This Is Where I Leave You

— A friend whose opinion I trust told me this was better than she’d thought "This Is Where I Leave You" would be and took issue with critics who thought the stellar cast was wasted on so blah a script. As a result, I went to see it. It was better than I expected too, and it was funny when it wasn’t trying to get a laugh out of boob or boner humor. I like a good dose of dysfunction in any family and this one has plenty of it, but as you’re watching it there’s something familiar about almost every gag. (For the life of me, I can’t remember the other movie that puts potty training front and center as a humorous thread, but one film with a cute kid carry a training potty around is enough!) Luckily, this über competent cast could make almost anything seem either touching or hilarious. It’s a great set-up, entertaining enough, and has just the right amount of emotional connection to uplift. Not original and not likely to be lauded as much more than a bit of fun, but an okay way to escape.

---

[2014. 103 min. Directed by Shawn Levy. Starring Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne, Corey Stoll, Kathryn Hahn, and Connie Britton.]
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/07/this-is-where-i-leave-you-review-jason-bateman-tina-fey