As published by the Morrisons Cove Herald on October 2, 2014.
BY RYAN C. SHOWERS
"This is Where I Leave You" has enough on its surface to appeal to a wide, generic audience. The impressive collection of talents manufactures a sizable expectation for people familiar with the actor's past successes, and an extremely high expectation is never a good sign. It pretends to carry a comedy-drama equilibrium of the highest quality, but sadly this is where "This Is Where I Leave You" leaves you unsatisfied, mastering neither comedic nor dramatic moments.
Judd Altman (Jason Bateman) has been hit with some emotional setbacks. He comes home to celebrate his wife's birthday to find her sexually engaged with his boss in their bedroom. Subsequently, the wife reveals she's pregnant with Judd's baby. On top of that, he is called to his childhood home to reunite with his family after his father dies. His mother (Jane Fonda) reveals his father's final wish to Judd and his siblings (played by Tina Fey, Adam Driver, and Corey Stoll): to live as a united family under one roof again. For a single week, the drama of each member of the family begins to exacerbate as the adult siblings revisit their childhood.
The premise is one familiar to moviegoers - in fact, maybe too familiar. Instantly the movie was reminiscent of "The Upside of Anger", "The Family Stone", and "Home for the Holidays", but "This is Where I Leave You" does not improve the concepts established in those films, but rather falters in its own attempts to move and entertain its audience.
However, the film is not entirely poor; in fact, it is very watchable. There's an effortless flow to "This is Where I Leave You" that makes adapting to the storyline and characters a very easy task, even though the viewer is aware that the nature of the project is a mediocre representation of what is possible with the talent involved and the storyline at hand.
Comparing "This is Where I Leave You" to a vacuum would not be unfair; it sucks up the casts' indelible flairs and leaves little to boast about in the final product. Jason Bateman's character is put through the wringer, yet the depth Bateman is trying to convey is not fully translated in the viewing of the film. Jane Fonda appears as inherently fabulous, even in her stereotypical character. Though in a much smaller role, Rose Byrne is an awesome addition to the ensemble.
Tina Fey is a comedic genius. The woman has won eight Emmys for her aptitude in comedy, so why she was cast in the most dramatic role in "This Is Where I Leave" remains an enigma. Someone once told me Fey does not contain much range as an actress. That struck me funny because I always thought of her as a comedian, not an "actress". With her work here, she may have tried to expand her horizons, but as a fan of "30 Rock" and her time on "Saturday Night Live", Ms. Fey would be smartest to stick to the material that she can rock.
"This is Where I Leave You" neither succeeds as a comedy nor a drama, and it is trying to be both. The film thinks resorting to poop jokes and outrageous sexual humor about the 76 year- old Jane Fonda is acceptable. The quips barely bite and the pathos does not affect, resulting in a hollow thud of a movie.
* * / * * * *
BY RYAN C. SHOWERS
"This is Where I Leave You" has enough on its surface to appeal to a wide, generic audience. The impressive collection of talents manufactures a sizable expectation for people familiar with the actor's past successes, and an extremely high expectation is never a good sign. It pretends to carry a comedy-drama equilibrium of the highest quality, but sadly this is where "This Is Where I Leave You" leaves you unsatisfied, mastering neither comedic nor dramatic moments.
Judd Altman (Jason Bateman) has been hit with some emotional setbacks. He comes home to celebrate his wife's birthday to find her sexually engaged with his boss in their bedroom. Subsequently, the wife reveals she's pregnant with Judd's baby. On top of that, he is called to his childhood home to reunite with his family after his father dies. His mother (Jane Fonda) reveals his father's final wish to Judd and his siblings (played by Tina Fey, Adam Driver, and Corey Stoll): to live as a united family under one roof again. For a single week, the drama of each member of the family begins to exacerbate as the adult siblings revisit their childhood.
The premise is one familiar to moviegoers - in fact, maybe too familiar. Instantly the movie was reminiscent of "The Upside of Anger", "The Family Stone", and "Home for the Holidays", but "This is Where I Leave You" does not improve the concepts established in those films, but rather falters in its own attempts to move and entertain its audience.
However, the film is not entirely poor; in fact, it is very watchable. There's an effortless flow to "This is Where I Leave You" that makes adapting to the storyline and characters a very easy task, even though the viewer is aware that the nature of the project is a mediocre representation of what is possible with the talent involved and the storyline at hand.
Comparing "This is Where I Leave You" to a vacuum would not be unfair; it sucks up the casts' indelible flairs and leaves little to boast about in the final product. Jason Bateman's character is put through the wringer, yet the depth Bateman is trying to convey is not fully translated in the viewing of the film. Jane Fonda appears as inherently fabulous, even in her stereotypical character. Though in a much smaller role, Rose Byrne is an awesome addition to the ensemble.
Tina Fey is a comedic genius. The woman has won eight Emmys for her aptitude in comedy, so why she was cast in the most dramatic role in "This Is Where I Leave" remains an enigma. Someone once told me Fey does not contain much range as an actress. That struck me funny because I always thought of her as a comedian, not an "actress". With her work here, she may have tried to expand her horizons, but as a fan of "30 Rock" and her time on "Saturday Night Live", Ms. Fey would be smartest to stick to the material that she can rock.
"This is Where I Leave You" neither succeeds as a comedy nor a drama, and it is trying to be both. The film thinks resorting to poop jokes and outrageous sexual humor about the 76 year- old Jane Fonda is acceptable. The quips barely bite and the pathos does not affect, resulting in a hollow thud of a movie.
* * / * * * *