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A business course on cutthroat commercialism camouflaged as a slacker funny: Thats the kindest way to describe Michael Lehmanns Flakes, a movie that shares the smug, hipper-than-thou perceptiveness of its sour lead character, Neal Downs (Aaron Stanford).

An aspiring rock musician who manages a New Orleans eatery where the only expense of fare is breakfast cereal, Neal is a reflexively ironical deadbeat whose similarly sour sweetheart, Pussy Katz (Zooey Deschanel), shares his bohemian dream of traveling the nation in an Airstream trailer, making music and art.

The walls of the restaurant, called Flakes, are lined with cereal boxes, consisting of uncommon discontinued brands. As customers slop up unique mixes, the motion picture suggests a deadpan satire of premium fetishism. One home specialized chocolate-flavored grains soaked in chocolate milk sounds particularly nauseating.

Owned by Willie (Christopher Lloyd), a run-down hippie geezer with mad-scientist hair, Flakes hops along as a hangout for deadbeats up until a bright-eyed nouveau riche visitor, Stuart (Keir ODonnell), proposes turning it into a lucrative franchise. When Willie and Neal express no interest, Stuart develops a rival Flakes throughout the street, and the New Orleans cereal wars begin.

Hoping to put Stuart out of business, Neal starts playing dirty tricks, the nastiest of which is the distribution of fliers to the homeless promising 10 free bowls per consumer at his rivals facility. The trick triggers a near-riot that Stuart skillfully turns to his advantage.

Neals new live-in relationship with Pussy starts to curdle when she turns traitor and goes to work for the competition, hoping that the death of the initial Flakes will leave Neal with time to complete his CD. If the name of his band, Cereal Killers, is perfectly selected, its music is a joke.

Once legal representatives become associated with the dispute, the motion pictures anti-establishment attitude vaporizes, as does the tiny little levity Flakes has actually generated.

FLAKES

Opens on Wednesday in Manhattan; likewise Additional resources on Video as needed.

Directed by Michael Lehmann; composed by Chris Poche and Karey Kirkpatrick; director of photography, Nancy Schreiber; modified by Nicholas C. Smith; music by Jason Derlatka and Jon Ehrlich; produced by Gary Winick and Jake Abraham; launched by IFC First Take. At the IFC Center, 323 Opportunity of the Americas, at Third Street, Greenwich Village. Running time: 1 hour 24 minutes. This movie is not ranked.

WITH: Aaron Stanford (Neal Downs), Zooey Deschanel (Miss Pussy Katz), Christopher Lloyd (Willie), Frank Wood (Bruce), Ryan Donowho (Skinny Larry), Izabella Miko (Strawberry) and Keir ODonnell (Stuart).