A Brilliant Conflict

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

There is just so much movie here. For some it may be too much. But in the same secretly sarcastic way most telemarketers say the phrase, the title of this one is particularly apt.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I am retired, I watch movies every day, I collect them and I only stumbled across this gem in 2017. There should be more than just 23 reviews of this wonderful film so I am adding mine. I thought the movie Clerks was brilliant, and I think this movie is similarly brilliant. Similar themes, similar presentation, similar degree of profundity, but Free Samples is much more friendly and the acting is far more charming. And the charm stays with you as you contemplate the possibilities.

This one-set Indy tries very hard to be sharp and mordant and timely. The trouble is that nothing about the characters or their situations rings true. The main set is an ice cream truck located in what looks like a borderline ghetto where the heroine must give away free samples of chocolate and vanilla, nothing else. The workers and everyone in the neighborhood seem to already know that the pseudo ice cream is horrible. So what are they really doing there? In what alternate universe would this actually happen? Apparently in the same universe where a self-absorbed Cali-blonde Stanford law student would be SHOCKED, SHOCKED I say, to learn that 5 years after she left home, her dad moved out and took up with a trophy bimbo. That evidently never happens in alternate universe Z, so of course it sends our heroine into a drunken tailspin where she must engage in contrived sardonic banter with every unlikely walk-on character who ambles by her pseudo ice cream truck. Sadly, none of these encounters feels more forced or contrived than the heroine's confrontation with her unwanted fiancée.After 90 minutes of this I yearned to get back to our universe where Cheech and Chong would have a very good business plan for that ice cream truck working the ghetto and where all their customers' curious demands for "stamps" would make sense.

Liked it quite a bit. Jess 'Teeth' Weixler was the reason to watch this, and she proved to be well worth the effort. I didn't expect her being cooped up in an ice cream truck pretty much all of the time (hadn't read the synopsis), but it had this 'Clerks' vibe to it and that worked out just fine. Weixler puts in a very capable performance, as does most of the rest of the cast. There's plenty going on, especially if you consider the dull environment, and most of the dialogues and scenes are quite entertaining, ranging from funny hangover talk all the way to heartfelt heartache.I especially liked the supporting role of Halley Feifer, but also Tippi Hedren, Jesse Eisenberg and Wendy Shapero are worth mentioning. The story of 'changing souls' was great, except for the minor detail that if they actually exchanged souls, 'Tex' would now be Keith...A big 7 out of 10.

Entertaining,and straightforward,this indie film had a successful run at the Tribeca Film Festival. Jay Gammill's directorial craft shines as he captures what a day in Jillian's (Jess Weixler)life is like, as she struggles to make sense of her personal issues, and her hangover, in an ice-cream truck. Jess Weixler manages to make Jillian, who's disdainful attitude often offends the customers, as well as her friends, likable. The sarcastic banter between Jillian and her,off beat, customers is part of what makes this film charming. Jesse Eisenberg is sweet and smooth as Jillian's potential love interest,Tex. Betty, wonderfully played by Tippi Hedren, is the real glue to this off beat comedy. Her story brings a lot of heart, and gives emotion, not only to herself, but to Jillian also. Free Samples is a solid start for Jay Gammill. This drama-comedy definitely serves up a delightful treat.