Carpool Guy

Joel (Rick Hearst) has a great advertising job and a beautiful wife, Hope (Lauralee Bell). So, what's the problem? Its the Los Angeles traffic which makes Joel consistently late to work and late getting home. The head of his firm, Mrs. Lunsford (Jeanne Cooper) and her second-in-command son, Michael (Corbin Bernson) have been lenient on tardiness, for Joel is a valued employee. However, their patience is running thin. Then, too, some of Joel's ideas have been popping up at competing companies and the bosses are suspicious of Joel working against them. Also, Hope wants a child but things don't seem right for Joel at this time. One day, Joel spies two things. A homeless veteran holds a sign "will work for food" and the freeway has a sign announcing carpoolers can use the fast, fast lane. By making an agreement with the Vet (Anthony Geary), Joel can now make it to work and to home on time. But, is there someone still out to sabotage Joel's life? This mildly entertaining film, directed by Bernson, has an acceptable cast, script, etc. But, its nothing extraordinary. By far the best part is the fireworks between Bernson and Cooper, who are real life mother and son. Watching Cooper scream when things upset her and Bernson doing the same is entertaining. Also, Geary does good work while the real David Oreck of vacuum cleaner fame makes an appearance, too. If you come upon it at some late, late hour and you can't sleep, it can help you make it through the night.