Which is to say that "The Scott Prendergast Story" might be as interesting as a viewing of Kabluey. Pulling together A, B, and C talent to make a movie like this must have been a remarkable effort, but this isn't a film that feels amateur and gets in its own way. It recalls for me another indie movie from several years back, Primer. Primer worked without any star talent and also featured directors/writers moonlighting as actors, and it also felt like a fresh experience, a take on "time travel" done differently. Kabluey feels like a fresh take on Mr. Mom, which I originally thought was just because both movies featured Teri Garr and men trying to control a household and wild children. The more I mulled this, the more I decided that Kabluey is really Mr. Mom 2.0, because today's generation doesn't get men staying home any more than audiences 25 years ago.
The genesis of Kabluey is when Lisa Kudrow's character has a childcare crisis after her husband is deployed to Iraq. I didn't think that Kabluey had pro- or anti-war leanings, because there's nothing on the surface, but Scott Prendergast does portray a character named Salman, which has Arabic roots. The name Salman can mean "peaceful" or "protector" which is apt considering the role that Salman takes on as caregiver for Kudrow's two children and ultimately for his brother's wife. Kudrow is hesitant to call her brother-in-law because she's convinced he's a misdirected drifter, completely incapable of caring for children. At least on the latter count, he's good company for her. Her husband's absence has reduced her to a pitiful state and her children have risen to the occasion by turning into destructive little monsters. Salman's entrance entails a period of ritual hazing by the children, disdain by Kudrow, and the eventual acquisition of a more-than-meaningless job.
The idea that this is a dark comedy is just wrong. There may be subtext around Salman protecting his brother's wife and family as his brother is off fighting to protect freedom, or more likely that Salman takes a job as empty and pointless as his brother's job as a soldier in Iraq. Comedy is everywhere and the film takes a dark twist toward the end, but instead of Kudrow or Salman becoming tragic figures, they somehow overcome the odds against them by the time the credits roll. We're left feeling that the message has to do with how easily our lives can spin out of control or lose their balance, and how important it is for us to find our Salman to push us back into alignment. Lisa Kudrow does a nice job in her role, but Prendergast is remarkable for being the driving creative force behind Kabluey and a very respectable actor. Making a movie has to be a bit scary, but crossing the proscenium represents abandonment of a comfort zone that most writers and directors never leave. Kabluey represents 86 minutes of your life that you will feel were well spent.
