All Sharon wants for her birthday from her slacker
unemployed 30 year-old son Jeff who lives in her basement, is that he gets off
the couch and catches the bus to the hardware store to get some wood glue to
fix a broken shutter. Jeff, a big lump
of a man, is more than happy to let his life drift by as long as he gets his
daily fix of re-watching ‘SIGNS’ (the M. Night Shyamalan film) which
supplies his dubious rationale for there being order in the chaos.
The moment Jeff sets off to do his mother’s bidding he
is convinced that the whole world is sending him clues pointing to his
destiny. The first one leads him to be attacked
by strangers, and then he bumps into Pat his smoothie older brother who seizes
the opportunity to start lecturing Jeff again about getting his act together, although
he himself is stuck in a lousy job he hates and with a marriage that seems to be
falling apart and he’s leased a Porsche that he can totally not afford.
is convinced that the whole world is sending him clues pointing to his
destiny. The first one leads him to be attacked
by strangers, and then he bumps into Pat his smoothie older brother who seizes
the opportunity to start lecturing Jeff again about getting his act together, although
he himself is stuck in a lousy job he hates and with a marriage that seems to be
falling apart and he’s leased a Porsche that he can totally not afford.
As the brothers argue they spot Pat’s wife Linda
passing by with another man, and the two brothers start following her on a
manic wild goose chase to see if she is having an affair.
passing by with another man, and the two brothers start following her on a
manic wild goose chase to see if she is having an affair.
Meanwhile Sharon, who’s been divorced and single for
years, is beavering away in her monotonous 9-5 office job and is suddenly
getting instant messages on her computer from a secret admirer in her office.
years, is beavering away in her monotonous 9-5 office job and is suddenly
getting instant messages on her computer from a secret admirer in her office.
Somehow by the end of the day they all end up in the
same place with their stories converging too, and it all suddenly makes
sense. Especially to Jeff, as it turns
out the signs were right. and that this is his destiny.
same place with their stories converging too, and it all suddenly makes
sense. Especially to Jeff, as it turns
out the signs were right. and that this is his destiny.
This wonderful wee comedy is the latest work of the multi-talented
Duplasses brothers who’s work has come along such a long way since their debut
of the quirky ‘THE PUFFY CHAIR’, and so much more accessible than their
mumblecore movie ‘BAGHEAD’ (which I really loved). It is still an edgy indie movie but the cast
they have assembled makes it all seem so much more ‘grown-up’. Susan Sarandon is superb as frustrated Sharon
who knows she should make Jeff grow up: Ed Helms is the annoying brother Pat
who’s fondness for lucking at Hooters every day speaks volumes; Judy Greer (who stole her small scene from George
Clooney in ‘THE DESCENDENTS’ ) was the passive/aggressive Linda. But Jason Siegel as Jeff is the most unlikely
leading man ever, but was wonderfully convincing as the oversized big kid who so
deserved to be proved right especially as we were all rooting for him by the end.
Duplasses brothers who’s work has come along such a long way since their debut
of the quirky ‘THE PUFFY CHAIR’, and so much more accessible than their
mumblecore movie ‘BAGHEAD’ (which I really loved). It is still an edgy indie movie but the cast
they have assembled makes it all seem so much more ‘grown-up’. Susan Sarandon is superb as frustrated Sharon
who knows she should make Jeff grow up: Ed Helms is the annoying brother Pat
who’s fondness for lucking at Hooters every day speaks volumes; Judy Greer (who stole her small scene from George
Clooney in ‘THE DESCENDENTS’ ) was the passive/aggressive Linda. But Jason Siegel as Jeff is the most unlikely
leading man ever, but was wonderfully convincing as the oversized big kid who so
deserved to be proved right especially as we were all rooting for him by the end.
Refreshing and farcical, it’s rather a very pleasant anti-dote
to all the blockbuster comedies that Hollywood churn out that these days and that are, without exception,
singularly unfunny.
to all the blockbuster comedies that Hollywood churn out that these days and that are, without exception,
singularly unfunny.
★★★★★★★★
