User Reviews

Being from the area where this film was shot, it was even more entertaining for me to watch this great comedy and hear people shouting out "Look, it's Wentworth's" and the like. However, it's at the Supermarket checkout counter that this film really shines, with highly memorable scenes that had me laughing out loud. Glenn Fitzgerald plays a fine checkout clerk, and Catherine Mueller is spot on as a somewhat sulky bagger who avoids eye contact. Wendy Hoopes as the main angst-ridden gal who has left the big city in search of a better life will appeal to all younger adults who have been in a similar situation, but it's in the incidental character 'cameos' that you feel this film is special. Occasional throw-away lines show up that are absolutely hysterical and can almost pass you by so pay attention.

I look forward to seeing something else soon from the same director/writer.

This is definitely one of those movies I call "entertaining"; nothing heavy or prophetic, just NICE actors with a NICE story to share with the viewer. Sit back and relax with this one. Don't make a big sacrifice to see it, and don't expect a strong comedy out of it either-just fun.

If calling a film "light" and "refreshing" smacks somewhat of a soda pop commercial, it is for fairly good reason. "101 Ways" is consistently humorous, without reaching belly-aching proportions. When it ventures away from quick quips and fast puns, it never becomes offensive. In a nutshell, it is satisfying and well-worth the viewing, but not always the most substantive choice.

It is, after all, a movie about a girl's quest for romance and a career -- pretty standard fodder for many romantic comedies. Without love and without a job, Watson (played very adeptly by Wendy Hoopes) must find a way to make the payments on her beloved Volvo. But "101 Ways" does turn the genre on its head, narrowing the focus of Watson's love life to a supermarket check-out clerk, and (as the title implies) keeping her material hopes limited to the Swedish import sedan.

(The potentially confusing title is a reference to those pesky flyers seen all over college dorms, entitled "101 Ways to Make Love Without Having Sex." In this case, Watson seems to find that she encounters "101 Ways to Get F***ed Without Having Sex," which is pretty much the running joke of the entire movie.)

It is this balance of the absurd -- blending a healthy dose of paradox in a normally predictable setting -- that gives "101 Ways" its edge. The airline captain Dirk (Gabriel Macht), who reminds us that airline captains are long overdue for a good lampooning, is an especially welcome example of this. But Connecticut suburbs, brand new Volvos, and gargantuan supermarkets can only take a movie so far before dysfunctions on a Todd Solondz-type level can push it further.

I saw this film at a New York film festival and was pleasantly surprised. "101 Ways" is what "Reality Bites" should have been. An interesting, tightly-knit, witty comedy from a female point-of-view. Just when you think it is headed for a cliche, the film takes a turn and surprises the audience. Very impressive debut. BTW, this film deserves theatrical distribution but even if it doesn't get it, I'm sure it will build quite a cult following on video and cable.

I loved it! Thought the characters and the dialogue were fantastic...very clever...left the theater wondering why Hollywood continues to feed us junk these days instead of creative writing like this! Would definitely recommend...especially to anyone who has lived in a big city before!

"101 Ways..." is the perfect movie for those who can handle the shock that there's more to romantic comedies than Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Love's long and winding road has more speed bumps than E-Z Passes.

What makes "101 Ways..." special is that it's a story of a small town girl with big city dreams-or is it a big city girl with small town dreams-trust me-the lead's a girl (Watson) and there is a dream sequence (the hottest supermarket checkout you'll likely see). Where was I? What makes this movie special are all the unique characters Watson comes across as she tries to find Zen in love, job, and car ownership.

From the over protective mother to a fatherly police officer. From a gigolo pilot and a lovelorn cop. From a crappy job to even crappier jobs. Watson encounters a cast of characters-some so special they could even warrant their own film-and quirky situations that she struggles through in funny and surprising ways.

One last note. Kudos to the filmmaker for a making an independent film that doesn't take place in NYC or LA and doesn't involve guns. This film is a refreshing change of pace.

I bought this movie because I'm a fan of Glenn Fitzgerald, he's very underrated and oh so handsome.

I didn't expect much from this movie simply because the DVD cover looked boring as hell, but I was surprised.

This movie is actually very funny, easy to relate to, has a fun, late 1990s to early 2000s feel.

I can relate to her because I left home around that time and had the same experiences. Only my "Jack" was the guy who worked at Barnes and Noble. I bought so many books and never got the courage to ask him out. I felt awkward and shy, as does Watson.

This movie had excellent performances by the cast, and I have a hard time choosing a favorite character. Maybe Gabrielle Macht, he did a great "pilot voice".

My only issue with it is the audio/dialogue was sometimes hard to hear. Maybe it's my DVD. I constantly had to turn up the speaking parts and turn down the louder parts.

I had to knock off one star for the sound and I would have really liked to see more of Glenn. He played the weirdo, hot guy quite well and I really wanted them to at least go on one date.

Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

I'm actually about to watch it again.

I saw 101 Ways at a screening in Washington, DC. The audience reaction was very enthusiastic. There are alot of laughs in this movie, and moments that really ring true. In a movie world where sex and love come all too easily and frequently from the male point of view, 101 Ways offers the perspective of a young woman who finds love more difficult to find. Light-hearted, witty, creative, 101 Ways is an entertaining debut for first-time director Jennifer Katz.

"101 Ways" is a brilliant, quirky, comic gem of a film. At first, you may not identify with the protagonist, Watson Gowan, who drives an expensive new Volvo and has moved to Connecticut to pursue her creative writing -- but it quickly turns out that Watson has the same problems as most of us: finding a job that doesn't suck, paying the bills, and (of course) the pursuit of True Love. The film's slice-of-suburban-life narrative is punctuated by a hilarious use of monologue, in which the various characters get to make wry or trenchant observations about their side of the story -- directly to the audience of the film. Woven into this story are a couple of priceless fantasy sequences that never fail to deliver belly laughs, as well as a few cathartic moments of well-acted pathos that throw the comedy into sharp relief. It's obvious the actors had a lot of fun with this offbeat material, and they did a terrific job -- all the characters in Watson's life come across as utterly funny, authentic, and recognizable -- even if you have never been to Connecticut and have never driven a Volvo. Kudos to the director for making suburbia look so appealing.

"101 Ways..." manages to be witty without being glib. It manages to be lighthearted without being lightweight. Even more impressively, it manages to avoid hackneyed romantic comedy clichés while being hysterically funny... thus making this a rare gem indeed.

101 Ways written and directed by Jennifer Katz is a great movie! It makes you laugh, it makes you think, it makes you smile and then you start all over again with the laughs. I enjoyed it and so did all of my friends. It makes for a great weeknight or weekend moviegoing experience.

After seeing '101 Ways' at a screening in New Haven earlier this year, I'm glad to hear that it will be available to a cable audience. This film deserves attention. The lead character Watson is a smart, funny writer who escapes New York for a change of pace in the suburbs of Connecticut. She finds it difficult to find a job that will support not only her writing, but her new love, a brand new Volvo that her mother insists she buy. I loved the sequence that features Watson waiting on corporate spies at the 'Tarnished Barge' restaurant, which I hear from New Haven insiders is actually a place near Long Wharf called 'The Rusty Scupper'. Nowhere has the inanity of restaurant work been so comically rendered. Watson's romantic escapades are endearing--this is a 'portrait of the artist' for the new millenium, complete with bogus phone sex jobs and a luxury Swedish vehicle. Kudos to first-time director Jennifer Katz and her demystification of the fantasy that all New York artists have that the living is easier

A friend just gave me the DVD of this movie and it rocks! Thanks, Jen!I especially like the photos on the back with the "restaurant spies". Also, the movie itself is great. Totally top notch. Why can't Hollywood make a decent mainstream movie like this? Highly recommended.

101 Ways is the most original comedy I've seen in quite some time and an impressive debut for writer/director Jennifer Katz. I loved it! It's always refreshing to see a romantic comedy from woman's perspective and Wendy Hoopes' Watson is one of the most honest and original heroines in recent memory. Katz has a unique ability to playfully skewer her targets without descending into cynicism. The film's humorous but believable situations build to realistic climax that leaves you feeling great without being sugary sweet. Katz makes good use of a great ensemble cast and Connecticut locations. Highly recommended.

I viewed 101 Ways at a screening in Manhattan and enjoyed every second of it! It's a cleverly written, light hearted story with characters whose plights almost every young adult can relate to. The witty dialogue and subtle humor make you laugh out loud. The script and the acting is refreshingly funny and the film is thoroughly enjoyable! I loved it!

I saw this film at a screening in Detroit with my full on mid-west burb-in-laws who liked it as much as me. 101 Ways is a fresh, witty film that specifically pokes fun at suburban life while playfully depicting Watson's painful journey. The youthful humor of the film clearly trancends age and demographics.

My favorite aspect of the film was the way a true variety of relationships are portrayed and how those relationships ultimately lead Watson down her road of self-discovery. (If you're open to them, it is usually the people around you that lead you to life's significant insights--ones that you might never have gotten to on your own.)

Why can't all coming-of-age films be like this?