This Is Where I Leave You - Review

This Is Where I Leave You.

This Is Where I leave you is another film in a similar slew of “Coming Home” movies. For those unfamiliar with the genre a “Coming Home” film will feature a middle aged protagonist who’s successful in terms of their career but maybe not fully satisfied in their home life. Then due to what is often a death in the family they have to go back to their childhood home at the same time as the rest of their family is there and in this time they come over old family  grievances to film themselves again. (See last years “The Judge”) This Is Where I leave You follows this formula to the point but it’s but no measure a bad film.

It’s gets over its formulaic narrative mainly due to its exceptional cast. Everyone in the film elevates it by bringing out humor and warmth in what could have otherwise gone very wrong. Jason Bateman lead the cast as Judd Altman (As character names go it just sounds bland) Bateman fits the role like a glove.  Playing the family patriarch who holds the family of characters together. The film isn’t nearly as absurd as “Arrested Development” but you can see Michael Bluth creeping through. That’s no bad thing though more Arrested Development is always welcome. Tina Fey plays his sister Wendy Altman who supports him through this family struggle. Fey is responsible for most of the laughs in the film and she runs circles around her male counterparts in terms of humour.  The film is completely littered with several successful people, it’s a bit like a school play with everyone showing up for their little moment. Adam Driver is there as the off the rails brother his character could come off like a bit of a dick but Driver finds some likeable charm underneath and he mines that for what it is. Rose Byrne shows up to play Judd’s small town love who never left. Again her character could be annoyingly ditzy but Byrne too finds some charm in the role.

In the directors chair is Shawn Levy. The films stands out compared to Levy’s previous fare and you get a sense that he is enjoying making something a bit characterful compared to Nigh At The Museum ∞. His direction is very silent not flashy but he has a nice visual eye and the whole thing is impeccably well lit it’s one of the sunniest films I think I’ve ever scene (Honestly I think it only rains about once). Thanks to a great cast and light direction what could be plodding and melodramatic  is still melodramatic but it’s enjoyable and humourous melodrama which neatly fits itself into a 1h39min running time.

3/5 Stars