Saturday, March 31, 2012

Jeff, Who’s In a Great Movie

Review: Jeff, Who Lives at Home
Guest Review by Kyle Kuzemchak

Jeff, Who Lives at Home is one of the most thoughtful, touching, feel-good movies I have seen in a long time. Coming in knowing the talented, underrated writer/directors The Duplass Brothers (Cyrus), Jay and Mark, were involved, I knew exactly what to expect; a movie with hearty laughs, but that ultimately is more focused on it’s message and it’s build-up to a touching conclusion, and that is exactly what I got.

The story follows a man named Jeff, played by Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall), who…well, lives at home with his mom. He is a firm believer in fate, that everything happens for a reason, and this belief is what moves the entire plot. Along the way, we meet his mom, played by Susan Sarandon (Thelma & Louise), and his brother, Pat, played by Ed Helms (The Hangover), neither of whom quite seem to understand Jeff’s vision of life.

Jeff comes off as an intriguing character the second the movie begins, as he explains his view of fate by describing his fascination with the M. Night Shymalan film, Signs. He then, by a strange twist of fate, runs into his brother, and eventually helps him try to figure out if his wife is having an affair. While these two are out causing a ruckus, their mother is being courted by a “secret admirer” at work, creating two coinciding stories exploring feelings of loneliness and hope for a better life, in Jeff's mind, through a fateful act.

Jason Segel is immediately likeable as Jeff, and he not only shows off his comedic talents, but his dramatic side. The same can be said for Ed Helms, whose acting chops are especially tested in the second half of the film, and he delivers with a very believable and strong performance. The two actors work incredibly well together, with a fantastic chemistry displayed through their conversations in a cemetery and in a bathtub. The Duplass Brothers’ script is funny and extremely heart-warming, and with their classic home-video style of filming, including a lot of use of zoom, the movie feels even more touching and real. The film takes viewers on an emotional rollercoaster, but I enjoyed every up and down, and will definitely take the ride again.

The Final Word: Go buy a ticket.

1 comment:

  1. This could have had so much more potential to be better than it already was but it had lazy writing. Everything was one big coincidence and the end was way too heavy and cheesy to make this somewhat slacker comedy reach out. Good review though Ethan. It had its moments and a good cast but it bothered me a little too much.

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