- Rated R
- Comedy
- 2011
- Buy the BD
All photos © Weinstein Co.
Reviewed by Jason Zingale
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esse Peretz’s new comedy, “Our Idiot Brother,” doesn’t seem like the kind of movie you’d expect to play at Sundance without a distribution deal already in place. The ensemble cast is filled with several big-name actors and the film has a very mainstream feel to it. So it’s not surprising that the Weinstein Co. bought the rights as quickly as they did, because while it may been filmed on the budget of an independent movie, “Our Idiot Brother” has the star power of a Hollywood production. And that ultimately plays an important role in its success, because without all that talent involved, the movie wouldn't be nearly as entertaining as it is.
Paul Rudd stars as Ned, a naïve and incredibly trusting organic farmer who, unlike his three sisters (Emily Mortimer, Elizabeth Banks and Zooey Deschanel), is still trying to figure out his life. After doing time in prison for selling marijuana to a uniformed police officer (hence the name of the film), Ned comes home to discover that his girlfriend (Kathryn Hahn) has already replaced him with a new guy (T.J. Miller) and therefore no longer has a place to stay or work. With nowhere else to go, Ned’s sisters all take turns housing their oddball brother, only for him to completely ruin their lives in the process. But as they’re forced to deal with the mess that he’s created, they realize that Ned’s honesty might be a better quality than they gave him credit for.
Though it’s pretty clear from the start that Ned isn’t an idiot (yes, he did something remarkably stupid, but it’s because he’s simply too trusting in humanity), the movie, to its credit, never really plays him off as one, instead treating his naiveté almost like a child. He’s the kind of guy that everyone needs as a friend – someone who appears to be making your life a living hell at first, but is ultimately helping you to become a better person – and it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Paul Rudd in the role. It’s the perfect vehicle for him, because he gets to turn on the charm as the likeable goofball without having to worry about the burden of carrying the entire movie on his shoulders.
Although Rudd delivers a solid performance as the title character, “Our Idiot Brother” wouldn’t be nearly as entertaining without such a great supporting cast. Most of the subplots aren’t terribly original – Emily Mortimer discovers that her husband (Steve Coogan) may be cheating; Zooey Deschanel risks her relationship with her girlfriend (Rashida Jones) by having a fling; and Elizabeth Banks is too busy trying to progress her career to notice that her neighbor (Adam Scott) wants to be more than just friends – but the actors do a good job of making you care nonetheless. “Our Idiot Brother” still isn't as funny as it should have been with such a talented cast, but it's a surprisingly sweet comedy that utilizes the family dynamic a lot better than other films in the genre.
Single-Disc Blu-ray Review:
It may not go above and beyond in the special features department, but the Blu-ray release of “Our Idiot Brother” offers an adequate collection of bonus material like an audio commentary with director Jesse Peretz, a making-of featurette, and a handful of deleted and extended scenes, including the original ending that played at Sundance.
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