Last weekend, Westfield Playhouse premiered the Hoosier-made movie, The Dealer Smiles. The movie is based on a play written by Indiana’s own Larry Adams. Adams directed the movie and stars along with Jaime Johnson, who were both on hand last Sunday for a talk-back session about the making of the film.
Reeling from the guilt of a recent divorce and still embittered by the tragic deaths of his parents years ago, Matt Pierson (played by Adams) finds himself wandering the self-help section of a local bookstore, searching for anything that might resemble meaning.
That is, until Josh (played by Johnson), a mysterious and eccentric fan of football and chocolate, enters the store and Matt’s life. Beginning with a simple cup of cocoa – rather, hot chocolate – Matt is reluctantly drawn into a conversation that will ultimately lead him to question his assumptions about life and his place in the larger world around him.
The Dealer Smiles is an inspirational comedy that offers questions without giving answers, theology without being religious, and philosophy without becoming … well, boring. It uses a healthy dose of humor to raise serious questions about faith, forgiveness, suffering, God, and yes, even chocolate.
“There are so many enriching ‘a-ha’ moments, mixed in with a lot of clever, funny and even ridiculous humor,” said Ken Klingenmeier of the online theater blog, A Seat on the Aisle.
Westfield Playhouse’s next production will be one-day only Christmas special. Find out more at WestfieldPlayhouse.org.