Quick take: How to Make It in America, "Crisp"
"I look like I make jeans to you, pal?" - Butcher dude
Review: How to Make It in America, "Crisp"
(S0102) I'm finding it challenging to get a solid read on this show. Since I skipped the series premiere I'm willing to cut it a little slack. A little. The confusing part to me is that I get what it's going for: kind of an urban, gritty version of Entourage with New York City hustlers scrambling to make something of themselves, with antics and parties and a gloriously chaotic and frenetic city as its backdrop. I get what it's going for, but it's not quite getting there yet. So I found myself disappointed from nearly the first scene, and that feeling didn't really let up throughout the half hour.
Entourage takes a lot of flak for a number of reasons, but I've always disagreed. I find it to be an easygoing, fast paced, and often hilarious show with great characters and an engaging cast. And right now my takeaway is that How to Make It in America is proving how hard it is to achieve Entourage-like heights.
Luiz Guzman as Rene is a standout (as he often is) but his scenes have a different feel than the relatively lighter scenes with Ben (Bryan Greenberg) and Cam (Victor Rasuk). Perhaps a Carlito's Way to an Entourage-lite? Perhaps as the series matures the two sides will interact more (and on a final Entourage note, Rene is the Ari Gold figure, right?) and things will gel overall. And get funnier, too!
Recap: How to Make It in America, "Crisp"
Using $3G they got via yet another high-interest loan from Rene, Ben and Cam get their hands on the spool of Japanese denim. They hit a series of dead ends in their search to find a manufacturer for their "Crisp" brand of retro-70s jeans but after crashing a late night dinner with designer John Varvatos, they are granted a meeting. Varvatos' "jeans guy," sussing out their inexperience, tells them they need a sample - it's too soon for a manufacturer. But he has even better advice: quit. Undeterred, Ben vows to find a sample maker. Meanwhile, Rachel invites Ben out for sushi and it ends badly when he realizes "moving on" is the topic of conversation. Rene tries to get some love for his new beverage Rasta Monsta with some grassroots marketing ideas.
Video: How to Make It in America, "Crisp"
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