Movie & music reviews
FAMILY DRAMA. With SHARLTO COPLEY, CHARLIE DAY and RICHARD JENKINS. Director: JOHN KRASINSKI. 7-9 PG L. Opens 3 MARCH. A struggling artist (John Krasinski) with a pregnant girlfriend (Anna Kendrick) hears his mother (Margo Martindale) is dying and returns to his parents’ home to be with his family. There he encounters his ex (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who still has feelings for him, and his emotionally unstable brother ( Sharlto Copley).
If you enjoy TV series and movies where you’re spoon-fed everything you need to know, albeit with good intentions, this is for you. It’s an everyday, heartfelt film with melancholic undertones, about an outsider who couldn’t adapt to or accept his family and now faces a crisis. The direction – by Krasinkski, who also plays the lead character – is effective, ensuring an undemanding watch that won’t disturb your comfort zone. It feels as if you’re visiting old friends and staying longer than you should because you’re enjoying the company and conversation.
The film mainly works because of the charming, charismatic Krasinkski who delivers a faultless turn, but the most memorable performance is by the multi-award-winning Martindale. Her character’s brave way of handling life-changing situations forms the heart of the film. South African actor Copley endears himself as the clumsy brother who gets everything wrong, while Kendrick provides a cheery contrast to this eccentric family.
Just the movie for a Friday night when you need to forget all about work, but you can also wait for the DVD and enjoy it as an intimate watch at home. – LEON VAN NIEROP