Today, while scouring The Hollywood Reporter, I found news that Brian Geraghty, Josh Peck, and Margarita Levieva have all been tapped to star in ATM, a thriller about three co-workers trapped in an ATM vestibule by an undoubtedly dangerous, definitely mysterious man. And though the first thoughts that come to my mind upon reading such news should be along the lines of, Wow, how refreshing to see these three young talented actors score headlining roles! instead I thought, Please, ATM, do not ruin the ATM fantasy Friends created.
Because if Friends and the unyielding optimism of the mid-1990s taught us anything, it’s that you could one day get stuck in an ATM vestibule with a model as famous and good-looking (in high-waisted pants!) as Jill Goodacre. So, why, oh why, ATM, do you have to go and make Automated Teller Machines scary? (I mean, the balance that pops up on the screen whenever I take out money is petrifying enough, thankyouverymuch.) Whereas I once often dreamed of blackouts while taking out cash, ATM-fueled fear might kill my fantasy of one day being able to utter, “I am stuck in an ATM vestibule with Andrew Keegan.” (Hey, we are talking about 1990s here.) That is, of course, before I almost ruin everything by telling him, “Gum would be perfection.”
Who else is unable to think of the words “trapped” and “ATM” without thinking of Friends? Or just “vestibule” for that matter? And who else responded with, “Gum would be perfection,” whenever offered a piece of Fruit Strip Gum for at least five years after the episode aired?
Read more:
Everything Reminds Us of ‘Friends’
I think of my 4th birthday when a flood came up and we were caught with the only high ground being the stand alone ATM and a bank. Mom, Dad, great-grandma and I started in the ATM, but then the water started coming up to that, the only thing higher was the bank. So what did we do? Break into the bank.
Since it was obviously a life-threatening situation and obvious we didn’t try and get to the vault or anything, we were never in trouble for it.
That’s a cool story. Not that I’m happy that your lives were threatened by a flood, of course!
I haven’t seen Friends, so I can’t comment on that. But the premise sounds awfully similar to Phone Booth, which was rather mediocre, IMO, despite good direction and solid acting. Still, I loved Brian Geraghty in The Hurt Locker and I’m interested in pretty much anything he does. Hopefully, he’ll break out soon in the way The Hurt Locker helped Jeremy Renner.
Guh…wha…huUUH. I don’t even…! You’ve never watched Friends?!?
I’m one of those people who will watch any Friends rerun anytime no matter how many times I’ve seen it. Since Friends is on so many times a day, it’s a wonder I ever leave the couch! But the oddest thing is I have never seen that ATM episode in syndication. When I got the Season One DVDs, I immediately played that episode just to prove I didn’t dream up Chandler and a supermodel sharing gum in an ATM vestibule. Weird, right?
Andrew Keegan! There were a handful of years I had a whole wall of my bedroom solely dedicated to him! I wonder what he’s up to now…
“gum would be perfection”
I can’t count the number of times I’ve said “gum would be perfection.” I’ve also been known to sing “New York City has no power/and the milk is getting sour/but to me it is not scary/’cause I stay away from dairy. (la la la la la la la la…)” And also “Mm trp n n aem vstbl wi JI GOOCR,” which Joey would be able to correctly translate.
Yeah. Seen that episode just a few times…
You beat me to my reply of “Mm trp n n aem vstbl wi JI GOOCR”…bwahaha!
The word “vestibule” alone triggers this episode.
Elle-oh-elle. And good to know that Josh Peck is finding work.
I’m able to hear those two words and not give a single thought to “Friends.” I managed to successfully avoid that show for its entire run as well as its syndication.
Yay!! Congratulations!
Congrats! Weird how you haven’t been able to avoid blog posts about it, though.
Two Options:
1) Friends is on DVD…you can watch it to your heart’s content
2)Don’t watch the movie
Actually there’s a third:
GET OVER IT!!!!
Every time I hear the word “vestibule” I think of this episode. Every. Time.