Sort of a fictionalized version of Kevin James or Drew Carey, James Aaron (played by Jeff Garlin of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" fame, who also wrote, produced and directed the film) is a portly, wisecracking actor/comedian who lives with his mother in Chicago, is a member of The Second City comedy troupe (probably the one bright spot in his life), and is seemingly destined never to meet the girl of his dreams - mainly due to his lifelong battle with food and weight (like many of his fellow human beings, he always seems to be on the verge of starting a brand-new diet, then finding reasons to renege on it). James struggles to find decent roles for a man of his girth, and he feels he'd be perfect for the remake of "Marty" that a casting-director friend of his is currently at work on. On a personal level, all James really wants is to find a woman who will be able to look beyond his physical appearance and to see him for the good guy that he is - and, of course, to eat cheese with him (though he admits ice cream would be even better). In an effort to attain that goal, James hooks up with several women throughout the course of the film, including comedienne Sarah Silverman, who plays one of those flighty, free-thinking, free-spirited young women who seem to exist only in independent comedies.
Indeed, "I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With" has virtually all the hallmarks of the traditional indie comedy: minimal plotting; an emotionally detached, slightly cynical protagonist who makes wry observations on the world around him; a bevy of eccentric, offbeat secondary characters; countless "in" movie references; a droll tone. As such, the movie doesn't always seem as innovative and fresh as it might have had it arrived at the vanguard of this now over-tapped genre instead of the after-guard. That being said, there's much that is likable in the film, starting with the performances, which are all spot-on and amusing, and the writing, which is frequently insightful, offbeat and clever. James, with his body issues and inability to connect with that one special someone in his life, is an effective everyman character whom the audience can certainly relate to, and Garlin's low-keyed, understated approach to the role makes the character all the more appealing.
Indeed, "I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With" has virtually all the hallmarks of the traditional indie comedy: minimal plotting; an emotionally detached, slightly cynical protagonist who makes wry observations on the world around him; a bevy of eccentric, offbeat secondary characters; countless "in" movie references; a droll tone. As such, the movie doesn't always seem as innovative and fresh as it might have had it arrived at the vanguard of this now over-tapped genre instead of the after-guard. That being said, there's much that is likable in the film, starting with the performances, which are all spot-on and amusing, and the writing, which is frequently insightful, offbeat and clever. James, with his body issues and inability to connect with that one special someone in his life, is an effective everyman character whom the audience can certainly relate to, and Garlin's low-keyed, understated approach to the role makes the character all the more appealing.