'Our Idiot Brother' Movie Review

You know what Our Idiot Brother isn't? Title aside, it's not stupid nor does it fall into the trap so many R-rated comedies do where gross-out humor and the use of dirty language substitute for a smartly written script. And unlike a lot of R-rated comedies, it's not mean-spirited and it doesn't resort (other than in one very small scene) to potty humor to get an easy laugh. What Our Idiot Brother is is a surprisingly sweet film, with Paul Rudd in the title role delivering an absolutely charming and disarming performance that's quite possibly the best he's been since Anchorman.

Yes, the language is occasionally adult, but the film's a character-driven, quirky little piece that sticks with you - something you definitely can't say about most of this summer's comedies. Actually, you can't say that about more than half a dozen films this whole year... Our Idiot Brother has nudity, profanity, and drugs, but there's no raunchiness to it. Instead, Our Idiot Brother is a refreshing change of pace that breaks from the current trend of rude, in-your-face aggressive comedies (most of which recently just haven't worked).

Ned is a free spirit who accepts people at face value. He's like a throwback to the '60s, a hippie-ish laid-back optimist who believes people are genuinely decent. And because he's a pacifist who's willing to see the best in everyone, he's easily taken advantage of. And, in fact, it's his sweet disposition and willingness to help out that gets him in trouble with the law. See, selling pot to a uniformed cop just because he tells you he's having a lousy day and really needs it isn't exactly the smartest move a bio-dynamic farmer can make. But that's what Ned does and so off to jail he goes. But even there he makes friends with the guards and his fellow inmates. He's just that kind of dude, you know?

However, after doing his time he discovers his girlfriend (Kathryn Hahn) has moved on and doesn't want him back helping out on the farm. She's got a new guy (TJ Miller) to boss around, so Ned finds himself girlfriend-less and homeless. And to make matters worse, she refuses to give him custody of their dog, Willie Nelson, who obviously wants to be with Ned. So with nowhere else to go, he heads to his mom's house for a short stay before moving on to spend time with each of his three sisters.

While Ned's sweet, innocent, uncomplicated, and doesn't filter his thoughts, his three sisters - Liz (Emily Mortimer), Miranda (Elizabeth Banks), and Natalie (Zooey Deschanel) - are a pretty messed up group. Liz's marriage is in trouble and she doesn't even know it (and she's raising her son in a world in which he's not allowed to play or have fun). Miranda is willing to sell her soul to get a scoop to impress her bosses at Vanity Fair, and she's blind to the fact she's stuck the one guy who really wants to be with her (played by Adam Scott) in the friend zone. And Natalie is confused about her sexuality and cheating on her lesbian lover (Rashida Jones) with an artist (Hugh Dancy) who she poses for nude. As Ned hangs out with each of his sisters in turn, he turns their lives upside down. Of course they blame him for ruining everything when in actuality he's just trying to open their eyes to the truth they're too busy/blind to see.

Rudd can pull off cynical, he can pull off the romantic lead in a romcom, and now we see he can pull off a completely guileless character who sincerely believes people will rise to the occasion if you give them your trust. Rudd does a wonderful job of making Ned into this guy you want to hang with, a guy who'll frustrate you to no end but will always have your back and tell you the truth when no one else will. Ned's completely comfortable in his own skin, and Rudd seems completely at home playing the part.

Playing his siblings, Banks, Mortimer and Deschanel each have a few moments to shine, but it's actually the supporting characters who make Our Idiot Brother so memorable. Kathryn Hahn's brilliant as Ned's overbearing ex who's only hanging onto their dog because to turn him over to Ned would mean she lost - and she can't stand the thought of Ned coming out on top. TJ Miller's Billy is almost Ned's equal in the 'affable dude who just wants everyone to get along' category, and Miller and Rudd's limited screen time together is a battle to see who can out-mellow the other. Steve Coogan shows up sporadically throughout the film - and shows off his private parts - as Mortimer's documentary filmmaker husband who hates Ned. Coogan's always such a scene-stealer, and in Our Idiot Brother he does a fine job of playing a complete and utter jerk.

But as crammed full of characters as Our Idiot Brother is, this film rests squarely on Rudd's shoulders. And because Rudd's so naturally appealing and charming on screen, he plows over any rough patches in the script.

Director Jesse Peretz (The Ex) has his hands full juggling so many characters, and there are a few times where balls get dropped. But, overall, Our Idiot Brother is just a sweet, gentle (a strange yet fitting word to use with an R-rated film) comedy that's refreshing in its focus on a character who completely lacks any cynicism. It's a feel-good film that's engaging, smartly paced, and entirely likable.

GRADE: B+

Our Idiot Brother was directed by Jesse Peretz and is rated R for sexual content including nudity, and for language throughout.

Theatrical Release: August 26, 2011

Also of Interest: Top 10 Comedies of 2011

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