Director Jesse Peretz's ("The Ex") short filmography has failed to impress audiences until his latest film "Our Idiot Brother". Why did this film turn everything around for him? Is this because of the tier one female casting including Elizabeth Banks ("The Next Three Days"), Zooey Deschanel ("500 Days of Summer"), Rashida Jones (NBC's "Parks and Recreation"), Emily Mortinmer ("Shutter Island") and Kathryn Hahn ("How Do You Know")? Partially, but more importantly Paul Rudd's charming and subtly brilliant performance brings the film out of the first act's chaotic slump into a hilarious stride. Ned (Rudd) is a stereotypical hippie who works on an earthy farm with his soon to be ex-girlfriend, Janet (Hahn) until a police officer comes up to him and tricks him into selling him weed. This lands Ned straight in prison and when he is released he is houseless, jobless and friendless, but not family-less. Ned turns to his three sisters Miranda (Banks), Natalie (Deschanel) and Liz (Mortimer) for a place to stay while he works to get back to the only creature in the world he needs; his dog, Willie Nelson. Ned becomes an easily-targeted scapegoat in his family with his nonchalant loving ways causing his sisters to blame him for all of their problems. Between Miranda's news story and best friend (Adam Scott, NBC's "Parks and Recreation") troubles, Natalie's relationship mishaps with her girlfriend Cindy (Jones) and Liz's marriage to Dylan (Steve Coogan, "The Other Guys") loosing flare; Ned has a lot of denunciation coming his way.
This offbeat comedy relies on three things to rally itself from its rocky start to its emotion-provoking climax. First, as things begin coming together Banks, Deschanel, Jones, Mortinmer and Hahn are able to turn their lightly comedic performance into a dramatified very well acted self-indulgence. Second, the kookiness of the film pays off in its second act as a literary pattern is established. However, the most important thing the film relies on is Paul Rudd's best and most unique performance to date. Rudd's charm has been highly praised, but I would like to give kudos to his realistic angry outburst that should warrant him a best actor in a comedy nomination somewhere.
Besides the opening scene establishing Paul Rudd's character, the first thirty minutes of the film are an oddly assembled mess. However, the biggest issue is not that the plot-structure is off-center, it is that nothing transpires that aids in the overall storytelling. Then after the triumph of the second half of the film, the ending fails to be thought provoking and instead becomes monotonously cliché. Yes it is a cute ending, but it is completely disconnected from the quirky comedy that comes before it taking away from the film's message. Lastly, the whininess of the sisters can become very annoying even if it is important to the story.
Idiosyncratic comedy mixed with Paul Rudd's idealistic charm and a big name cast; lift "Our Idiot Brother" out of its early plunge making it a very oddly funny movie. However, in order to fully enjoy it you have to work to get something out of it and focus on Rudd's performance.
This offbeat comedy relies on three things to rally itself from its rocky start to its emotion-provoking climax. First, as things begin coming together Banks, Deschanel, Jones, Mortinmer and Hahn are able to turn their lightly comedic performance into a dramatified very well acted self-indulgence. Second, the kookiness of the film pays off in its second act as a literary pattern is established. However, the most important thing the film relies on is Paul Rudd's best and most unique performance to date. Rudd's charm has been highly praised, but I would like to give kudos to his realistic angry outburst that should warrant him a best actor in a comedy nomination somewhere.
Besides the opening scene establishing Paul Rudd's character, the first thirty minutes of the film are an oddly assembled mess. However, the biggest issue is not that the plot-structure is off-center, it is that nothing transpires that aids in the overall storytelling. Then after the triumph of the second half of the film, the ending fails to be thought provoking and instead becomes monotonously cliché. Yes it is a cute ending, but it is completely disconnected from the quirky comedy that comes before it taking away from the film's message. Lastly, the whininess of the sisters can become very annoying even if it is important to the story.
Idiosyncratic comedy mixed with Paul Rudd's idealistic charm and a big name cast; lift "Our Idiot Brother" out of its early plunge making it a very oddly funny movie. However, in order to fully enjoy it you have to work to get something out of it and focus on Rudd's performance.