"The Clapper" (R, 1:29) is a romantic comedy with an unusual set-up. Ed Helms stars at the title character, Eddie Crumble, an unambitious sad sack who moves to L.A. after his wife dies and takes a job as a professional audience member for infomercials (including one with the late Alan Thicke, as himself), usually working for a humorless producer played by Leah Remini. Meanwhile, Eddie's mother (Brenda Vaccaro) continuously calls him, needling him to get more screen time, which he repeatedly tells her isn't something he can control.
Eddie is perfectly happy (well, as happy as Eddie gets) going from set to set earning small paychecks with his best (only) friend, the sweet, dimwitted Chris (Tracy Morgan). When a late-night talk show host (Russell Peters) and his staff (Adam Levine and P.J. Byrne) notice Eddie (wearing various disguises) in the audience of several commercials, they do an ongoing segment on the show devoted to finding the man they only know as The Clapper. Eddie knows that losing his anonymity means losing his job, so he's not interested in being found, until the publicity adversely affects his girlfriend, a mousy gas station attendant named Judy (Amanda Seyfried), and he has to use his new-found fame to try to get her back.
"The Clapper" is an unassuming, well-meaning comedy, which never really connects with the audience. Points for originality and for assembling a good cast, but Dito Montiel (writing and directing his first comedy) ends up with is an occasionally funny, mostly depressing film which exists only around the edges of sweetness. "C"
Eddie is perfectly happy (well, as happy as Eddie gets) going from set to set earning small paychecks with his best (only) friend, the sweet, dimwitted Chris (Tracy Morgan). When a late-night talk show host (Russell Peters) and his staff (Adam Levine and P.J. Byrne) notice Eddie (wearing various disguises) in the audience of several commercials, they do an ongoing segment on the show devoted to finding the man they only know as The Clapper. Eddie knows that losing his anonymity means losing his job, so he's not interested in being found, until the publicity adversely affects his girlfriend, a mousy gas station attendant named Judy (Amanda Seyfried), and he has to use his new-found fame to try to get her back.
"The Clapper" is an unassuming, well-meaning comedy, which never really connects with the audience. Points for originality and for assembling a good cast, but Dito Montiel (writing and directing his first comedy) ends up with is an occasionally funny, mostly depressing film which exists only around the edges of sweetness. "C"