A kind hearted brother is released from prison and descends on the lives of his three sisters, with comical results.
After selling marijuana to a uniformed policeman, simple minded "Ned Rochlin" is sent to prison for a while, but let out on good behaviour and descends on his family to wreak the havoc which only he can. He returns to his girlfriend and her organic farm where he used to happily work, but she has now moved onto one of his old friends, and, worst of all, she is holding onto his dog, "Willie Nelson"!
While plotting how to get his beloved dog back and befriending his parole officer, he spends time with all three of his sisters, bringing perceived misery to all of their lives, with his innocent and naive outlook on the world. His innocence, causes more problems than it solves and soon all of his family, except for his like minded mum, is upset with him and refusing to give him the time of day.
When he mistakenly ends up in prison again, his sisters bond together for the first time in years, to get their brother back on track. If only he would recognize they are trying to help him....
An all star cast in this film, makes it a delightful romp, but it was not really as funny as the trailer made the audience believe it would be. It certainly is very watchable film with some really good performances from the talented cast. The laughs are few and far between, but genuine when they do come and keep the film going along at good pace.
Talented comedy actor Paul Rudd takes on the role of "Ned Rochlin", and does really well to be able to pull off a character quite this dim. He delivers the laughs and plays a really decent caring and sensitive character, but also shows the serious side to his character which is good to see.
Elizabeth Banks continues with her meteoric rise on the big screen, delivering yet another stunning performance as Vanity Fair journalist "Miranda Rochlin". Her character is strong and driven, but also sensitive and needy at times and despite her best efforts, still very dependent on her family. As she chases the ultimate story, she falls foul of her brothers' honesty, but has to really look inside herself to find out what she truly wants. Adam Scott does really well as her love interest "Jeremy" and their characters share some really good chemistry, despite not being together. It also takes a long while to get used to Elizabeth Banks with dark hair.
Zooey Deschenal does rather well as the youngest of the sisters, "Natlie Rochlin". Her character probably goes through the most emotional time of the leading players, trying to hide the ultimate secret from her lesbian lover. English born actress Emily Mortimer does superbly as "Liz Rochlin", trying to keep her chin up while her marriage falls apart. She brings just the right amount of humour and emotion to the role, while trying hard not to kill her husband, played by fellow Brit Steve Coogan. Keep an eye out for a wonderful role from Hollywood veteran Shirley Knight, who does brilliantly as the simple minded matriarch.
TJ Miller is hilarious as the dim-witted "Billy", while Kathryn Hahn does a sterling job as "Janet", the dog-napping ex girlfriend of the lead character.
The film will have you leaving the cinema with a smile on your face, but also delivers a more serious message, touching on the heavier topics in life, but with a lighthearted slant. It is well worth the watch and will brighten the day of most audiences with its innocence.
6.5/10
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