Florida’s population fluctuation pattern has, for the most part, been rather straightforward.
As older people move here, the aspiring young one’s leave the state.
However, moving away does not spare those individuals from visiting the Sunshine State, as seen at Tampa Theatre last weekend.
Last week Mandvi and Wetherell, both former Tampa residents, returned to present the opening of Today’s Special.
Mandvi, who wrote and played the lead, appeared on Saturday, while Wetherell, associate producer, participated in a post-screening Q-and-A on Friday night.
The picture features a significant amount of Indian cast members and its narrative consists of dreams, inspirations, and the fulfillment thereof.
Samir, (played by Mandvi), works as sous chef at a fine dining venue and hopes to eventually become a chef.
However, his boss remarks that his cooking is passionless and that it is “not giving him a boner,” which explains why Samir’s dream of moving up the kitchen hierarchy does not come true.
Angry with his boss, he decides to quit.
When he meets his father in front of the family restaurant, Samir mentions plans of moving to Paris for an unpaid internship.
News of the premature plan collides with his father’s nutrition and the old man suffers a stroke.
Samir is suddenly left with the responsibility of a Queens-based restaurant that’s about as dainty as the long-tailed organisms in New York’s subway stations.
Long story short, the picture does a great job at entertaining, inspiring, and amusing its audience.
Although similar stories have been told before, Today’s Special does not bore, reinforce stereotypes, or seem uncreative.
That said, the picture makes a great recommendation for families and friends and, given its feel-good nature, might also be a good pick for a date.
JP Busche can be reached at jbusche@spartans.ut.edu.