The idea of letting a dog lick your face is not something that usually puts a smile on my dial, quite the opposite in fact, however this is exactly what Paul Rudd has managed to do with his latest Comedy/Drama "Our Idiot Brother".
Too good for his own good Ned (Paul Rudd) runs into some problems after being released from prison after being arrested for sympathetically selling marijuana to a police officer. Upon being released he's simultaneously dumped and kick out of his "hippie" farm by his girlfriend Janet (Kathryn Hahn) and separated from his one true friend, his dog Willie Nelson. Ned seeks assistance from his three sisters Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), Natalie (Zooey Deschanel) and Liz (Emily Mortimer) and upon entering each of their seemingly stable and happy lives it become increasingly apparent that Ned is the only one remotely happy, even with the unfortunate events that seem to follow him wherever he goes.
I must admit I am a bit of a Paul Rudd fan and after seeing the trailers he was pretty much the major draw card for seeing this film. His character Ned is as I stated before "too good for his own good" which I'm sure will turn some people off personality wise, especially with some of the situations he seems to find himself in. His seemingly endless love for everything life has to offer however could only make me smile, even those few situation (excluding one scene towards the end of the film) where he would become frustrated by the actions of another his temper would be ever so gentle. I found myself laughing at the mildness of his cursing, "geez Louise" seems to be a favourite of his, and credit is due to Paul Rudd. Even though this isn't the most challenging role of his career his character Ned certainly could have been negatively received by the audience especially with his lack of mistrust and suspicion. Rudd's acting is a joy to watch and delivers his comedic value well.
The support cast of Banks, Deschanel and Mortimer are also very good as the soon to be realised dysfunctional sisters. Deschanel plays her character well and she fits the role perfectly especially after her performance in "(500) Days Of Summer". Mortimer is especially good towards the back half of the film when her character really starts to develop, and Banks does well with what she's given. These performances combined as a whole really do provide an entertaining experience, especially towards the end of the film (the charade scene especially) when the lives of these three hit hard and Ned is the one who receives the impact of their anger.
There are however a few gripes I had with this film, without getting too in-depth in order to avoid spoilers there were a few lose ends I guess you could say with Mortimer's character that didn't provide the resolution it could have and in ways it is fairly predictable, especially with how confrontation between Ned and his sisters occurs. However the solid performances by the main cast and acknowledges to T. J Miller (Janets boyfriend), Adam Scott (Miranda's boyfriend) and Steve Coogan (Liz's husband) for the small but decent performances really out weight the negatives. With the run time at 90 minutes its also get to the point quick and easy, with little down time in the screenplay.
This film was fun to watch and while I certainly wasn't rolling on the floor with laughter there is certainly fun to be had with this film and more. Fans of Paul Rudd will certainly enjoy this film, however I'm sure this film isn't for everyone so if you really don't enjoy the bumbling character outlined in the trailer and this review then its probably best to say you should skip this film.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
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