Cruise Control @TADF2022

Nothing is more irritating or annoying than when you know you are getting a robocall or a scam phone caller. We sometimes hit ourselves in the head when we pick up the call thinking that it is something important or an emergency. But do we ever think that the person calling us is in an emergency situation?

Director Sam Rudykoff put together this delightful satire of a short film called Cruise. Screened recently at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, the film centers around scam phone callers. In this instance, they are trying to give away a fake cruise to save their lives. Chad Andrews plays Jake who is the first scam phone caller who gives it his all. Then Mark, played by Simon Pond, tries to take the bull by its horn afterwards. Ray James plays the Entertainment Director who is micromanaging and trying to force the results.

Many of us can relate to Cruise when it comes to jobs you hate to pay the bills. Or that asshole of a boss you have that is watching every move you make. The fact that Ray James is sitting across and watching these scam phone callers working the phones is common in the workplace. But all of us hate it when our boss has nothing better to do but watch us work. There is nothing more demeaning.

If you ever worked in sales where you cold call people to get them to buy what you are pitching is what this film Cruise is made for. It’s those numbers that you can’t connect with or those people you cannot connect with over the phone. Or that sales manager who berates you like Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting. They always say how easy your work is to them. Those relations with your higher-ups spark high levels of anxiety and they always show you who is in control.

Even though our hatred game for scam callers is strong, Cruise creates a soft spot for those who are trying to attain your credit card number. When you know they are trying to squeeze every little penny from you with their devious tactics. But we all have to remember one thing. Behind every prick, there is a bigger one.