Lansing Lowdown
Monday, March 26, 2007

Films use comedy to take edge off deeper issues

By Lauren Talley

The feature-length film, "Offshore," directed by Diane Cheklich, followed "The Planning Lady." The film is set both in Michigan and India, and the scenes set in Michigan use an entirely
local crew and cast.

Set in the Detroit area, "Offshore" tells the familiar story of what many Americans face today - outsourcing. It's a truthful comedy in an age when more and more jobs are being shipped overseas. While it features the same cubicle comedy as in the movie "Office Space," "Offshore" presents the sensitive subject of outsourcing.

The Fairfax Furniture store is facing a severe profit loss, and CEO Derek Abernathy does what any frantic executive would do - he outsources jobs to cut costs. Abernathy hires the India-based company, Voxx Private Ltd., to replace the American call center.

This move creates tension between the newly arrived Indian trainees and the existing American workers. Some Fairfax call center employees take action to rid Fairfax of the Indian "evil-doers." The small group does everything they can to protect their jobs and they almost succeed, but in the end, the call center does move to India. Their extreme and often childish efforts seem a bit over the top, but they ultimately reflect the frustration that can come with outsourcing.

While laughing with the ridiculous nature of the film's stars, viewers can see the motivation behind the employees' negative attitudes towards the new Indian workers, as well as the Indians' frustration with the American workers' unwelcoming demeanors.

"Offshore" does not say who's right or who's wrong in the issue of outsourcing - it simply shows how it is. It shows that human beings everywhere want jobs.

The film's fantastic use of comedy takes the edge off a touchy subject. Viewers can laugh along to the movie's exaggerated measures, while the movie helps viewers understand how outsourcing truly affects people both locally and aboard.

Both "The Planning Lady" and "Offshore" use comedy to present issues prevalent in American culture. Instead of lecturing about jump-starting children too early and the effects of outsourcing, the films assume intelligent viewers will understand the important messages behind the comedic performances.