Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Waking Up Dead is a comedy about a struggling gay Latino actor whose boyfriend dumps him.
Danny’s (Gabriel Sousa) once promising acting career took a nosedive five years ago and he hasn’t been able to find work since. When he isn’t begging his agent to get him an audition, he’s cheating on his boyfriend, Eddy (Caio Ara). And when Eddy finds out what he’s doing, he breaks up with him. Not long after the breakup, Danny gets evicted from his apartment. Luckily Danny has a friend in need of a house sitter, so he agrees to do it.
While house sitting, his cell service gets turned off, and he discovers there is no toilet paper or soap in the house. Luckily his friend has a land line, so he gives that number to his agent, Phyllis (Traci Lords). While he’s trying to find ways to live, Phyllis calls to tell him that Shonda Rhimes is interested in casting him in a new TV show.
Meanwhile, Danny befriends an aging actress turned real estate agent, Lila (Judy Geeson). Lila takes Danny under her wing and coaches him on his lines to help him land the part. And for the first time in years, Danny feels as if his life is finally coming together…or is it?
Some Thoughts:
Waking Up Dead is a comedy with a dry sense of humor. Many of the jokes are told deadpan and elicit a smirk more than a guffaw. The acting is fine, as is the pacing. And the story of a self-centered jerk coming to terms with his life isn’t as saccharine as some would expect, which is a blessing.
While there is a side story of Danny’s sister, Sabrina (Angelic Zambrana), taking care of their dying mother, it doesn’t play into the movie as much as it should. It also feels like an afterthought and throws the story off balance. For some reason Danny doesn’t want to help his sister, and we never find out why until the last part of the movie.
And the only reason Danny’s relationship with his mother is explored is because of his friendship with Lila. Geeson and Souza have some sweet scenes together, and their friendship comes across as sincere.
Although Traci Lords is in the movie for a short time, she has some of the funniest lines. They’re outrageous and delivered so deadpan that they take you off guard. It was so ridiculous that I rewound it and called my husband in. We both howled. The scene was so good.
The Final Verdict:
Waking up Dead is a fun comedy for those who like their humor dark and dry. The story could use some tightening up, but it moves along and will take your mind off your life for a bit.
