Braxton Taylor
Listen, I know. You may not have liked “Range 15.” You aren’t alone, either; many people — veterans included — were disappointed, too. Its average viewer reviews reflect that disappointment, but just remember the excitement around it: It was the first veteran-made independent film, one of the largest crowdfunded movies in Indiegogo’s history and immediately shot to the top of Amazon’s and Apple’s digital downloads.
It’s also important to remember that “Range 15” never tried to hide what it was, an over-the-top vetbro action comedy (just watch the trailer) with the kind of humor we’d come to expect from its creators and cast.
Creators Nick Palmisciano and crew are back with a new veteran production, and this time, the story is something every veteran can relate to: their first civilian job. “Office Joe” is a workplace comedy and a pretty funny take on the serious topic of veterans leaving the military and adjusting to the so-called “real world.”
Getting out of the military and transitioning into civilian life can be a difficult, strange and objectively hilarious time for veterans. It’s a real-life, “fish out of water” story that, surprisingly, hasn’t been told enough. That’s where “Office Joe” comes in. The show follows infantry Staff Sgt. Joe Hauser (Dan Mercer), who leaves the Army and relocates to work at a small marketing firm on the other side of the country.
In navigating this new life, “Joe hilariously finds himself on a quest for the two things that every military veteran searches for when they get out: Tribe and Purpose, as well as the one thing every human seeks: Love,” according to the show’s official description.
Joe encounters many people veterans might bump into in their early civilian lives, as well as some tailor-made for comedy. American Legion post commander Tony Garcia (Vincent Vargas) is also on hand to help Joe’s transition to civilian life.
Along with Palmisciano and Vargas, the cast includes other “Range 15” alums Jarred Taylor, Jack Mandaville, Tim Kennedy, Mary Dague and Hollywood Heard. Joining the cast are Suzy Palmisciano, comedian Ashley Gutermuth, Cristina Duchesne-Rivera (“Ordinary Things”), Kalli Therinae (“You’re Killing Me”), Samuel Elliott Whisnant (“Stranger Things”), Kenny Ortiz (“Ozark”), real-life EMT Jack Raia and Austin von Letkemann (better known to many as MandatoryFunDay on Instagram and TikTok).
They all come together to portray characters many veterans may encounter in real life, as well as some who add color to what can be an already strange situation. Vargas’s American Legion commander is intent on helping Joe successfully transition into civilian life. Nick Palmisciano is a retired Army officer Joe calls on for life advice, while Suzy Palmisciano is the well-meaning entrepreneurial boss, Karen. Mandaville plays a garish local businessman, and Taylor and Von Letkemann are two Army recruiters who work next door.
Eric Tansey, Dianne Paukstelis, Thomas Reed Hunt III, Seth Schenall and Ben Bunn round out the cast. “Office Joe” will be available on Blu-Ray DVD starting Nov. 4, 2024.
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