A movie with sit-com sensibilities, as it isn't too concerned about having a propulsive central thread and focuses instead on humorous interactions involving funny people. And who could be funnier than one of sit-com's GOATs, Julia Louis-Drefus. From Seinfeld to Veep, she has mastered comedic timing and just nails every delivery. And opposite good old Elaine Benes, we have Tobias Menzies, who holds his own. He had a dryly comedic bit part in Catastrophe (2015), which is one of my favorite comedies of the last decade, so it was nice to see him in a similar role here. In fact, I enjoyed pretty much the entire ensemble. The only exception might be the son, who I felt didn't get much to work with in terms of material and ultimately served more as a plot device to draw a parallel that was a bit on the nose for my taste. This ties into a broader criticism that the final act fell a bit flat, as the titular theme never really landed as much more than a vehicle for humor. Luckily, the humor was enough, delivered in a tight 90 minute package with interesting characters, solid bits throughout, and just enough of a through line to tie it all together. As an aside, one bit that really got me was the very underplayed moment when the two sisters get ice cream and we cut to them exiting the store. Just clever/subtle writing. On the other hand, you've got the blatant Seinfeld Easter egg about the diner that I can appreciate for the exact opposite reason.
Review by SkinnyFilmBuffVIP 8BlockedParent2023-09-26T03:26:12Z
A movie with sit-com sensibilities, as it isn't too concerned about having a propulsive central thread and focuses instead on humorous interactions involving funny people. And who could be funnier than one of sit-com's GOATs, Julia Louis-Drefus. From Seinfeld to Veep, she has mastered comedic timing and just nails every delivery. And opposite good old Elaine Benes, we have Tobias Menzies, who holds his own. He had a dryly comedic bit part in Catastrophe (2015), which is one of my favorite comedies of the last decade, so it was nice to see him in a similar role here. In fact, I enjoyed pretty much the entire ensemble. The only exception might be the son, who I felt didn't get much to work with in terms of material and ultimately served more as a plot device to draw a parallel that was a bit on the nose for my taste. This ties into a broader criticism that the final act fell a bit flat, as the titular theme never really landed as much more than a vehicle for humor. Luckily, the humor was enough, delivered in a tight 90 minute package with interesting characters, solid bits throughout, and just enough of a through line to tie it all together. As an aside, one bit that really got me was the very underplayed moment when the two sisters get ice cream and we cut to them exiting the store. Just clever/subtle writing. On the other hand, you've got the blatant Seinfeld Easter egg about the diner that I can appreciate for the exact opposite reason.