Lost in Transportation (2005) Online

In the misnamed independent short subject 'Lost in Transportation'--it should've been called 'Meet Joe Schlepp'--director, writer, star Joe Hansard plays one of those people you encounter every day of your life but rarely even see: Joe Schlepp's the non-person you don't sit next to on the bus, the person you're stuck behind in the checkout line who wants to have a conversation with the clerk, the guy who precedes the roll of your eyes with his friendly smile.

Joe Schlepp is the guy you don't even know exists if your day's going well. And the conceit of 'Lost in Transportation' is that not only does he exist; he dares to have hopes, and dreams and feelings, just like you.

In the film, Joe's the guy who finds lost luggage at BWI. He got his dead-end job through the kindness of his best friend--you get the feeling that it's also his only friend--Fred. It's pretty clear that Fred hired Joe so he'd have somebody to look better than in comparison, and the role is played to smarmy perfection by the top-billed Fred Strother: You despise him almost on sight.

Joe has a chance encounter at the airport with 'Miss Randallstown,' a small-time beauty pageant winner he's recently seen on television, and her simple kindness ignites his dreams: Joe mistakes her common decency for possible romantic interest. He's never encountered decency before, and is uncertain what it is. Miss Randallstown is played with a sort of wide-eyed, innocent appeal by Joy Haines: She's a country dear caught in the big city's headlights.

'Lost in Transportation' takes a premise that's been around since Chaplin's 1915 'The Tramp'--and probably even before then--and gives it a shaking nobody even knew it needed: Chaplin's no longer believable in his old role because hardly anyone can imagine not liking him on sight.

Hansard, on the other hand, is instantly believable in his role as Joe because you can imagine him slipping under your radar. He seems, in the role, like the kind of person you might find yourself avoiding, and his glum voice-over narration, with a kind of 'kick me again' fatalism, seals the pact: Within the first minute of the 16-or-so-minute short, we're inside his head. As Walt Kelly once noted in his 'Pogo' comic strip, 'We have met the enemy and he is us.' Or as Joe Schlepp phrases it, 'Sometimes nobody yells at you; when that happens, it's a very good day.' It is indeed, Joe.

'Lost in Transportation' is billed as a comedy, and by a strict definition of the word it is. But in a much broader sense, the film misses the mark and instead hits another, more difficult, target: Poignancy.

Many things have been said about "Lost In Transportation". "Mistitled" is one of them. But even if this film had been called "Samsonite and Delilah", "Luggage's Labours Lost" or "Runway Bride", it would still score the target of poignancy that Carl Schultz had mentioned in his comments.

But I must differ with Monsieur Schultz on a couple of points. One is on the character of Fred. Fred Strother, as Fred, provides the pragmatic counterpoint to the untainted humanity of Joe Hansard's Schlepp. As the French say, Fred est nous, "he is us". The compromises of the proletariat are embodied in his character, imposed by a materialistic system. As a symbol of the worker he is not a man whom one would despise, but a man whom one would trust to build their patio deck.

As far as Schultz's reference to Chaplin, I dare to suggest that Hansard stands on his own without need of the diminishing of Chaplin's relevance. There are aspects of Chaplin's tramp that have always been unlikable: his arrogance, his ego, his effortless weight control. Hansard is unburdened by these qualities.

If I may take a cue from the Cahiers du Cinema, and coin a phrase, I would describe the genre to which this film belongs as "Marty"dom, after the classic film starring Ernest Borgnine. Joe is in the same company as Emil Jannings in "The Last Laugh", Jackie Gleason in "Gigot", and Dom De Luise in "Cannonball Run II".

It's a humane genre, about "non-persons", or so-called "nobodies". Mother Theresa once said that the poor were "Jesus approaching us in disguise". The nobodies are Jesus auditioning for "Fear Factor". But if you're walking down the street sometime, and spot some nobody's ancient eyes, and don't just pass 'em by and stare, as if you didn't care, and say "Hello in there", what will you find? Well, usually a sullen, ill-mannered, superstitious lout capable of exploding into a homicidal rampage. But in discovering Joe Schlepp, the audience for this film will find a heart of gold. A true heart of gold. Neil Young should see this flick.

Enough jokes. Seriously, what stands out about this film is its collection of talent. Veteran, workaday talent who have put together a project on their terms, in their voice, after paying their dues in the local theater, television and film scene of the Washington, D.C. area.

When more films like this are made about people, rather than formulas, the actors, directors and editors like the ones who made this film will no longer be taken for granted, and properly appreciated for keeping movies human.

This movie is, on one level, a day in the life of what a baggage handler, Joe Schlepp, played by Joe Hansard, has to go through when he has to return lost baggage to customers. But on another level, it reveals how human beings can be at their worst, and then, when one least expects it, how the human spirit can soar beyond one's expectations. Each scene is shot and edited with an eye toward detail; the dialog is written with the same detail. This movie must be seen more than once to appreciate the beauty that the director, cinematographer, editor and writer contributed to this film. The narrator's pacing throughout the movie is perfect. Hansard also narrates throughout the film in the first person. Hansard's portrayal of Joe Schlepp is right on target, as are all the cast members in this movie. They all do a top notch job. I loved this movie.

Anyone who's ever been blamed or yelled at for something that's not their fault (who hasn't?) can relate to the main character in Lost in Transportation. Sometimes the best movies are those where we identify with the underdog, and it this case the underdog is Joe Schlepp, (with two p's of course) played by co-writer and co-director Joe Hansard. Joe seems to be content with his job as a baggage handler at Baltimore-Washington International airport, as long as he's not being yelled at. His main duty: returning lost luggage to their respective (and often ticked-off) passengers. His supervisor and best friend Fred (Fred Strother of HBO's "The Wire") is happy to do the job he gets paid to do, as long he gets to dig through peoples' luggage and use his trusty typewriter instead of that intimidating piece of technology called a "computer". About the only thing that brightens Joes day (besides reading girlie magazines in the airport's magazine shops) is an unexpected encounter with his dream girl, local beauty queen Miss Randallstown (Joy Haynes). The film is a bit silly at times, (Haynes appears again as the Goddess of Lost Luggage, who inspires a distraught Joe to keep trucking along with his miserable job) but with a little tweaking, could be developed into a full length film (which I believe was the filmmakers' intention.) The film was shot in an office building in Arlington, Virginia, but the building's uncanny resemblance to a real airport makes it the perfect shooting location for a production on a tight budget. The end of the film leaves you wanting more. I especially wanted to see more of a relationship between Joe and Fred, maybe a back-story. I can only image what a feature length adaptation might show us about these endearing characters. The possibilities are endless. Being a 17 minute short, the film best serves as a sampling of what could be a great feature. That's not to say it isn't entertaining on its own. Hansard has a natural gift for comic timing. There are some very subtle bits of offbeat and quirky humor throughout, especially in the dialog between Joe and Fred. Billy Bob Thornton's "Sling Blade" evolved from a short, so don't rule out "Lost's" potential. It's a great little film that could blossom into a feature-length sleeper hit, because everyone loves characters with whom they can identify. With some more character development, an expanded plot line, and bit of extra cash, Lost in Transportation could be made into a charming, funny, and touching full-length film.

This is an excellent indie short, a comedy that has its laugh out loud moments balanced with a real sense of pathos.

It's the story of Joe Schlepp, a Joe Nobody, a pathetic but lovable loser, his dead end job, and his quest to find an answer to the question, "How can I get people to stop yelling at me?"

In playing Schlepp, star/writer/director/editor Joe Hansard, even in his voice-over narrations, gives the audience plenty to laugh at, plenty of Schadenfreude, but at the same time really gets us rooting for his endearing Schlepp.

The supporting performances are also very good and the film as a whole is really tightly put together -- it's hard to think of a throwaway line, or a moment that isn't at least a little bit amusing. I particularly liked the unexpected direction the film moves in as it nears the end. It's also worth watching through the credits for a few last funny/sad shots of our hero.

What I like about this movie is similar to what I like in movies like Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Sideways, Donnie Darko, Ghost World, like those of Jim Jarmusch, John Waters. If you like intelligent, quirky, offbeat funny movies, there are certainly worse ways to spend 17 minutes than getting lost in Lost in Transportation.

The basic story is one that anyone and everyone can relate to. I mean we've all been there, at least i was so into the film that i got lost in the hero character alone. I met Joe in Canada where we took a summer program together and performed in front of an audience. Joe had explained to me his stand-up comedy background. As I watched the film I was taken aback by the seriousness of the main character, I know Joe as a very funny guy and was impressed with the story, the acting, and the overall presentation. He took a different turn with this project, and I'm proud of his achievement. We can expect great things from this man. Way to go Joe. Congratulations.

Artistic minimalism... Fred Strother's performance as the been there/done that/seen-it-all Supervisor is splendid nuance. Joy Haynes in her dual role is hilarious playing the over-the-top Miss Randallstown and exudes quiet strength later as The Goddess of Lost Luggage... Joe Hansard makes you really believe he is truly the schlep his name implies... Worth watching especially if you've ever had YOUR baggage lost by those nitwits at the airport... Watch closely for a couple of clever shots by cinematographer Robert G. Rutledge... A telling study of the human shortcomings in us all... Nice job by the day players in this short, especially the lady in the pool.. Now we all get to see how we look through the eyes of those who serve us in the nation's airports... Makes you want to avoid checking your bags altogether!

Limitations increase creativity and Lost in Transportation is living proof of that. The shoestring budget is obvious through the wardrobes and locations but the small story has a big heart. Joe Hansard does an excellent job playing a reserved Joe Schlepp while Frederick Strother is convincing as Hansard's mentor and friend. Joy Haynes shines as the bubbly and cordial Miss Randallstown while Pete Bergen rounds out the cast as the quintessential overbearing manager. At times a slice of life and at other moments surrealistic; this short film packs an insidious punch and makes for a worthwhile view.

Schlepp is hoping to transcend the quagmire of luggage that unfortunately defines his predictable life. Fred is Schlepp's co-worker; dispensing advice on how to mentally survive the Sisyphean efforts of their thankless jobs and deal with their ubiquitous manager. Unknowingly for Schlepp, his future is looking brighter. The very luggage he despises might be his salvation. Life isn't so bad after all, even if you do have baggage.