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Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011)

Director: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass

Time Out rating

Average user rating

3 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Fraternal writer-director team Jay and Mark Duplass are, so far, the only filmmakers from the DIY ‘mumblecore’ scene to fully embrace – and be embraced by – the mainstream. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise when their Hollywood debut, 2010’s ‘Cyrus’, managed to appeal to a wider audience without compromising their improvisational ethic. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said of ‘Jeff, Who Lives at Home’. This tale of slackerdom v responsibility may bear a number of Duplass hallmarks – sharp insight into human interactions, sparkling off-the-cuff dialogue, a wayward man-child in the lead role – but it feels more predictable, more compromised, more obvious than anything they’ve made before.

Jason Segel is appropriately likeable and schlubby as the titular Jeff, whose life is going precisely nowhere. His brother, Pat (Ed Helms), seems to have it all – wife, job, Porsche, goatee – but appearances can be deceptive. Over the course of one fateful day, these unlikely siblings – and their struggling mother (Susan Sarandon) – bicker, bond, wrestle and learn a few valuable life lessons.

There are moments of real beauty here, most of them courtesy of Segel’s lovably laidback weed-fuelled suburban cosmonaut. But the improvisational edge which defined earlier Duplass movies has been smoothed out, particularly in a surprisingly lazy, ‘follow-your-dreams’ finale. The result is sweet and occasionally moving, but just a little too safe and old-fashioned.

Author: Tom Huddleston

Time Out London Issue 2177: May 10-17, 2012

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User reviews of this film

Les Molloy said...

Posted on May 20 2012 19:07 Yet again TIME OUT have it monumentally wrong! What encouraged me to go to see this film was the woeful 3 star ranking given by the magazine. It turned out to be happy, sad, tearful and encouraging. For any film to hit these g spots all in one go has got to be worth the full set of 5 Stars! Thanks God I no longer subscribe to the magazine. Does it still exist as a hard copy?

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Jenny said...

Posted on May 19 2012 22:55 Charming, understated and yet poignant in parts. Well acted and really quite uplifting ending. I really enjoyed it, unlike the woeful Dictator.

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JE said...

Posted on May 17 2012 15:35 Saw this film last night . . . .
Simple but yet thoughtful, witty and at times touching.
If you enjoyed Cyrus, then certainly for you. However, I found this film to be even more stripped down than Cyrus concerning plot and characterisation with good performances from all the cast.
Susan Sarandon turns in a good performance too!
Satisfying viewing.

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