How to Cope with Rejection (2005) User Reviews

Very clever...plus it's got a ninja!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 4 November 2008]

This is a very clever short film about a loser who can't accept that his girlfriend has left him. In a sad but funny scene, he knocks on her door and she and a new boyfriend answer the door. The new boyfriend is kissing her repeatedly--while at the same time the loser is asking her if it's true that they are breaking up!! So what's a guy to do in a situation like this? Yep, hire a ninja to put some serious hurt on the new boyfriend! When the ninja arrives, there's a funny scene where the ninja is asked to show off his stuff--and boy does he prove himself lethal! In fact, all the interactions between the angry ex-boyfriend and the ninja are funny in a very, very low-key manner.

Some might balk at the low energy and subtle stylings of the film, but I loved it. In fact, I liked everything about it except that I did find the ending a bit predictable--but also very funny. A very nice film...plus it's got a ninja!

Amusing idea but not as smart and funny as I wanted it to be

[bob the moo · 6 May 2007]

Before he got into all sorts of problems with a cloning machine, Adam had other problems when he finds that his girlfriend Emily is cheating on him with beautiful hunk Brad. Hurt and rejected (or vice versa if you wish), Adam turns to the Yellow Pages to help seek solace – by picking out Dial-A-Ninja to hire an assassin to unleash some "ninja sh1t on Brad's a*s".

I watched Dupe the other day and was surprised to find a visually very similar short film on television in this one. The reason is because Waitt wrote, directed and acted in both with a similar cast and similar sense of humour. The idea is good and I had high hopes for it as it produced the ninja out of a simple "dumped by girlfriend for better man" scenario. Like Dupe it manages to be amusing in what it does but, like Dupe, it never raises to a crescendo and didn't make me laugh so much as slightly chuckle with amusement.

Visually Waitt does a good job as the film looks great – very crisp delivery with great use of sets. As actor Waitt does the same performance (and character) as Dupe and is effective as the geeky, gormless thing suits his appearance. As writer he still needs to do more though and it is this area where the film feels like it doesn't fulfil its promise because it just isn't as funny or as imaginative as I longed for it to be. Amusing is probably good enough to make this worth four minutes of your time but isn't as good as it should be.