THE PLOT THUS FAR
A comedy centered on an idealist who barges into the lives of his three sisters.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Paul Rudd plays Ned who as the film opens is living with his girlfriend Janet on a biodynamic farm selling produce at the local farmers’ market and weed on the side. One day he’s busted for selling cannabis to a uniformed police officer after he’s tricked in to feeling sorry for him. After spending 8 months in prison he returns home to find Janet living with another man. She tells him to leave cold heartedly and even refuses to let him have his dog ‘Willie Nelson’. Ned first turns to his mother for a place to stay but then quickly becomes a burden to his three sisters as well. Each has their own personal problems which Ned delves himself in to. His naive trustingness of everyone and overwhelming honesty get him in to more trouble and causes problems with his entire family as well.
Rudd has infused Ned with all the charm, likability and overall appeal that we have come to expect from him. Surprisingly, the less likable actresses playing the three unlikable sisters were at least able to add some humour to their characters. The three supporting actors probably could have stolen the show if they were given more time: Steve Coogan as the husband with a penchant for exhibitionism; Hugh Dancy as a creepy artist turned cultist; and Adam Scott as Rudd’s long lost brother — not literally, he just has the same presence.
“Our Idiot Brother” is a comedy, one of those heart-warming comedies, where all of the characters start coming around to see the value of having Ned in their life. It takes them longer than us to realize his positive aspects because most of them are not fully-developed characters, especially the mother, I’m not sure what the point of her was.
The Blu-Ray comes with a commentary, featurettes, deleted and extended scenes. The DTS-HD 5.1 MA track is another winner from Anchor Bay, as these guys are setting the gold standard for HD Audio in Region 1. The 1080p transfer is good enough, but it lacks any real punch-up. Still, it does what it needs for a mild stoner comedy/domestic dramedy. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase.
RELEASE DATE: 11/29/2011
