At first glance, this film seems like a heavy hitter. Based on the acclaimed novel by Jonathan Tropper, it is stacked with an outstanding cast. When the patriarch of a dysfunctional grown-up family passes away, the kids and their families must reunite with their mother in their childhood home for seven days, all while trying not to kill one another. Side note: how many movies will be made about a dysfunctional family full of attractive white people reuniting in New England in the fall (to be a cliche)?
It's not exactly a fresh idea, but with Jason Bateman (Judd Altman), Tina Fey (Wendy Altman), Corey Stoll (Paul Altman), and Adam Driver (Phillip Altman) playing the children and Jane Fonda as the outlandish, inappropriate mother, who could say no? Add to that Rose Byrne, Kathryn Hahn, Connie Britton, Timothy Olyphant, Dax Shepard, and Ben Schwartz as side players, and you can't help but get excited.
Unfortunately, the film just doesn't live up to the cast. Shawn Levy's previous endeavors include Night at the Museum, Real Steel, and Date Night (a film in which Steve Carell and Tina Fey play a married couple, yet are somehow not funny together). In This Is Where I Leave You, Levy must balance comedy and drama but doesn't execute it well. The cast, bless them, does all they can with what they have. Fey is very Fey-y, Bateman is at his Bateman-iest, and Adam Driver does what he does best by doing his Adam Driver thing. Yet as much as this film made me chuckle, the more emotional parts didn't shine like I wanted them to. In the end, I felt disconnected from their grief and revelations, so as much as I enjoyed laughing with them, I didn't feel invested enough to cry with them.
That said, I would still vote this film as incredibly watchable, especially if you love any (or all) of the cast members. Tina Fey does a great job as the frustrated Wendy, trying to balance her kids and jerk husband with her feelings for high school flame Horry (Olymphant). I was impressed with Bateman's ability to go from dry and sarcastic to emotionally distraught. His tear-filled eyes always came at the exact right moment, and he excelled as the lead in an ensemble of strong personalities. Jane Fonda was great to watch and nailed her outlandish (if not predictable) matriarch character. I am always amazed at the flexibility of Rose Byrne. One moment she's the haughty, glamorous friend from Bridesmaids and the next she's here playing the eager girl-next-door. Connie Britton also did great in her small role, even if I was mostly distracted by how perfect her hair is.
As great as the entire cast was, I have to give a special mention to Adam Driver. This guy is being cast in everything right now after breaking out on HBO's Girls. On one side, he's an eager Great Dane, all arms and legs and smiles. On the other, he's very quiet and intense. His ability to mix these two sides into one giant helping of funny/serious/ridiculous makes him a joy to watch onscreen.
So, if you love this cast, go watch This Is Where I Leave You but maybe set your expectations a little lower than I did. You'll certainly laugh and enjoy yourself, but don't expect anything groundbreaking.
