Okay, Summer’s pretty much done, one for the books (and if we’re talking the”balance book” or financial ledger, it’s one Hollywood would like to forget). Things were so dire, that the major studios pretty much gave up on the last half of August. But look out “indies”, they’re back with a one-two punch. On one hand (and in most of the theatres) is Stephen King’s killer clown, and for a little alternative marketing there’s this family themed “rom-com”. It’s set in the upper classes of LA with homes outfitted and decorated with impeccable taste. Sounds like the work of writer/director Nancy Myers, you say? Well actually this is the feature film making debut of her daughter. So does the apple fall far from the tree (or the expensive ceramic coffee table fruit bowl)? Let’s find out when we go HOME AGAIN.
The opening title/montage gives us a look at the story of Alice Kinney (Reese Witherspoon), well the story of her famous parents really. Her late Pop was a celebrated film maker back in the wild 70’s who married his muse, leading lady Lillian (Candice Bergen). Thanks to his restless libido they split shortly after the birth of daughter Alice. Now she’s returned to his swanky LA home to set down roots along with her two daughters, second-grader Rosie (Eden Grace Redfield) and anxious pre-teen Isabel (Lola Flanery). It’s their first day of school along with Alice’s 40th birthday. This stresses her out, in part because she’s separated from her hubby, the girls’ dad Austen (Michael Sheen), an East Coast music mogul who insists he’ll be out west soon. Oh, and she’s starting a home decorating (or is it now “lifestyle consultant’) business. Across town a trio of transplanted twenty-something movie hopefuls are being booted out of their cheap motel digs (overdue rent you know). But this will not deter the three from success. They’ve made an award-winning short and are now looking to expand it into a feature film. Producer/director Harry (Pico Alexander), writer George (Jon Rudnitsky) and leading man Teddy (Nat Wolff) have a scored a meeting that day with one of the big talent management firms. The agents have some exciting prospects for the guys, so that evening they head out to celebrate. Oh, and they’re at the same bar/eatery where Alice is also celebrating her B-day with her gal pals. She and Harry generate sparks almost immediately, despite the age difference. Drinks flow, and…they all eventually head back to her place. While Teddy and George crash on the couches, things get steamy in the master bedroom between Alice and Harry. The next morning she’s surprised when Grandma Lillian drops by with the girls to pick up backpacks on the way to school. After clumsy introductions, the guys tell her of their lack of domicile. Lillian reminds Alice of the empty guest house and suggest the guys crash there until they save enough for a new pad. Sounds great to everybody but Alice. How will this affect the girls? What will become of her budding romance with Harry? And what will happen when Austen finally shows up?
Witherspoon brings endless energy to this, her “rom-com” return, and proves to be a true team player, even when the material is inconsistent. She conveys the worry and conflicting emotions that stem from plunging back into the single world. Alice seems to be concerned that this new love will swallow her up. This makes some of the “plot beats” ring false. Throwing a “mini-tantrum” when he new beau is kept at a business meeting and misses a dinner party? That’s almost teen behavior. Perhaps it seemed a way of “jump-starting” her scenes with Alexander. After the initial flirtations, there’s not a whole lot of chemistry between the two. Unfortunately Harry’s laid-back “smoothness” becomes too aggressive and smarmy, acting as if he’s trying way too hard to seduce Alice. As for his buddies, other than “being on the make’ for all the ladies, any lady in sight, Wolff as little to do, other than getting acting compliments (we never really get to see his talents, but people insist he’s got “it’). Rudnitsky fairs a tad better as the writer with integrity to spare (the movie’s gotta’ be in black and white because, you know, for “art’s” sake), but he’s reduced to being a manic mentor for the very needy Isabel (she even calls him her “support animal”). Thank the “movie gods” for two veterans who bring a bit of comic life into this. Bergen is forward and feisty with almost no filter, who can still cut other characters down to size with a glare or a raised eyebrow. And cheers to Sheen as the flick’s hissable villain, going from passive-aggressive to pompous ass at the drop of a travel bag. Sure he’s played this role before, but he ‘s so darned compelling you forget. He fares much better than Lake Bell, totally wasted in the thankless role as Alice’s “boss from Hell”. This multi-talented actress delivers the goods as the blithely selfish diva, but she deserves a much better role, as does her co-star in the recent I DO…UNTIL I DON’T Dolly Wells as the cliché’ BFF who’s cheering Alice on from the sidelines.
As mentioned earlier this is the feature debut of writer/director Hallie Myers-Shyer, who seems to be almost making a parody, rather than an homage, of the previous work of mother Nancy (who’s a producer here). More thought seems to have gone into the home accessories than into the characters. As I said, Alice is ‘all over the place”. After the ‘dinner party incident” she goes on a blind date (getting back at Harry), and proceeds to get “blotto” in front of her more age appropriate, dullard date. This enables Witherspoon to do her best “Dudley Moore as Arthur” woozy word slur as she confronts her ex-client in a sequence that’s more “cringe-worth” than comic. As the story lurches towards its conclusion (it’s a long 90 or so minutes), they resort to the time-honored frantic rush to a big school event, which results in much hugging and mutual understanding, feeling like a rancid 70’s “dramedy”. Yes, it’s a ‘safe’ flick’s that the older relatives can handle (it’s almost a middle-aged Goldilocks and the three twenty-something doe-eyed non-threatening bears…one’s even named Teddy). A tad racy, but nothing that will shock or offend. An ultimately nothing compelling or original. Perhaps the old adage is right, you can’t go HOME AGAIN. Or in this case, there’s no interesting need to return .
1.5 Out of 5
