Mr. Widget: A Salesman Who Can't Actually Sell

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for old, dusty comedies that move at the speed of a tired turtle. If you like your movies to actually go somewhere, you’re gonna hate this. It’s for the folks who find joy in watching a guy fail upward for an hour.

Sam Hearn plays this Widget fellow like he's trying to win a bet on who can talk the fastest without actually saying anything. He’s got this nervous, frantic energy that is both impressive and kinda exhausting to witness. You can practically see the sweat on his brow.

The Logic of Nonsense

The whole movie relies on the idea that he’s persuasive, but man, the stuff coming out of his mouth is pure gibberish. It’s like a car salesman trying to sell you a bridge in the middle of a desert. Nobody in their right mind would sign on the dotted line, but they do! The boss’s daughter, played by Jean Lacy, buys into it hook, line, and sinker. I guess love really is blind, or maybe she just really likes the sound of his voice.

There’s this one scene where he’s trying to explain a product, and he just starts circling the desk. He goes around three times. It serves no purpose. It’s just weird.

• The dialogue feels like it was written on the back of a napkin during a lunch break.
• The office sets look like they were put together five minutes before the cameras started rolling.
• The supporting cast seems to be waiting for the bus, honestly.

It’s not as polished as Foolish Wives, that's for sure. It lacks that grand, messy ambition. Instead, it’s just small, petty, and kind of repetitive. It reminds me a bit of the aimless energy in Tillie Wakes Up, but without the slapstick bits to keep you awake.

Final Thoughts (or lack thereof)

The movie just sort of… ends. There isn’t a big payoff. There isn’t a grand moment where Widget finally figures out how to be a real human being. He’s just Widget until the credits roll. 🤷‍♂️

I found myself checking my watch. Not because I was bored, but because I wanted to see if the movie was ever going to acknowledge how ridiculous the whole situation was. It never did. It just kept leaning into the bit, harder and harder, until it almost became hypnotic.

If you watch it, pay attention to the guy in the background of the office scene. He’s reading a newspaper and literally never turns the page. Classic.