In this indie drama from the Cryus writer/directing team the Duplass brothers, we follow a character that’s becoming somewhat of a Hollywood stereotype in modern comedies; the meandering stoner with no direction to his life; but while there are plenty of people in this world that refuse to grow up and face reality, plenty of movie characters written to do the same, and plenty who come across as unlikeable until they change for the better, that’s not the case with Jeff Who Lives At Home.
Obsessed with the idea that everything happens for a reason, the basement-dwelling Jeff (Jason Segel, How I Met Your Mother) lets a wrong number lead him across town, despite having promised his mother he’d fix the shutters. On his fate-fuelled journey he stumbles across his estranged brother Pat (Ed Helms, The Hangover) and, to their surprise, spot his wife (Judy Greer, The Descendants) with another man. So, while their mother (Susan Sarandon, Thelma and Louise) tries to figure out who a secret admirer is at work, her sons begin a chase that eventually leads everyone to a perfect moment of destiny.
Segel is perfect as the bumbling but sincere hero of the piece; managing to portray Jeff as a spacey oddball without coming across a slack jawed idiot; and his endearing ‘deer in the headlights’ expression comes out at all the right times, whilst he still delivers some of his lines with a worldly wisdom that keep the audience constantly on the his side, and make sure the lost and confused Jeff is both sympathetic and at times appealing; with his full-of -heart character making you root for people to see things his way from the very beginning.
Of course, a character like Jeff couldn’t carry a movie successfully alone, and the rest of the slightly defective family unit all contribute with their own quirky dramas bringing the plot out of mediocre comedy levels and into some genuinely emotional performances; beginning with Ed Helms as brother Pat, who makes a great contrast to Jeff’s ‘go-with-the-flow’ attitude by playing a highly-strung businessman who is more concerned with commodities and status than paying attention to the happiness of his wife, and though he and his mother seem to think he’s the good brother (with his life all figured out), it is he who must learn to be more like Jeff in order to resolve the issues in his marriage.
Susan Sarandon is a treasure to have on the cast of Jeff Who Lives At Home, and headlines a B-plot which, underneath the mess and drama of the main story, really shines; her portrayal of a sceptical middle aged women, who lets down her guard when romanced by an unexpected secret admirer, is intriguing, witty, and touchingly sweet. She plays the role with pride and the strength of a very independent women, but once her vulnerable side is exposed she is perhaps the most relatable character in the film.
While the Duplass brothers seem to be deviating from their past achievements here, and possibly looking to push more into the mainstream (certainly evident with the A-List cast), the lack of box office success (which many attribute to its less than inviting title) of Jeff Who Lives At Home is a real shame; as it maintains their light humour and indie style, and has a naive charm which really wins you over.
You may feel the film is slow moving; as the stories eventual ‘big moment’ does have a big warm up (but that elevation of pace is so surprising and effective that it feels worth it – and with only an 83 minute run time it doesn’t drag for too long); and it can be a little predictable in places, but while sometimes predictable, the scenes between Pat and his wife pack enough of a punch to make their reunion a moment to cheer for, and come surround by more comedic moments that bring some hearty chuckles, and together create a charming film that doesn’t try too hard to be laugh-out-loud funny, but stays consistently light and should leave you with a smile on your face.
