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Hail to the primo trailer-makers for creating the smoke and mirror previews for OUR IDIOT BROTHER…
That’s not to say that the movie is necessarily bad. It’s just not a rip-roaring comedy. OUR IDIOT BROTHER could almost qualify as an art house entry, which means that the masses that’ll be attracted to it (thanks to its sly marketing) may end up disappointed.
OUR IDIOT BROTHER stars Overland Park export Paul Rudd as Ned, a simple minded kinda dude. An irresponsible man-child of sorts selling organic veggies from the little farm that he toils with girlfriend Kathryn Hahn and his beloved dog Willie Nelson.
He’s a goodhearted soul. And when a friendly cop tricks Ned into selling him a little weed, it’s promptly off to the slammer for him.
Fast forward eight months as Ned is released from jail only to find his girlfriend with a new stoner. Furthermore, she’s not giving up Willie Nelson. That’s when Rudd rotates bunking with his three sisters Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer. Three semi-crazies whose own verklemmt lives border on breakdowns.
How do they see HIM?
One sister probably nails it when she says, "He’s just a fuck up who needs help."
Bottom line, hippie dude meets dysfunctional family in a breakdown of communications. But what coulda and shoulda—just doesn’t.
So what you’ve seen in the trailer isn’t necessarily how things end up at the movies. As for Paul Rudd’s long haired and bearded character Ned, maybe he’s not such an idiot after all.
OUR IDIOT BROTHER, also featuring Steve Coogan, Hugh Dancy and Shirley Knight, raises 2-1/2 out of 5 clueless fingers.
JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES Friday’s on NewsRadio KMBZ Am & Fm / 99.7-THE POINT / and 1660-RADIO BACH.
And anytime on Time Warner Cable’s ‘K.C. On Demand,’ Channel 411.
Thanks for the Heads Up
I love Paul Rudd and it sounds like he’s spreading his wings here. Critics seem to be all over the spectrum with their reviews for this film. But I’ve never gone wrong following your advice Jack. So I will again for this movie.
BLAME THE STUDIO FOR THE CHEAT
Trailer boutiques are engaged by studios to create a marketable mini movie for a particular film. Very much like an ad agency these trailer shops find a sales angle and create the marketing concept for the studio. But it’s always up to the studio to give final approval for the trailer and campaign before it’s implemented. So don’t blame the trailer maker who’s just doing what their shop was hired to do.