Call My Agent 1.6 - Character

Call My Agent - Character

Genre : Drama / Comedy / Satire
Director: Jason Reitman
Writer : Dominic Wilkins
Cast: Lesley Manville, Caroline Dhavernas, Rainn Wilson and Margo Martindale

Plot:

Despite feeling superior to everyone else all her life, Miranda (Lesley Manville) took Wilson’s speech personally and she decided that it was time to look at herself in the mirror and to really change, a real wake up call, if you will. She feels like she has disappointed her employees enough already and she intends to write her letter of resignation and disappear of their lives just like she appeared, out of nowhere. She unlocks the door of her office on a Saturday night, where no one is at the office and lets a slight gasp go, out of surprise. Her chair spins dramatically, revealing Margo Martindale (Margo Martindale).

Andrea (Caroline Dhavernas) double checks the address on her napkin to make sure she’s at the right door. She looks around confused and knocks. She’s not surprised to see Robert (Rainn Wilson), in his wifebeater and boxers open the door. He has the opposite reaction, rapidly closing the door and begging her to go away, but she held the door with her feet.

Miranda gets her pepper spray can out of her purse and is ready to attack. She asks her what she’s doing in her office and she doesn’t seem to recognize her. Margo says she’s just here to practice getting into character and there’s no better place to do it than here. She notices that Miranda is on the verge of crying and when she starts to cry, she asks her if everything is going to be alright. Miranda says it isn’t and she won’t be able to do it, she’s just a spineless idiot who can’t do anything except spending money. Margo gets up and pins Miranda down on a chair. She gets right next to her face and she says that all of this is gibberish. She’s a strong, independent woman and that she’s in control of her life. It reassures Miranda a little bit and Margo tells her she can do whatever she wanted to do now, it’s fine. Miranda thanks “the mysterious woman” for her help and she picks up a pen to start a draft of her resignation letter.

Bob dressed up a bit and him and Andrea share awkward looks in his living room, full of empty chip bags and sticky glass mounts. Andrea sarcastically ask how the kids are doing, but Robert doesn’t want to laugh, he’s ashamed, right now. Andrea looks around her, at the mess her colleague calls a living room. She wonders how a man like him can keep a house like that. She’s distracted by the sounds of Robert sobbing. He shakes his head in disapproval and hides his face with his hand.

Miranda is writing her letter of resignation as Margo Martindale is practicing her lines, alone. Miranda looks at her weirdly and she asks Margo who she is. Margo says she’s Fredericka Mandelbaum. Miranda just tells her that she loves her old school outfit and she asks her where she got it. Margo, always the character actress, says that she sewed it herself, of course, nobody in town sells outfits like this and besides, she doesn’t dress like the common people. Miranda says that they are so alike, because she doesn’t dress like normal people too. Margo asks her what she’s writing that’s taking her so long. She grabs the sheet and notices that it’s a letter of resignation. Margo berates Miranda for it and she agrees that she’s just a spineless idiot. Women like them are strong and passionate, they are not quitters. She tells Miranda that she needs to toughen up and stand straight. A woman like her shouldn’t be afraid of petty things and of common people. She’s someone special, just like everyone on this planet and she shouldn’t let adversity get in her way. She needs to show a little character and toughen up. Screw that resignation and own her responsibilities. She’s strong and she can do it. Margo knows that Miranda has it in her. She looks confident, but now it’s time to act like one. Miranda, inspired by Fredericka’s speech, tears her letter in half.

Andrea tries to reassure Bob that everything is alright, he doesn’t need to be ashamed. He says that he had his reasons to lie. Andrea says that whatever his reasons are, they must be good, because it’s not something you usually lie about. He says he’s ashamed of his life, ashamed of his disappointing life. He tells Andrea that he was never able to build a normal life outside of work and that he made up this lie to give the mirage of stability when he met them at the office, because nobody in their right mind would hire a lone, unstable drunkard who lives on chips and ramen to manage high-profile and equally unstable and needy stars and he wanted this job, he wanted to succeed, for at least one thing in his life and living the lie was the only way for him to do so. He’s also ashamed of the sacrifices she made, withholding her salary so they can keep in her job, for his kids, even if he doesn’t have any. He says he’s going to be the one to not be paid and she can have her salary. She’s a good woman and he’s not a good man. She says it’s time for them to leave and he follows her to her car.

Andrea thanks Fredericka Mandelbaum for her help today and Margo says that it was a pleasure, she loves to be the character she plays to help her performance. Miranda holds off Margo at the door and she’s surprised to learn that she’s not Fredericka Mandelbaum. Margo says that of course, she’s not Fredericka, she’s acclaimed character actress Margo Martindale and she’s tired of not being recognized, so she better tell her employees to find her leading roles. There’s one other thing she needs to remember about today. Everything is about character.

Andrea parks her car in a parking lot and asks Robert to follow her. He complies and she opens the door of her condo. She says hi to her two kids sitting on the couch playing video games who look at her innocently. Bob can only say one thing: oh damn….