After the Tooth Fairy quits, fellow mythological operative Cupid (Jesse Stokdyk) is assigned to fill in until a replacement is found. With no training and little but the threat of needing to meet a quota from the Boss (Candace Ostler), Cupid sets out to claim his first tooth, with the help of the Sand(wo)man (Jessica Moehr) and other co-workers willing to lend a helping hand (or, eventually, a fist).
Filling In has a cutesy and whimsical vibe befitting the subject matter, and it’s mostly easy to follow who is who based on their outfit. The film is also suitably composed and in-focus, additionaly utilizing some flashes of quality visual effects to elevate elements. All in all, the technical skills and effort involved are not lacking very much.
Where the main criticism comes is in the execution of the basic premise itself, which is like a bad Saturday Night Live skit that not only overstays its welcome, but also never delivers on its promise. Having a gallery of mythological characters to work with, the film could’ve really gone for some insane scenarios or humor, but instead seems mostly focused on Cupid and Sandy lamenting the situation, and doing little else but fret with a cameo or two from other characters who also, mostly, do nothing but talk about the situation.
For me, I would’ve liked to have seen more attempts at teeth-snagging going horribly awry than what we got, which was big on talk and short on show. Still, I can’t deny that the film has chops in other areas, so it’s not waste by any stretch. Filling In just ultimately underwhelms on its own potential.
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