Raised and Called is a messy, frantic little comedy

Should you watch Raised and Called today? If you’re into those frantic, black-and-white comedies where the whole plot hinges on one stupid lie, maybe. If you hate characters running around in circles just because they’re too scared to tell the truth, skip it. It’s definitely not for everyone.

The whole premise is just begging for trouble. Tom Kennedy, playing himself, acts like he’s got a wife back home just to snag a few extra bucks from his boss. It’s a classic setup that feels like it belongs in a much tighter script than this one.

The boss is the worst kind of character. He’s pushy, loud, and he just invites himself over for dinner like he owns the place. Watching Tom try to pull off the charade is painful in that way that only old-fashioned slapstick can be.

There is this one moment where Tom is sweating buckets while trying to keep his boss away from the kitchen. It goes on way too long. Like, we get it, he’s nervous! The scene loses all its steam about halfway through.

The pacing is all over the map. Sometimes it moves at a breakneck speed, and other times it just feels like the actors are waiting for the next cue. It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Peggy, Behave!, but with less charm.

Small things I noticed

• The wallpaper in the living room set is genuinely distracting. Who chose that pattern?
• There’s a bit with a tray of drinks that feels totally improvised because someone almost drops it.
• The boss’s laugh sounds like a broken record. It really starts to grate on you after ten minutes.

I found myself wondering if they even had a full script on set. Sometimes the dialogue feels like they just picked it out of a hat. You can almost see the gears turning in their heads when they forget a line.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it worth watching if you want to turn your brain off for a while? Sure, why not. Just don't go in expecting something as layered as The Unguarded Hour. It's lighter than air and twice as flimsy.

Maybe it’s the era, but there’s this weird stiffness to how they talk about marriage. Like it’s just a business deal. It’s kinda cold, actually. 🤨

The ending comes out of nowhere. It just stops. No real wrap-up, no satisfying conclusion, just a final frantic joke and fade to black. It felt like they ran out of film and just said 'that'll do.'