The Strip
Directed by: Jameel Khan
Starring Dave Foley, Jenny Wade, Rodney Scott, Billy Aaron Brown, Federico Dordei, Cory Christmas, Noureen DeWulf, Chelcie Ross
Bata Films
Rated PG-13
Release Date: December 4, 2009 (limited)

The Strip is a new independent film from Bata Films that tells the story of a group of small-town retail store workers trying to find themselves. It’s a story that we’ve seen before, but that works on many different levels, as witnessed in movies like Clerks, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Waiting. What differentiates it from movies like that is its open subtlety. The movie doesn’t rush anywhere or get too out of hand, and though hilarious in the movies mentioned, it avoids the constant swearing and adult themes as much as possible in an attempt to thrive on being what it is: just a simple tale of a few lives looking to rediscover their true paths.

The Strip refers to a strip mall where a little store called Electri-City is located. It’s a blatant Radio Shack ripoff, and sells many generic brand products that no one has ever heard of, but because people love cheap crap, they do have customers…sometimes. This branch is run by the manager, Glenn (Dave Foley). He obviously has the passion and the drive, but you can tell he’s in a bit of a mid-life crisis, though he’d never admit it. He makes an effort in raising sales numbers by trying trust exercises with his team, such as all holding hands and trying to untie themselves. Unfortunately, these exercises aren’t completely successful due to the fact that his staff is a grab bag of varying personalities that don’t exactly mesh together well.

[Click over to read more and to see a trailer for The Strip.]