Written by: Nicole Holofcener, Ted Thompson (based on the novel by)
Directed by: Nicole Holofcener
Starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Charlie Tahan, Connie Britton, Edie Falco, Elizabeth Marvel
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer
Plot
A man in his fifties implodes his affluent Connecticut life by leaving his wife. When he realizes his mistake, he tries to redeem his personal and professional missteps.
Verdict
Mendelsohn does a great job as always, but we've seen movie about aimless people finding their way. While this parallels father and son, the ending is out of step with the rest of movie. It's like we missed a big chapter. I like the questions this asks, but the ending erases a lot of the nuance this built. It's typical Hollywood happy ending that undermines the movie.
It depends.
Review
Mendelsohn frequently plays broken people. In this he's Anders, drifting through life after a divorce he initiated, unsure of what he wants. He bought into the American dream, but it wasn't fulfilling. Despite quitting his job, he can't find a passion for anything. He sought happiness, whatever that is, but what is that? It's almost like he's going through a mid-life crisis or realizing his mortality.
There's a thread through the movie about consumerism. Anders frequently buys pointless decorations for his condo. He wanders the aisles with copies of the same object in different colors. Stuff can't make you happy. Work didn't give him purpose. Neither does consumerism.
Ultimately this seems to be about taking responsibility. You can't shun the world, and humans need interaction.
This compares Anders to his son Preston. Neither are doing great. Preston isn't long out of rehab. They both deal with how society sees them. Neither is taken a typical path. The movie is about broken people. Some hide it better than others.
I wanted more from the ending. It doesn't say much. We get a time jump and everyone seems happy. Why? Do the characters deserve it? We haven't seen them take responsibility or own their problems. While there is a traumatic event in the movie that may precipitate this change in tone, that's never explicitly stated. We never see a spark that changes how the characters think. Shunning the world doesn't absolve you of being responsible for yourself or how you treat others. That seems to be teh message in the movie. That's part of being human. I'd prefer to see characters that have learned better how to cope rather than a happy ending where everything is perfectly fine and typical.
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