We meet Larry just as he’s getting fired from Buca de Beppo, he was stealing alcohol and tips. He almost skips out of the establishment with a bottle of tequila in his hands, practically high-fiving everyone that he’s been fired. This is the essential tone of the movie. Larry isn’t like everyone else. He talks to his dog, Arrow (played by Schwartzman’s real life dog Arrow) more than any other being.
After leaving the establishment he does key one of his former co-workers’ cars which he tells Arrow that he regrets. Especially when the co-worker and boss break into his house and almost steal Arrow.
After getting fired he immediately gets a job at Quick Lube (similar to real life Jiffy Lube) where he crushes on his lady boss. When one of his thug-like supervisors says he needs to give him $20 each day to keep his job, he doesn’t argue and just puts up with it. Larry goes to the ATM each day or finding enough change in each car to give him.
He isn’t entirely a loner though, he visits his Grandma (played by Olympia Dukakis) pretty frequently but more frequently when he needs money and she notices this. He’s buddies with one of the men that works at the senior citizens home, Norwood (played by Tunde Adebimpe) even though it’s clear that Norwood gets all the ladies and gets everything Larry doesn’t. He even begins dating Larry’s boss.
What makes you continue watching thought is Larry. No matter how bad his life is, no matter how many things go wrong, it doesn’t change his personality. He’s an optimistic slacker through and through, never blaming anyone, and it’s refreshing to see on screen. He’s lost, trying to figure life out. He doesn’t know what to do except to keep finding mediocre jobs and going on with life. Which makes him insanely relatable especially to the millennial and my generation.
Jason Schwartzman carries the film, he has an endearing quality where you can’t help but feel for him and get angry for him even when he doesn’t. His scenes with his dog and jokes trying to relate to other people are heartwarming and sweet. 7 Chinese Brothers is a character driven story where there’s no real ending or climax but you just know Larry is just going to keep on going and you hope that one day he’ll win and get what he deserves.
