space?" Anyway, Miller plays a perfect underdog everyman beaten down by the Darwinian world of corporate America. His stellar comic timing really carries the film at times and saves it from a few, scattered "low budget" performances.

The cinematography is beautiful, and truly captures the film noir look. Also, the moody jazz score is played on real musical instruments (no casiotone crap here) and thus really drives the film noir homage home.

If you hate layoffs, corporate America, and guys in gorilla suits, you should check this one out.