'The Willoughbys (2020)' is all about family, as most family comedies tend to be, but it centres on a set of siblings whose parents are totally against their existence (and, perhaps, using a condom). The flick is frustrating when it wants to be frustrating, quite boldly conveying childhood neglect and yet doing it in a cartoonishly over-the-top way. It's a decent enough romp when it gets going, which takes a tad longer than it should, and its almost stop-motion aesthetic - more so in style than in movement - is fun to look at, even if it isn't as distinct as it could've been. The film treads on familiar ground and, as such, is very predictable. It isn't all that funny but it's charming enough. One of its odder quirks is the choice to have Ricky Gervais dryly narrate, making meta comments along the way. Yet, for all its tonal inconsistency, this is perhaps the affair's most memorable aspect. Overall, the thing does what it needs to. It's entertaining and well-made, even if it doesn't quite stir all the emotions it intends to. 6/10
Review of The Willoughbys
