Have a Slice...

Pizza (2005)
Director- Mark Christopher
Starring- Ethan Embry, Kylie Sparks, Julie Hagerty

Obese wallflower Cara-Ethyl (Sparks) flees her 18th birthday for a night out with "Pizza King" Matt (Embry). Throughout the night, Matt discusses his personal philosophies in an effort to help her be happier with her life. The two share some intense feelings for each other, she suffers humiliation at the hands of some popular girls (but subsequently gets her revenge using an ex-lax pizza recipe), and ultimately realizes that the philosophical "Pizza King" she fell for is nothing more than a pizza shop employee who never bothered to advance his life beyond his high school years.

The story sounds a bit hokey at first, but if you bear with it for a while, it gets pretty entertaining. Acting was good all around, especially from Kylie Sparks. Her character turned various embarrassments into learning experiences and bounced back with surprising fortitude and confidence.

Despite this confidence, she still suffers from a lack of self esteem, which Matt tries numerous times to refute. It was a little hard to see the veneer crack, but it was well-acted and timed.

Rating: 3.5/5 Bonedaddies.