The Waiting List

Made for $2000.
Shot in a first grade classroom over summer vacation.

The Waiting List is based on two events in my life. One was spending the night in a preschool in order to get my daughter enrolled. I spent time listening to music, reading trashy magazines with a pregnant woman, and talking honestly with other parents in ways we might not at the park. The second event was spending a year as a stay-at-home dad to two kids, which I truthfully found just as frustrating as rewarding. The Waiting List was written as my time as a stay-at-home dad came to a close, which is probably why the character Chris has the best (or worst?) lines.

Review by FilmSnobbery.com Review http://filmsnobbery.com/2009/09/24/the-waiting-list/ There are a lot of independent features that are making the rounds out there these days. They vary in budget, cast caliber (as far as stars vs unknowns are concerned, not acting ability), how they’re shot, and subject matter. Mike Vogel’s first feature “The Waiting List” is one of those few independent movies where, as I sit here writing this review, I literally cannot think of a bad thing to say about it. So instead I’ll speak about what this movie does right, and the cues other filmmakers should take note of that may help them with their future productions. “The Waiting List” stars an ensemble cast who all come together for a sleepover at a prestigious preschool where they are all vying for spots to get their children enrolled. Basically the way it works is, if you leave, you give up your spot on the full list and are then moved to the bottom of the waiting list (hence the title). The cast is a mixed bag of first-timers, and vets from both the TV and film industry. Even those who are in their first feature (Amanda Englund, Lily Lam, and Kyle Walker) hold their own very well against their more experienced castmates. The cast always seems very in sync with each other and bounce off one another easily. One of the movie’s strong points is the script. Very rarely can a writer mix good comedy in with everyday conversation without making the funny seem forced. Vogel does this well by providing short bursts of unconventional humor from his go-to character Chris. All of the “parents” in this film speak freely and like adults about the subject of parenthood and raising children, and while I can’t relate to this on a personal level, several of my friends and family have children and the experiences they have are very similar. The script is engaging without being preachy, and the entire cast really has a chance to shine without just giving the juicy bits to a couple of leads like some films do. The film is shot cleanly, has really entertaining scene segues that mix well with a great soundtrack. There is a lot about this film that does not feel indie at all. Most, if not all of the shots have a very polished Hollywood feel to them with traditional shots throughout while still fitting in the occasional artsy shot in an exterior (the breaking dawn sequence looked pretty cool, but to me didn’t fit in 100% with the overall theme of the movie…Hey, I DID find something negative to say…kinda!) I certainly compliment the director on this project. Regardless of the budget, the money in this film was well spent and by the look of it, it all went onto the screen, which is where it belongs. I look forward to Mike Vogel’s next project. He proves that sometimes a mix of traditional and unconventional can make an indie movie really pop out from the crowd.

Review by Don't Feed After Midnight http://www.bretvanhorn.org/movies/movie-review-the-waiting-list/ I’m not entirely sure how long it took me to accept the facts that I’m now a parent and that my life has significantly changed in many ways as a result. But when it did sink in, it hit me hard. I realized that much of my freedom was not, in fact, going to return any time soon. I also realized that my days of hanging out in smoky rock clubs, going deaf to the soundtrack of indie rock bands turned up to eleven and drinking with my friends had been replaced by arranged dinners and play dates with parents of kids that my kids liked. And my evenings, once spent staying up late writing, goofing off, making music—all gone in favor of the elusive and rarely consistent sleep. The Waiting List, a completely indie film produced in Portland, OR, is the Catcher in the Rye for Generation X parents. Written by director/producer, Mike Vogel while he was a stay-at-home dad, the film takes the perspective of parenting that many parents would never express out loud. The idea that it’s okay to love our kids and do things for them we wouldn’t even do for ourselves, but also okay to feel or express regret over our losses of freedom is a sentiment that is not often communicated in modern media. Using humor that ranges from raunchy to subtle, the film is a witty and sometimes edgy take on parenting in the 21st century. The film itself takes place in a fictitious preschool where parents are required to spend the night at the school to maintain their childrens’ spot on the waiting list. When this particular group of parents is united, we discover that they all have regrets, issues, anxieties and complaints about being parents, which ends up being the common bond that joins them all together. I’ve seen this film compared to The Breakfast Club—and rightfully so—because it locks a group of varied personalities into a room together and forces them to communicate, commiserate and to understand one another. I can totally see that comparison. But it also has elements of a great Woody Allen film or even a Kevin Smith film, with pointed monologues and witty, complex dialog, respectively. However, more than just a bunch of comparisons, this film is the launching pad for Mike Vogel, who demonstrates that he is a filmmaker with his own unique voice and style. Woven throughout the humor, one can also find some sincere sentiments, betrayal, emotional conflict and young parents making amends with what their lives have become. The cast is great, with impressive performances by Audrey Walker as the reluctant mother, Jayme S Hall as the comedic stay-at-home dad, Bryce Flint-Somerville as Ben the workaholic troubled husband, Amada Englund as the scheming Kathryn and Teresa Decher as the potentially pregnant teen, Ella. Mercedes Rose also puts in a great performance as the modern day schoolmarm who debriefs the parents on their upcoming night’s mission. Never overstated or melodramatic, the acting is incredibly well-done for an indie film. Each member of the cast is great in his or her own way, putting out natural performances that are convincing and never forced. The cinematography and editing, for a low budget film, were also well done. There were some genuinely beautiful shots of Portland and some excellent stylized transitions to cut between scenes. I’d also be remiss to leave out the soundtrack, which had a unique and fitting style to it. This film is clearly a labor of love, with no details left to spare. Is The Waiting List right for you? In short, any parent who’s been forced to sit through Dora the Explorer, watch endless princess movies, strike up awkward conversations at play dates or just generally wonder why they do the things they do for their kids will be able to relate to this film. On an entirely different level, the film has also reminded me that as parents, we can (and need to) carve out time to do things for ourselves or we can’t be good parents. We need to get out with our friends once in awhile, work on our hobbies, do the things that make us ourselves or we become someone we’re not familiar with, someone we may not want raising our children.

Review by Quickstop Entertainment http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/2009/07/17/trailer-park-movies-for-you/ A group of parents attempt to get their kids into the most prestigious pre-school in the area. They have to spend the night in order to get on the school’s precious “waiting list.” I hate to keep making past movie references, but this cries out like Breakfast Club meets Clerks with parental angst. Now that may sound like a possible bummer, but it’s not largely due to the amiable cast and some very clever dialogue. The standout amongst the parents is Chris played by Jayme S. Hall who also is the comic relief, a stay-at-home dad with no filter accompanying his thoughts regarding sex, kids, pregnant women, Dora the Explorer. This character is written with such glee and Hall gives a very funny, flippant performance that also touches the heart. I would say that his is the primary reason to see the film, but it’s not. There are genuine moments between Teresa Decher as Ella and Audrey Walker as Audrey. Ella is a teen who may or may not be pregnant and struggling with the notion of it while questioning Audrey who could be giving birth that week. It’s a casual and fun dynamic that does not hit us over the head with moral issues. Instead, it allows us to play with the complexities in our heads. Then there is Ben (Bryce Flint-Somerville), the uptight, blackberry cursed, henpecked/work worn father who just needs a break. Unfortunately, he meets up with an old flame played with evil deliciousness by Amanda Englund. She is the all-consuming bitch that plays hall monitor and snake, attempting everything she can to claw her way to a higher spot on the list so her son can be guaranteed a seat in the precious school. Ben is a great foil and one cannot help cheer for him at every turn. We feel his pain and laugh at it at the same time. The film does wander off at times in its rhythm, but just before it loses you Hall breaks in with another funny bit that reels us back in. Budget constraint aside, “The Waiting List” is worthwhile with a cast that is worth the wait.