‘Harvey Greenfield Is Running Late’ Review: Paul Richards Makes an Exasperating Hero Hard to Resist

 

‘Harvey Greenfield Is Running Late’ Review: Paul Richards Makes an Exasperating Hero Hard to Resist

Jonnie Howard’s micro-budget comedy finds humor and unexpected tenderness in the chaotic life of a man who cannot get out of his own way.

The average adult makes 35,000 decisions a day—or so “Harvey Greenfield Is Running Late” tells us at the outset. Poor Harvey struggles to make even one. Directed by Jonnie Howard and starring Paul Richards, this very funny, unexpectedly touching 94-minute comedy introduces an indecisive people pleaser whose determination to disappoint no one guarantees that nearly everyone will suffer, including himself.

Paul Richards is 'Harvey Greenfield,' and he's always running late. (Photo Courtesy)

More accomplished than its micro-budget might suggest, the film benefits from Howard’s assured direction and Neil Oseman’s carefully composed cinematography. But its greatest asset is Richards, who brings Harvey perilously close to being unlikeable before drawing us back with an awkwardness so complete that affection begins to compete with judgment. And there is plenty to judge.

Harvey lies to himself and others, becoming his own worst enemy. His troubles are rarely accidents of circumstance; he helps create them, then struggles with the consequences. His jacket is too big for his tall, thin frame, as are his trousers, and his tie looks slightly defeated. He appears to have dressed for a life he has not quite figured out how to live. He also believes practically everything he reads, making him an easy mark for scams and questionable promises. Bless his heart. You want to protect him, although you may first want to shake him.

Paul Richards Finds the Charm Beneath the Chaos

Richards understands the delicate balance Harvey requires. He can be pitiful without becoming merely an object of pity, charming without suddenly acquiring a confidence that would make him someone else. His nervousness and misplaced trust invite sympathy, but his dishonesty prevents us from treating him as an innocent bystander in his own misfortunes.

The quieter jokes often land best. Some of the broader humor is decidedly in your face, with puns that linger long enough to ensure nobody misses the point. The subtler moments allow an uncomfortable pause or a passing reaction to do the work, giving Richards room to reveal something about Harvey rather than simply deliver another joke.

Just when we have settled into the rhythm of Harvey’s chaos, the film finds moments of unexpected tenderness. These shifts are particularly effective because Howard resists turning them into grand declarations. They emerge naturally from a character whose desperate efforts to please others often conceal his inability to understand himself.

Jonnie Howard Makes the Awkwardness Work

Howard and Oseman give Harvey’s discomfort a carefully considered visual language. Long shots allow his desperation to unfold within the space around him, while tighter shots capture the reactions of those caught in his orbit. The approach makes effective use of the film’s modest resources, placing the emphasis on performance, composition and comic timing.

Breaking the fourth wall can be tricky, but here it feels essential. Harvey’s direct address draws us into his confidence rather than leaving us to observe him from a distance. We become his reluctant companions, privy to explanations that reveal as much about his self-deception as they do about his circumstances.

The supporting ensemble is first-rate, but this is Richards’ film. He gives Harvey enough contradictions to suggest a life beyond these 94 minutes, perhaps even a series with the awkward, character-driven energy of “The Office.” Michael Scott comes to mind: another profoundly frustrating man whose desperate need for approval somehow secures our affection. Dare I say it, there are moments when I like Harvey even more.

Poor Harvey. He may be running late, but I would happily spend more time with him.

“Very funny and unexpectedly touching.”

— Lapacazo Sandoval, AmNews Curtain Raiser

Film Credits

“Harvey Greenfield Is Running Late”

Genre: Comedy

Running time: 94 minutes

Director: Jonnie Howard

Producers: Jonnie Howard and Mikey Kowalczyk

Cinematographer: Neil Oseman

Cast: Paul Richards, Liz Barker, Annette Badland, Norman Lovett, Ewen MacIntosh, Graham Parker, Anni Domingo, Patrick Monahan, Michael Fenton Stevens, Dave Benson Phillips, Alan Hay, Tomi Egbowon-Ogunjobi, Lily Lovett, Kate Madison, Matt Ray Brown and Rebecca Finch.