Outsourced

 3/4

Starring: Josh Hamilton, Ayesha Dharker, Asif Basra

Rated PG-13 for Some Sexual Content

What "Outsourced" lacks in skill, it makes up for in charm.  Co-writer/director John Jeffcoat turned down offers for his screenplay so he could direct it himself, and it shows in the amateurish nature of the direction.  But it's hard to deny the fact that this film will inspire a few good laughs and a lot of silly grins.

Todd Anderson (Hamilton) is having a very bad day.  His boss (Matt Smith) calls him into the office for a deal that he literally cannot refuse.  The call center job he has is being outsourced, and if he wants to stay employed, he has to go to India to train his replacement.  So off he goes, and immediately finds himself in over his head in a place where being left-handed is considered bad form and a cow that wanders into the office is thought of as odd to no one but him.  His task of getting calls down to six minutes seems hopeless, but he makes friends fast with his eager replacement Puro (Basra) and the fetching beauty Asha (Dharker).

There is a discomfort with the unfamiliar.  Even on vacation, where visiting a new place is the draw, it is possible to feel odd.  You feel like you're playing a game where everyone understands the rules but you.  It's only natural.  "Outsourced" taps into this feeling and finds opportunity for some unexpected comedy.  Some of which is in fact very funny.

The performances by bit players are key to the film's success.  Josh Hamilton may not have great range as an actor, but he is easy to identify with and capably coveys being a fish out of water.  But he does what he can and is willing to accept the help and friendship of Pure and Asha.  Ayesha Dharker is a scene stealer as the spirited Asha, who turns out to be the girl he can't have.  The two of them have a nice chemistry together.  The late Asif Basra provides solid support as the eager and enthusiastic Puro.

Truth be told, "Outsourced" is closer to a near-miss than a bonafide success.  It contains its share of winning moments and heartfelt laughs, but it feels like a series of scenes rather than a fully realized story.  The connecting thread between them is thin and Jeffcoat's limited abilities as a storyteller don't allow the plot to carry us from the beginning to the end.

Still, this is a feel-good movie.  It's funny with plenty of good cheer and a good tonic for a bad day.  Not many movies can make that claim.

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