95 Miles to Go (2006)

Synopsis: Comedian Ray Romano found himself with a hit TV show on his hands after EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND first aired in 1996. Unaccustomed to life in the spotlight after years spent finely honing his craft before meager audiences, Romano returns to his roots--the stand-up comedy circuit--in 95 MILES... Comedian Ray Romano found himself with a hit TV show on his hands after EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND first aired in 1996. Unaccustomed to life in the spotlight after years spent finely honing his craft before meager audiences, Romano returns to his roots--the stand-up comedy circuit--in 95 MILES TO GO. Essentially, the film resembles a behind-the-scenes DVD extra extended to 81 minutes in length, with Romano dividing his screen time between existential musings, stand-up comedy performances, and lengthy shots of life on the road. Romano takes filmmaker and opening act Tom Caltabiano with him to document and perform on the eight-day tour, while film student and EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND intern Roger Lay, Jr., shakily captures everything on a video camera. As they travel from Florida to Georgia the mundanity of their road trip is portrayed in painstaking detail, and Romano uses the film to show what a regular guy he is, even stopping for an urgent bathroom break at one point. Romano and Caltabiano are old buddies who push each other to be funny whether on- or offstage, and Lay's amateurish camerawork creates a sense of intimacy that wouldn't translate in a bigger budget production. As it reveals a huge television personality attempting to cope with the humdrum hurdles that regular folks face on a daily basis, the film unravels at a slow pace. But, while making the point that his life isn't that different from anyone else's, Romano turns on the charm in this very unusual and highly personal project. [More]