In the opening moments of Brandon Tamburri's recent Quiver Distribution release Plan B, one can't help but think we're getting set for a 90-minute comedy featuring a central character we're never going to life.
Think again.
We're introduced to Piper (Jamie Lee) as she's thrown out of some swanky club for obviously being a bit too tipsy. As she makes her way home, she runs into Evan (Jon Heder), her nerdy neighbor harboring a secret rush on this woman who, even intoxicated, is most likely out of his league.
One thing leads to another and, well, you know where they both end up.
A few weeks later, Piper is prego and not particularly thrilled with the idea that nerdboy is the father. She concocts a plan to detour the paternity by finding some rich dude whom she'll sleep with on the first date and then claim the kid is his.
See what I mean? Not exactly Miss Congeniality here.
She finds Cameron (Seriously, though? Do people really sleep with guys named Cameron?), a hottie with a body and a bank account played quite nicely by Michael Lombardi.
Just when you can't help but think Plan B is going to implode, it gets the magic ingredient - a heart. This segue is where a wonderful Jamie Lee really excels, balancing that weird and awkward line between an obviously bad idea and yet also not really being a bad person at all. She's supported in it all by Maya (Subhah Agarwal), whose work here is both scene-stealing and yet also a perfect complement to the ensemble around her. Agarwal is so winning here that I found myself looking up her IMDB page to see what else she's done.
I've always felt like Jon Heder has been under-appreciated, his breakout with Napoleon Dynamite only beginning to give us a tip o' the iceberg for the guy's talent. He really proves that here with natural comic chops, a relaxed charisma, and an emotional depth we've seldom seen from him. It's quite inspired and I can't help but hope it leads to even more work for Heder.
Michael Lombardi is also quite the gem here. Lombardi's turn as Cameron (I still hate the name) could have easily been a one-note turn, however, Lombardi makes sure we really like this guy and we buy into his complete and utter sincerity. It's an absolutely wonderful performance.
Plan B has some cameos and brief appearances from some familiar folks like Tom Berenger, Shannon Elizabeth, Drew Garrett and others. It's a fun and rewarding little film that starts off a bit wobbly but really grows into something quite enjoyable. Lensing by Mike Magilnick is effective throughout and William Goodrum's original music complements the film quite nicely. Plan B is currently available via Amazon Prime Video and other streaming outlets and has also been picked up by multiple distributors for an international release. It's definitely a film to look for if you're looking for a engaging and entertaining indie comedy.
Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic
