Our Idiot Brother (2011)
Coarse language, sexual references, nudity and drug references
| Director: | Jesse Peretz |
| Actors: | Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Steve Coogan, Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Kathryn Hahn, Tj Miller, Shirley Knight, Hugh Dancy, Katie Aselton |
Ned (Rudd) is a well-meaning idealist who has just been released from prison for dealing marijuana. In succession, he disrupts the lives and homes of his three sisters: career-driven Miranda (Banks), who is about to get her big break in journalism; bisexual hipster Natalie (Deschanel), whose lies are preventing her from moving forward with her responsible girlfriend Cindy (Rashida Jones); and Liz (Mortimer), who is too concerned with being the perfect mother to notice that her marriage is falling apart.
| Status: | QuickPick |
|---|---|
| Run time: | 90mins |
| Origin: | UNITED STATES |
| Aspect Ratio: | 16:9 |
by Simon Miraudo, 2/08/2011 2:12:00 PM
Our Idiot Brother stars Paul Rudd as Ned, a wide-eyed, farm-living, family-loving, totally-peaceful stoner who – rather stupidly, even he’ll admit – sells some pot to a uniformed police officer. After an eight-month stint in prison, he looks to his trio of sisters (Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer) to see if they’ll take him in, at least until he can get back on his feet. All three are reluctant, dealing as they are with their individual issues, but one by one they offer him a bed, booting him out whenever he accidentally – yet inevitably – sends their life into disarray. The endlessly likable Rudd is in top form here, treating Ned not like a tired cliché of a hippie, but rather as an honest guy with a big heart, who only clashes with the rest of the world because everyo...
Our Idiot Brother stars Paul Rudd as Ned, a wide-eyed, farm-living, family-loving, totally-peaceful stoner who – rather stupidly, even he’ll admit – sells some pot to a uniformed police officer. After an eight-month stint in prison, he looks to his trio of sisters (Zooey Deschanel, Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer) to see if they’ll take him in, at least until he can get back on his feet. All three are reluctant, dealing as they are with their individual issues, but one by one they offer him a bed, booting him out whenever he accidentally – yet inevitably – sends their life into disarray.
The endlessly likable Rudd is in top form here, treating Ned not like a tired cliché of a hippie, but rather as an honest guy with a big heart, who only clashes with the rest of the world because everyone else is so uptight by comparison. He’s joined by a wonderful supporting cast, which also includes Rashida Jones, Steve Coogan, Adam Scott, T.J. Miller, Hugh Dancy and Kathryn Hahn. Peretz claims Hannah and Her Sisters is an inspiration, but I’d say a more fitting comparison is Ron Howard’s Parenthood (a similarly likable, if inessential, Woody Allen tribute). A rather conventional comedy, Our Idiot Brother would perhaps be best suited as an ongoing TV series, but it’s totally pleasant, warm, and occasionally very funny. Sometimes that’s the kind of film we really need.
3/5
Read More
If you like this, try these:
Member Reviews (33)
33 Member
Reviews
says
A great premise for a movie - idiot savant brings redemption to his self-obsessed family - but what could have been a great film descends into the usual cliches and American smaltz - right down to the end montage of how everyone lives happily ever after: lazy filmmaking. More troubling for a supposedly "alternative" movie are the conservative values that bubble beneath the surface of this film; for example, the sisters blaming a husband's philandeering on their sister's dowdy appearance. The ensemble cast give good performances but are ultimately let down by a lame plot.
Lee
says
I love Paul Rudd and Zooey Deschanel, and although this movie was okay, it definitely wasn't them at their best.
Kerrin
says
Quirky, loved it!
AZD
says
A big disappointment. I love Paul Rudd but this was not the role for him. I'm not sure if the problem was with the casting or the director but a lot of the roles didn't suit the actors and so didn't seem "believable". I didn't laugh once.
Marg
says
An okay light hearted movie but was expecting it to be funnier than it was.
Andrew
says
Wasn't sure what to expect but we always like Paul Rudd and he didn't let us down here. It's a different kind of movie but had us smiling and enjoying it all the way through. The confrontations, if you can call them that, with his ex and her new hippie partner are quite funny. Really enjoyed it.
Kelly
says
Only OK.
Otto
says
Amusing, lighthearted entertainment.
Phil
says
I don't give a 4 stars everyday believe me but Paul Rudd and the other actors in this movie were simply excellent and totally believable. I simply loved this light comedy and wish more of those were made. Not for kids though.
Brett
says
Ok, bit slow
Lisa
says
i thought this movie would be funny but im still waiting to laugh...
Lee
says
Imagine if we lived that honestly and loved that unconditionally.
Mel
says
Disappointing!
Wacky Backy
says
It's alright, there are some funny bits, some interesting characters, but Paul Rudd is just not convincing as a drop out hippy stoner.
Kim
says
The whole family are idiots if you ask me, not just the brother! Watchable but very light on.
kimbo
says
A comedy centered on an idealist who barges into the lives of his three sisters. Enjoyable light comedy
gerd
says
Reasonably amusing rather than particularly funny. The movie's need to keep moving in on the separate lives of three sisters, as well as regular scenes with the ex-girlfriend, the mother and the parole officer, means that the segments are short and superficial, which creates an overall sense of wasted opportunity.
Cindy
says
The always watchable Paul Rudd turns up the Charm-O-Meter to 11 in this delightful comedy. Rudd shines as the naive man-child Ned, whose simplistic, trusting view of the world seems to cause nothing but disaster for his three decidedly more cynical and world-weary sisters. The character of Ned could easily have slipped into caricature, but Rudd is simply too good a comedic actor to fall for that trap. Instead, he instills Ned with abundant quiet dignity and allows the audience to judge who the real "idiots" are. Sure, "Our Idiot Brother" is ultimately a sentimental film, but it avoids the cringe-worthy soppiness that seems to ruin so many American comedies. Like the previous reviewer, I'm giving it an extra star for the Rudd-factor.
Colin
says
Pretty good if you're in the mood for light comedy. Gets an extra star because Paul Rudd does a great job of his character, otherwise it's only a 3 star comedy.
Kazza
says
Well have seen better comedys in my view, but still got a laugh and really wasn't too bad, even the storyline was OK, if you can relate to that sort of stuff....Worth the watch anyways.
suesreviews
says
yeah. alright, a movie full of beautiful people, irritating and depthless in the same way that 'Lovely and Amazing' was - ie Hollywood trying to go arthouse. I rated it two stars because the brother was a nice guy and well acted. The sisters, purely pretty and spoilt.
Liz
says
A funny movie to watch.
melzy
says
Didn't really have a climax, it was a bit dull with a few funny moments to boot!
C. Williams
says
A very funny movie, great acting and story.
Umi
says
Actually had some laugh out loud moments. Some people will relate to this, especially if you are a bit out there!
Shan
says
A fan of most of the actors, it seemed promising. I endd up switching it off about 20 minutes in.
Larry
says
An easy watching Comedy, a few chuckles, and a feel-good storyline.
Margit
says
It was alright , I thought it would have been better.
Anita L
says
Not as good as I was expecting, given the fact that I like Zooey Deschanel. Slow moving feel-good family drama.
Baz
says
I feel like the idiot putting this one on my queue. No good.
jtbug
says
Enjoyable light entertainment but I was hoping it would be funnier. Quirky, feel-good.
niamhk
says
The reviewer above pretty much has it spot on, it's a nice comedy, a few laughs, great cast, definitely worth a watch. The only thing that grated with me was Rashida Jones as a lesbian and how do they make her look like one - give her huge dorky glasses and check shirts - groan. Otherwise I really liked this movie.
morevictorious
says
Ummm slow and predictable. Still a few light laughs. Not that grand a comedy