“This Is Where I Leave You” is inviting for all the right reasons, just don’t be surprised if it pushes you away all the same.

Every character has a place in Shawn Levy’s latest cast compilation in a new dramedy that has touching moments, but feels too strained within the typical bounds of genre sellouts. Rather, with the slew of cast mates. Headed by; Jason Bateman, Tina Fey,  Adam Driver, Corey Stoll, Rose Byrne, Timothy Olyphant, Dax Shepard and Jane Fonda to name a few. A story on the sly, based on the novel by Jonathan Looper (also wrote the screenplay), takes place in the household of the Altman family-after the tragic loss of their father. Everyone must now have some modesty and deal with their papa’s last dying wish, they all must strangle each other under one roof for seven days. Well, that is not the wish..but it’s for sure a better statement of accurate events.

Looper does a pretty generic job here, thriving on the characters (as he should). Each actor almost fits perfectly into the role they are assigned. Bateman (Judd) is the slouch-whose wife has been cheating on him for a year with his rag-tag radio behemoth a.ka Boss (Wade). Tina Fey (Wendy) is the only sister, dealing with an ass of a husband, and the struggle of her aching brothers. While Adam Driver (Phillip) almost steals every scene as the childish-goofy brother (you know..the kind that show up late to their own dad’s funeral..geesh!) Corey Stoll (the least developed character) is desperately trying to impregnate his wife.

Then there is a subplot with the next-door neighbor who’s suffered a terrible brain injury back in the day Horry (Timothy Olyphant), how did he get this life altering brain damage? we never know other than the fact it was a car accident. Along the way we find out some diluted skeletons in the closet, and watch the Altman’s tear limb from limb. As with most dysfunctional families, this one is hard pressed to have any relation, or for the matter..connection with.

For the longest time I kept trying to find a rhythm for “This Is Where I Leave You” and while there are touching moments sprinkled here and there, there is too much injected into what should have been a shorter canvas. Some of the set pieces I really bought into and Looper does a pretty miraculous job balancing the plethora of characters (which becomes very tough to keep track off after the hour mark). The twists in the story keep you from reverting to typical cliche moments, but without a doubt they show up. Especially in the ice skating scenes, when Cyndi Lauper’s beloved classic “Time After Time” is heard.

Of course, the performances are all in pretty good order. The best belongs to Adam Driver, as the insensitive adult who believes he is god. While Tina Fey keeps the film grounded in reality as the quick witted sister of the brunch. Bateman is front and center throughout, but really caters to his supporting actors-rather than himself. Bateman has more than a few touching scenes with alot of his co-stars, which alone make it worth the price of admission. Jane Fonda is fun to watch, but can become tiresome here and there.

Furthermore, I enjoyed the film, I just didn’t love it. Never was there a sporadic just of where I wasn’t sure where the film was headed. Rather, I sat back enjoyed the moment, and then waited for something to screw up … said moment; tragic really. We can never have a quick embrace with the characters-because Looper tries to bounce them around too much, and it becomes distracting. “This Is Where I Leave You” is inviting for all the right reasons, just don’t be surprised if it pushes you away all the same.

C+

By: Nate Adams

Directed By: Shawn Levy

Rated: R

Runtime: 120 mins

Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: September 19th 2014

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