24-Seven (1999)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Sean Cooney

Writer:

Tariq Jalil (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Plot:

Raji, an East Indian store owner puts viruses in his slushies in a plan to conquer the world. Since only white people eat junk food, they are to be the only ones infected. Can Raji hold his ideas when the beautiful Claire arrives?

Plot Keywords:

Junk Food | Conquer The World | Customer | Indian Music | Sitar

Cast

Tariq Jalil	...	Raji
Jacinda Barrett	...	Claire
Terrence Evans	...	Hick
Carlos Oscar	...	Gangster
Rebecca Brand	...	Bag Lady
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Arthur Berg	...	Trucker (as Charles Berg)
Bobby Chitán	...	Trucker
Dexter	...	Indian
Michael Doti	...	Indian
Shecky Flannelgrin	...	Trucker
Hall	...	Indian
Vinod Kumar	...	Indian
Enus McGargle	...	Trucker
Renji Philip	...	Indian
Jason Rosenberg	...	Trucker
Narinder Samra	...	Indian
Aditya Sood	...	Indian
Terry Tocantins	...	Trucker
Honky Tubbleworth	...	Trucker
Anthony Turban	...	Indian
Freddy Waff	...	Trucker

Runtime:

8 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Quotes:

Raji: Uhm, now, uh, the slushies, they are three part syrup, one part virus.

Thank you, come again!

24-SEVEN is a wry, satirical look at racism and xenophobia in America as seen through the eyes of an Eastern Indian convenience store clerk named Raji. Raji and his three cohorts are part of a sinister plot being perpetrated by an underground network of minorities intent on global domination. Masking as "silly, harmless Indians" complete with turban and phony accent, Raji peddles tainted "Slooshies" to the unsuspecting American public, since only white people drink them.

Conflict arises when Raji falls for Claire (played by Jacinda Barrett of REAL WORLD fame), a sexy Caucozoid shopper who charms him with her radiance and her tolerance of diversity. His infatuation with Claire brings about a moral dilemma when she attempts to purchase an infected soft drink. His solution to the problem is not all that unexpected, but it still makes for a fitting--and hilarious--conclusion.

Rarely does one have the opportunity to see to see the white American culture get razzed by Middle Easterners, but writer/producer/star Tariq Jalil succeeds in telling a story that pokes harmless fun at us white guys while dispensing some refreshing anti-racist themes as well. The "Middle Eastern shopkeeper" stereotype is demonstrated flawlessly by Jalil, and this film does a wonderful job at reiterating just how accepted this absurd stereotype has become in American society.