“This is Where I Leave You” is a typical throw a family
together under funeral circumstances and hilarity will ensue film. This is an
okay film, probably better for rental or streaming in a few months. I only paid
matinee price and was amused. Jason Bateman’s Judd walks into his apartment
with a birthday cake for his wife, only to find her in an
inappropriate situation with his boss. Ooops. Now he’s getting divorced, needs
a job, and gets a call from his sister (Tina Fey) that his father died. He
arrives to sit shiva with his whole family. Mom (Jane Fonda), older brother
Paul (Cory Stoller), sister, and baby brother (Adam Driver). Add in assorted
wives, kids, neighbors, and former hometown loves (Rose Byrne, Timothy
Olyphant).
But the point of the film is family. No matter what - you
can battle, have some grudges, and your siblings will still love you. I was
very happy that throughout the film, no bad secrets came out about the father.
That’s often the twist for films these days. All in all, he was a glue for the
family and they all missed him in their own way. Very nice.
The siblings did fall into stereotypes but thanks to decent
acting rose above the material. Tina Fey as the only girl was the heart and
boss of the group. The older brother was looked up to and yet “disliked” for
being the “good one who set the example”. Judd as the middle brother was
popular, cool, and Bateman does bemused snarky well. Despite outward
appearances, Judd is an insecure mess – sure that he’s always never quite made
it. Peter, the youngest, is the beloved screw-up. He gets away with
shenanigans, but really wants to be like his older siblings.
“This is Where I Leave You” does have a lot of good moments
and lines. It solves things a bit too easily with pregnancies and the whole
“circle of life” cliché. And yet, that is life, and as we leave the film, we
have to hope the characters have grown and will succeed in new paths, plus stay
in touch.
