Father Figures

Chose this as the best of a supposedly bad lot when I had a free rental. Went into it expecting to give up after ten minutes.

Just finished it and really enjoyed it. Obviously there are twists and turns which aren't too hard to see coming, but it had moments of real emotional heft. It was also pretty funny. Nice just to see two good actors making a decent film.

Its a comedy, so nothing serious. I didn't even have intentions on watching this in the theater. I went to see the new Star Wars but the theater had issues playing the movie. They offered us a refund, but my girlfriend and I still wanted to see a movie so we stayed and watched this. Neither of us knew what to expect, so we were skeptical, but as the movie went on we had a good time with it. If you like Owen Wilson movies then you will like this movie. I don't really understand all the hate, I follow a lot of movies so I had to get on her to give it some credit.

Somewhat aimless but mildly entertaining. Forced road movie plot & some stiff, predictable acting-situations. Bad soundtrack.

Father Figures brings nothing new or innovative to the table, but it follows the formula well and delivers a perfectly fine movie. Ed Helms and Owen Wilson star as twin brothers who discover that their father, whom they were told died before they could know him, isn't actually their father. Their mother, played by Glenn Close, isn't sure who their father is, but is pretty sure it's Terry Bradshaw. They then embark on a traditional road comedy as they go to meet him and continually get clues as to who their father is moving them along. The meet an interesting cast of characters and learn about themselves along the way before realizing that the most important thing is that they have each other.

There is no stand out performer who consistently elicits laughs, but it keeps chugging along with decent jokes enough to prevent it from dragging. They avoid overusing any of the jokes and there weren't any points where I was just waiting for the scene to end. This isn't going to be a classic or something that you want to watch over and over, but there are a lot worse ways to kill 2 hours.

'Father Figures' is no great movie. But it isn't a bad movie either. At least not as bad as the critics called it. Its, at its very core, a very watchable comedy, that, believe it or not, has got a heart too.

'Father Figures' Synopsis: Upon learning that their mother has been lying to them for years about their allegedly deceased father, two fraternal twin brothers hit the road in order to find him.

'Father Figures' is a tale of two brothers, who go on a journey to find their real dad, but end up exploring each other more than they could've imagined. And this story, though monotonous after a point, has some funny jokes that land & the banter between its brothers, has moments that evoke mirth & some genuine emotion too. I found myself emotionally connected in the film's concluding moments, which I least expected too. Having said that, there is no denying that 'Father Figures' gets repetitive & even some of its jokes don't land. Also, the length could've been trimmed by 10-15 minutes.

Justin Malen's Screenplay is a mixed bag, but there are some nice things here, that leave a mark. Lawrence Sher's Direction is adequate. Cinematography is satisfactory. Editing could've been tighter. Art & Costume Design are standard.

Performance-Wise: Owen Wilson & Ed Helms are extremely likable. Both of the terrific actors add a lot to their roles and excel in the comedic and emotional bits. The Legendary Glenn Close appears in a cameo as the mother of the boys and as usual, lends grace to the part. Among the dads, Terry Bradshaw is fun to watch, J. K. Simmons is okay & The Great Christopher Walken gets barely anything to do. Ving Rhames & Katt Williams are funny.

On the whole, 'Father Figures' is an entirely watchable comedy, that has its pros and cons. Not a bad Sunday noon watch!