I really like Paul Rudd. And not just because he was “one of those guys” from Anchorman. The man is just funny. Not Will Farrell “assault in your face and hope for a laugh” kind of humor. His humor is dry and quick, a brand of comedy I find rather relatable. That is why my interest was peaked when I saw the preview for Our Idiot Brother. Plus, the fact that it has Zooey Deschanel, Rashida Jones, and Elizabeth Banks (among others) and is distributed by the Weinstein Company does not hurt either.
******
Ned (Rudd) is a biodynamic farmer who just likes helping people. He does this in almost a childish manner. And if that means helping out a cop by selling him some puff, then so be it. But the officer was only setting up Ned for selling drugs and is arrested.
Now, Ned is released early for good behavior into the world and ready to return to his farm. But his former girlfriend Janet has already moved on with someone new and has no intention of allowing Ned to continue working on the farm.
But never one to have his spirits dampened, Ned decides to stay with his sisters until he can get back on his feet. This includes his bisexual sister Natalie (sweet Zooey deschanel) and her partner Cindy (Rashida Jones), Miranda (Elizabeth Banks) who works at Vanity Fair, and Liz (Emily Mortimer). Ned soon learns though that his family does not have the same outlook on life as him. Can he change their perspective?
Oddly enough, Our Idiot Brother ended up making you feel good more than anything else. Sure, its moments of comedy are solid but they are less frequent than you would expect. Ned’s look on the world is so simple and caring, even if he is a happy idiot. He never processes if what he says should be said, he just says it. He just takes his chances and hopes for the best outcome. Which usually happens for him. Normally this would annoy me but in the case of this film, I’m ok with it.
What I can’t exactly overlook is the films somewhat sporadic and loose script. For most of the film you don’t really know where the movie is going. Although the ending does make up for this, for the most part.
I have never liked Paul Rudd more than in this film. Who would have thought that he could play innocent so well? And some of the best comedic actresses working today are in this and the film benefits from it. Deschanel, Jones, and Banks are just fantastic in it. The guys are great also. You really can’t go wrong with Steve Coogan and Adam Scott.
Even with Our Idiot Brother‘s R rating (for some language and a brief glimpse of Coogan’s bum), I don’t see why some of the PG-13 crowd shouldn’t see it. I think everyone could benefit from a little lesson from Ned.
Verdict: SEE IT!
Comments? Opinions? Leave them below.
Nostromo Coffee 