A.C.O.D., which stands for adult children of divorce, is a comedy with a tiny bit of a rom-com and a hefty dose of sitcom flair. The humor is derivative of situations that are also extremely uncomfortable "“ like finding your long-divorced and extremely hostile parents in highly compromising situations. As a child of divorce, there are far too many scenes that I could relate to, but even people whose parents are still happily married will still be quite amused by the film's particularly quirky brand of humor.
The film follows Carter (Adam Scott), a successful adult child of divorce as he navigates the treacherous waters of getting his parents to temporarily reconcile enough to attend his little brother's wedding. Thus follows a serious of unfortunate hijinks that lead Carter to discover that he's the subject of a study on children of divorce and enlists in a follow-up, leading to the term "A.C.O.D."
The performances from the secondary characters of Jane Lynch, Richard Jenkins, and Catherine O'Hara definitely add a certain flair to the film that is necessary for the story to be successful. Adam Scott's performance as Carter is the perfect blend of overachieving adult as a result of growing up to fast and vengeful.
As the directorial debut of Zicherman, it's a little frightening how well he's managed to get the pacing so right on the first try. He doesn't beat you over the head with a particularly point. He gets you in and out, and it feels like the perfect amount of time. Zicherman also co-wrote the partially autobiographical screenplay"”this movie is great to laugh at when I thought it was all made up, but I feel sorry for anyone who actually had to live through this.
A.C.O.D. definitely won't appeal to the tastes of every moviegoer, but it is a comedy about the complexities of family relationships and human nature. The film ends in a manner atypical to Hollywood, which I absolutely love but will probably drive some people crazy. Zicherman's first time out is definitely a bit of a doozy, but it isn't one that I'll forget anytime soon.
