ReelBob: ‘Turnover’ ★★★
By Bob Bloom
“Turnover” is a delectable and sweet comedy about inclusion and defining family.
Peter (Paul Guilfoyle) runs a popular café that serves as a meeting place for his regulars.
His specialty is French cuisine; his menu has remained unchanged for years.
After years of working, Peter’s café is gaining fame. He is ready to take the next step and franchise his brand.
Peter tells his manager, Henry (Riker Lynch), that he will run their new café in Las Vegas.
The workaholic Peter decides to take a two-week vacation and leaves Henry in charge.
Things begin to go south when Peter’s ex-wife tells Henry that Peter’s young son will be the owner of the Las Vegas site and that, since he is a minor, Henry will be ostensibly be working for her.
The disgruntled Henry plans revenge and, with Peter away, sabotages the café by firing the chef and hiring a group of people with no restaurant experience.
Henry then quits and hands the keys of the place to William (Adwin Brown), and names him the new manager.
Peter is shocked upon his return, finding chaos in his beloved café.
The new chef, Miguel (Carlos Carrasco), is cooking Mexican food instead of using Peter’s recipes, and the rest of the staff is disorganized.
Peter, at first, is heartbroken and decides to close the restaurant. But an accident involving Charlie (Blair Williamson), the busboy, opens his eyes when he realizes how his new employees pull together.
“Turnover,” directed by Linda Palmer and co-written by Palmer and Lareé D. Griffith, begins slowly, allowing us to savor the characters before moving the film forward.
Still, at 119 minutes, “Turnover” does drag a bit, trimming about 15 minutes would have benefited the film.
The movie’s main pleasure derives from the performances of two veteran character actors — Guilfoyle and Carrasco.
Guilfoyle who has more than 100 film and TV credits, is one of those character actors whose faces you recognize, but whose name you can’t remember. He has recurring roles in such TV shows as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” and “The Good Fight,” and appeared in popular films such as “L.A. Confidential,” “Spotlight,” “Air Force One” and “Primary Colors.”
Carrasco with more than 60 credits is best remembered as one of the bus passengers in “Speed.”
The two play off each other very well; Carrasco’s Miguel, at first acts as if he does not understand or speak English. He is an ex-con who dresses like a biker and emits a threatening demeanor that covers a tender and loving individual, who cares for his dying grandmother.
Guilfoyle’s Peter is tough and stubborn, but warm-hearted and caring that covers an unhappiness over the dissolution of his marriage. He cares deeply for his young son; nor does he hold any grudges against his former wife.
When Peter suffers a stroke, his workers rally around him, creating a room in the restaurant so he does not have to go to a rehabilitation center and helping him recover.
With the help of his crew, Peter not only rebrands his restaurant, regaining his old customers — and many new ones, but he also discovers that family is much more than blood.
“Turnover” is a charming and embraceable feature that touts the power of friendship, love and acceptance.
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
TURNOVER
3 stars out of 4
Not rated