Film Review: "Our Idiot Brother"

I have been disappointed by a few things this summer. “The Hangover: Part II” failed to live up to its legendary predecessor. Steve Carell let me down by presenting a tremendously unemotional act in “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” And, as much as Kristen Wiig's gave a great performance in "Bridesmaids", I really wish her fellow comediennes got more time to demonstrate their comedic talents. So, as much as I was looking forward to seeing Paul Rudd headline his latest film “Our Idiot Brother,” there was still some apprehension brewing inside me. Suppose the amiable actor disappoints with a phoned-in performance? Suppose the movie barely contain raw human emotion? What if some of the film's cast members do not have enough screen time? Happily, that proved to not be the case. When viewing the movie this past Wednesday night, it was delightful to see Paul Rudd depict a greatly-developed protagonist. What’s more, it was wonderful to see an ensemble of performers portray colorful characters who all served a specific purpose to the film. Thus, I can say with utmost sincerity:

“Our Idiot Brother” is A Truly Funny and Intelligent Comedy that Lets All of Its Characters Shine Brightly!

In Director Jesse Peretez’s endearing comedy, we meet Paul Rudd’s Ned; a carefree guy working at a local market stand. After being politely coaxed by a police officer into selling him drugs, he is immediately arrested. Eight months later, Ned is released on bail and returns to the farm where he used to live. Unfortunately, his girlfriend Janet, played by Kathryn Hahn without any pleasantness, refuses to let him stay. She also refuses to let him take his beloved dog, humorously named “Willie Nelson,” with him. Soon after, Janet’s new boyfriend Billy, played smoothly by T.J. Miller, drives Ned into a nearby town; and, Ned says farewell to “Willie Nelson.” Billy tells Ned that he’ll try to persuade Janet to let our hero to stay in the goat barn if he can provide the money needed for rent. Eventually, Ned is seen sitting down for a family dinner with his mother Ilene, played sweetly by Shirley Knight, and his three inattentive sisters: Miranda, an aspiring journalist portrayed smugly by Elizabeth Banks, uneasily-married Liz, portrayed with great apprehension by Emily Mortimer, and Natalie; a bisexual comedienne played prudently by Zooey Deschennel. All three sisters are not very comfortable around Ned; as they are very put off by his laid-back attitude and lifestyle. Nevertheless, Emily Mortimer’s Liz lets Ned stay with her and pays him to help her husband Dylan, haughtily played by Steve Coogan, with his documentary duties; as well as take care of her energetic son River; portrayed with great enthusiasm by Matthew Mindler. In addition, our protagonist also helps out Elizabeth Banks’ Miranda by driving her and her interview subject Lady Arabella; an author played by Janet Montgomery. Regrettably, Ned’s carefree way of life gets in the way of his sisters’ lives, and Miranda, in a desperate attempt to get rid of our protagonist, gives him the rest of the money needed to pay rent. Unfortunately, it turns out that T.J. Miller’s Billy never spoke to Kathryn Hahn’s Janet about letting Ned stay in the goat house; and the sisters are once again stuck with Ned. This annoys them further; seeings as our hero inadvertently disrupts their personal lives in significant ways throughout the film. And, as the events of “Our Idiot Brother” unfold in front of our very eyes, all the characters appear completely genuine; thanks in large part to all of the cast's top-notch acting-- thus making the movie one of the summer's most unforgettable releases!

Image taken from http://media.theiapolis.com/d8-iEVO-k9-lFU9/paul-rudd-as-ned-in-our-idiot-brother-2011.html

Most of what makes “Our idiot Brother” so remarkable, is Paul Rudd’s endearing performance as Ned; the film’s lighthearted protagonist. As Ned, Rudd delivers his lines with brisk eagerness; thus establishing an easygoing demeanor for his character. His comic timing is more-than-impeccable; seeing as he never misses a beat when responding to the quips thrown at him by his fellow castmembers’ characters. What’s more, the actor is adept at performing various forms of comedy; whether it is obvious, subtle, or verbal. Thus, throughout the film, the actor provides the most laughter for the audience; while a majority of the rest of the cast serves as the ones who grow frustrated with his protagonist. Needless to say; his relaxed attitude will make you smile, chuckle, and applaud.

But, while we laugh at the comical performance that Paul Rudd supplies to us as Ned, we can’t help but sympathize with his character at all times. Right at the start of the movie, we feel bad for Rudd’s protagonist as he is basically cajoled into giving the police officer drugs; leading to him getting arrested. Also, upon arriving home, instead of welcoming Ned back with open arms, Kathryn Hahn’s Janet is found to have T.J. Miller’s Billy as her new boyfriend; showing that she has zero consideration for her ex-boyfriend’s feelings. What’s more, she won’t even let Paul Rudd's protagonist take his beloved dog "Willie Nelson" with him as she sends him away; thus making the situation even worse. In addition, the manner in which the sisters treat their brother is also very questionable; as they are irked by his carefree antics. But, as the sisters become increasingly frustrated with his quirkiness, Paul Rudd's Ned retains his belief that people are naturally good and understanding. And throughout his scenes, Paul Rudd's earnest performance as Ned proves to be very emotional and real.

And this defines what’s great about Paul Rudd as an actor. His portrayal of Ned is, at all times, believable. Throughout the film, Rudd allows his character to possess immense fortitude; thus enabling the audience to share his emotions. We smile when his character is playing wholeheartedly with Matthew Mindler's River and “Willie Nelson.” We pity him when his sisters put their interests above Ned's ethics. And, in a brilliantly-executed scene, Rudd's protagonist abandons his easygoing attitude and releases an emotional outburst. The actor's ability to drop his character's cheerful state and explode into a fit of pure rage makes you shake in your seat; seeing as the emotional transition is flawless. The amount of heart and soul Paul Rudd puts into the role proves how capable he is of putting on a purely dynamic performance. He truly is a talented performer!

And the performances of Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, and Zooey Deschennel are also worth noting as well. As aspiring journalist Miranda, Banks ensures a completely arrogant demeanor; seeing as she would do anything she can to publish a news story. This includes trying to exploit a private conversation between Paul Rudd's Ned and Janet Montgomery’s Author Lady Arabella for a big news article. In addition, the sequences featuring Miranda interact with her friend and neighbor Jeremy, portrayed dryly-but-sociably by Adam Scott, are so exciting; seeing as the two performers possess great chemistry and their comic timing is perfect. Therefore, Banks guarantees a solid performance as Miranda; thus making her the most memorable out of the trio of actresses playing Ned’s discontented sisters.

Image taken from
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In addition to Elizabeth Banks’ grand feat as Miranda, it is also important to mention Emily Mortimer’s presentation as Liz; the only sister who has a child. Throughout her portrayal, Mortimer establishes an ever-neurotic presence; as she struggles to maintain her marriage to Steve Coogan’s Dylan; who appears indifferent towards her feelings. It is more than clear that her husband makes mankes many rules in the household; seeing as he doesn’t want Matthew Mindler’s River going on YouTube or practicing karate with Paul Rudd's Ned. All of her scenes are well-performed; thus, establishing the actress as a great contribution to the film.

Lastly, it is also important to comment on Zooey Deschennel’s affable performance as Natalie; perchance the youngest of Ned’s sisters. Her chemistry with Paul Rudd is nice; as her character’s bond with our protagonist is slightly more positive than the ones shared with Elizabeth Banks’ Miranda and Emily Mortimer’s Liz. In addition, the interactions Deschennel’s Natalie has with her partner Cindy, portrayed pleasantly by Rashida Jones, are well-performed and very engaging. The actress does a fine job portraying her character; thus rounding out the the film's central cast.

While the performances of Rudd, Banks, Mortimer, and Deschennel are all memorable, it is also important to discuss the performances of the supporting cast as well. As the husband of Emily Mortimer’s Liz, Steve Coogan provides a mostly-authoritative demeanor as Dylan; who is very picky about his son’s interests. In addition, Adam Scott provides a great amount of dry wit to his role as Jeremy; who would do anything for Elizabeth Banks’ Miranda at the drop of a hat; even though he denies romantic feelings for her. His interchanges with Paul Rudd are great; and a scene that features the two of them trading barbs is a great treat—seeing as they posses similar styles of verbal comedy. In addition, Rashida Jones offers a likable performance as Cindy, the partner of Zooey Deschennel's Natalie, and she proves to provide a very reserved and grounded presence in the film as well. Thus, the characters portrayed by Coogan, Scott, and Jones are all great; and they make the movie even more enjoyable and memorable.

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Finally, Matthew Mindler provides a great presence as the son of Emily Mortimer’s Liz and Steve Coogan’s Dylan. Throughout the film, the young actor gives an energetic performance as he engages in fun activities with our protagonist. Both Rudd and Mindler possess great chemistry; and the scenes in which they engage in playful activity together are not only fun, but also heartwarming. Henceforth, Mindler’s involvement in the film further highlights the band of vivid characters that embody this hilarious-yet-sincere film.

And that makes “Our Idiot Brother” even more memorable. Not only does the film feature so many characters in a limited time frame; they are all well-developed and well-executed. We get to see so many traits and relationships shine; it is as if we are watching actual people live their lives right in front of us. Every character has a personality and and an important contribution to thestory. Even T.J. Miller’s Billy, the new boyfriend of Kathryn Hahn’s Janet, serves an important purpose. And for this, we can thank screenwriters Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall for managing this complicated task. Within ninety minutes, they are able to fit in many details and storylines; allowing the audience to enjoy the film honestly. What’s more, none of the characters are one- dimensional and they all are emotionally-developed perfectly. In other words, “Our idiot Brother” perfectly depicts one of the greatest collection of characters in an R-rated film!

Image taken from
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All in all, "Our Idiot Brother" truly makes for a great end-of-summer release. And I salute Paul Rudd and the whole cast for their high-quality acting. Their participation as well as the screenplay truly is unforgettable. In other words, there really isn't one idiotic factor present in this comedy at all! And that is NO JOKE!

E-mail me at mailto:turnthatsnatertainment@gmx.com