People Like Us

I really enjoyed seeing this latest movie with Chris Pine. The acting is great, the storyline is well written with adequate character development to let you get emotionally invested. Michelle Pfeiffer gives the level of performance you typically expect from Diane Keaton with empathy and sincerity. Chris Pine as Sam shows he's much more than just a pretty face, but the true scene stealer is Michael Hall D'Addario who plays Josh, the bad-boy son of Elizabeth Banks' character, Frankie. I really enjoyed that it isn't your typical romantic comedy between a man and woman who end up either together or not. Frankie and Sam being sister and brother as the primary love interests give it a very interesting twist but there's also the mother-son sub-plot as well as Sam and Hannah, played by Olivia Wilde. We clapped when the credits rolled, which is rare for a romantic comedy movie.

Michelle Pfieffer and Elizabeth Banks both give A+ performances in this movie and they both deserve to be remembered at Oscar time. It is a joy watching these two outstanding thespians at work. It is amazing the intensity and depth they bring to their performances. They bring these tortured characters to life and you feel their pain. When I was getting ready to write this review, my first instinct was to say that there wasn't a really likable character in the film. That instinct was wrong. Its not that the characters aren't likable, its just that they are flawed and in deep emotional pain because one man didn't do his job as a responsible husband and father and the pain he caused lives after his death. This is a very dark film, very depressing, gritty and true to life. No "Brady Bunch" happy endings here folks. Surprisingly, I think it makes it a better movie. The only major beef I have with this film is the character of the boy Josh. He is without a doubt the most appalling child character since Wesley on Mister Belvedere. I kept wanting one of the adults to give him a good smack in his little fresh, dirty mouth. I always hate it in movies when they show smart aleck kids who talk to adults more strongly then real life kids would dare do!

Now this is a movie that I thoroughly enjoyed watching. Movies like these proves that you don't need crude and obnoxious jokes with nudity and swearing for it to be good. This is an adult movie that approaches things in a touching and yet mature manner. The story in this is about Sam(Chris Pine) getting $150,000 dollars in cash after his fathers death who he loathed. But in his will he wants that money to go to Frankie(Elizabeth Banks) who is his half-sister that he didn't know about until he got his father's will. So he decides to go stalking Frankie and her son and soon chemistry starts to form between them, I guess it's awkward chemistry. Now Sam already has a girlfriend played by Olivia Wilde but the chemistry between Sam and Frankie is just so well written in this to the point I wanted to see more of it. And the fact that they are half-sibling makes things awkward and yet interesting to watch. Elizabeth Banks is still very hot and attractive, random but wanted to throw that in. This movie is mostly about understanding one another since everyone comes from different background no matter how close you are with them. This is a well written emotional drama that maybe predictable in some cases but it's well worth the watch for sure.

8.5/10

"People Like Us" has a fine cast, a fairly stimulating (yet safe) plot, and some heartfelt life lessons thrown in for good measure. The next paragraph contains a gentle spoiler about this films' themes.

A man (Pine) receives some bad news about his family. He needs to do the right thing, grow up, and bust through the defenses he has spent years hiding under. As he makes a reunion of sorts with family members, the plot unfolds. Each character deals with their own personal set of challenges.

I'll confess that I had hesitations about the casting. Pine is cute as-a-button, and I tend to be drawn to actors who are a bit rough around the edges. But I was wrong to doubt his abilities. He layered his role with some interesting nuances. His interactions with the Elizabeth Banks character were entertaining and fairly genuine. The young actor Michael Hall D'Addario was absolutely wonderful. Banks and Pfeiffer each turned in very sturdy performances. Wilde was also effective, but she needed more screen time.

Kudos to the director Alex Kurtzman for his reasonably light touch. It seems like he allowed the actors a long leash in developing their characterizations. This is no easy task, because Kurtzman also co-wrote the script.

The musical score had some strong moments, particularly when they highlighted classic rock tunes from decades ago. There were periodic sentimental tunes, which seemed a bit manipulative. And there was a beach scene which was a bit deflated, because it was so typically pretty. I wish this film would have taken more risks, and navigated through an even murkier emotional landscape.

At the end of the day, I would recommend this, and I look forward to seeing more films from Kurtzman. If you're still with me at this point, I beg your pardon. Uh, bartender... I'll have an extra dry martini with 2 olives, please.

There is something about a movie that is based on actual events that adds a sense of credibility and believability to a truly unusual and entertaining story. When I decided to watch this movie I had no idea what it was about, so I went in with eyes wide open and no preconceptions. I found this to be a surprisingly good movie, while the subject matter is unique, the fact that this situation really happened for me made this more enjoyable.

Bravo to the entire cast for a truly excellent performance, in my opinion the cast of exceptional actors and actresses made this movie a winner.