The Giant Mechanical Man
by Kathryn Loggins

“So…what do you do?” Every adult has been faced with this simple question countless times in their lives.  For many people, including myself, this is a question that evokes terror in the very fiber of their being.  For Janice (Jenna Fisher) it is a question she does not know how to answer. She is a single woman in her 30’s living an unnoticeable life, unable to keep even her temp jobs, because she is too unpersonable.  She is utterly lost until she sees a street artist painted from head to toe in silver who captivates her with his mysteriousness.  This street artist, Tim (Chris Messina) is struggling to pay his bills whilst staying true to his dream. His girlfriend leaves him, because his true passion for art has lost its charm on her and he is forced to rethink his life and face the cold hard fact that he needs funds to survive. By chance both Janice and Tim find somewhat detrimental jobs working at a Zoo in winter time and a charming love story enfolds.

This film is one of the most sincere love stories I have seen in a long time.  The main and supporting characters are charming and witty without being sappy or overdone.  The story is one to believe in and fall in love with.  The setting of the film was originally intended for Chicago, but was moved to Detroit because of budget issues. The city lends itself perfectly to the story and gives the film a universal, but familiar feel.  Lee Kirk, the director and writer, is able to capture the essence of a generation that is looking for purpose in a world where success is measured by what your job is and how much it pays.  The main characters in this movie don’t find their sense of purpose through their jobs.  They find it through their dreams and througheach other, which is an encouraging thought.