by Kelsey Barritt (with Germar Derron)
Often a movie with an open ending
ends well, but This is Where I Leave You
leaves audiences with more questions than answers. The "dramedy" starring Jason
Bateman and directed by Shawn Levy is more of a guessing game than it is a
movie. The film throws the audience amidst a family facing the death of a cherished
father. Together, they sit Shiva for seven days as a way of mourning. A family
reunited for one week, in the same house, leads to issues and discoveries. The
tragedy hits Judd Altman (Bateman) the hardest, because he was already plagued
by emotional mayhem. He is separated from a wife, who cheated on him with his
egotistical boss. Then, he’s forced to wrap his head around his father’s
passing. Further, countless side stories get lost in the mess that is this
movie.

Some supporting characters bring charm to the table, especially
the beautifully strange Penny (Byrne), a love interest whose arbitrary attitude could make anyone smile. She is a breath of fresh air in a movie that
is dank with negativity. Others, like Paul, just occupy time that should be
spent elsewhere; it was a turn off. Paul worries–a lot—and he’s abrasive.
The family moans and complains for
the duration of the movie; it’s tough on the ears. Sure, they deal with death,
divorce, loveless marriages, and general angst, but . . . . Moviegoers know
this is a somewhat sad movie. But, the amount of whining and immature bellyaching
surprised me. These characters enter their childhood home and become babies
again.
This is
Where I Leave You shaves just deep enough to remove the very first outer
layer of each character. Viewers crave more insight into their compelling lives,
but get nothing. Wendy’s complicated, heart-wrenching tidbit of a story gives
audiences goose bumps, but not satisfaction; it feels incomplete. The filmmakers fail to
follow up or give the story the true attention it deserves. The audience
constantly longs for more, but more never comes. Almost too much is left to
interpretation, which is aggravating. The movie does not have the guts to delve
into difficult topics, so it just barely grazes the surface.
Here, the opportunities to connect
and contemplate are few. The movie is scattered; there’s no place to focus. Endless
opportunities for greatness fall short. This could-be witty, lovable, fresh film ends up being a reason to visit Redbox . . . or not.
The movie is not un-watchable. It
provides a few laughs and maybe a tear or two. However, if mediocrity disappoints
you, and potential alone isn't worth the price of admission, save the money.
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