Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Jeff, Who Lives At Home (2011)


This is the third major feature film from writer-director brothers Mark and Jay Duplass. Their previous film CYRUS was also quite funny about an over-protective son creeping the lights out of his Mom's new boyfriend.

Jeff is an optimist; a glass half-full guy. He is obsessed with Signs, the Night Shyamalan movie, and believes everything in this world is interconnected and happens for a reason. Also he's 30 years old, smokes pot and lives in the basement of his mother's house. His brother Pat has no time for Jeff's voodoo bullshit. He weakens his already struggling marriage by getting a Porsche when his wife is cutting back on things. Their mother, an attractive lady in her early 60s, is leading a monotonous life and doesn't even have someone to share it with. Her biological clock has stopped ticking and whatever's left of her good looks will also soon vanish. These three lives struggling in a slow quicksand and are desperately looking for someone to throw a rope.

A phone call asking for some Kevin starts Jeff's day. Being the believer he is, he considers it a sign and sets off on a journey which will affect everyone in his family. Jeff keeps looking for his signs as many events lead to all the characters crossing paths many times through the movie's course. One might scoff at all the coincidences but that is what the movie is all about.

Life is hard and we all need something to hold on to, something to have faith in. Good things will happen if you have a true heart and hope. It's a happy little comedy that will make your insides go all warm and fuzzy.