Our Idiot Brother

When the writers of Our Idiot Brother titled it that they did not understate the character. Paul Rudd's character Ned is just that: an idiot. At times he was far too much of an idiot to even handle, but that was the whole point of the movie.

We meet Ned selling produce at a farmer's market where he proceeds to sell marijuana to a uniformed police officer. From here we follow him to jail and then see him getting out early for good behavior. He is an outstanding person. Ned's philosophy is that if you put your trust out there for everyone they will rise to the occasion. This acts both as a blessing and curse.

After he gets out of prison he needs a place to live so he couch surfs between his sisters' houses. Throughout the movie Ned does what he does best and people love him for it. As he meets new people he instantly becomes friends with them, but as he does this he hurts the people around him just by being himself. The pressure builds during the movie and the fun ensues from there.

Paul Rudd is, as usual, in a role perfect for him, though this time he isn't playing a lovable jerk, but is just a lovable man-child. His acting was spot on for this role and he was surrounded by outstanding supporting actresses: Emily Mortimer, Zooey Deschanel, and Elizabeth Banks, all giving great performances. Fans of Deschanel and Rashida Jones will be excited and surprised about their performances.

The script was perfect for the movie. Witty dialogue and entertaining characters were only possible because of the script. And these characters are similar to people that every family has. Every family has an "idiot" whether it's a brother, a sister, or a different relative. But the way this script is written it actually feels like most of the events could actually be real, which is surprising for a movie like this. The idiot brother gets himself into many different situations, but he is so naive that he doesn't realize the things he says are to the wrong people.

The music throughout was great too. With many songs by the great Willie Nelson fittingly played through the movie as a nod to Ned's dog Willie Nelson. The songs fit the mood of every scene and event. Especially the opening track: "Tie A Yellow RIbbon Round The Old Oak Tree".

Overall this was a good end of the summer comedy about living life your way and putting trust into everyone around you. Everyone should find a way to connect with at least one of the characters in Our Idiot Brother, though the language could be a bit much for some ears. Other than that this was a good movie and nearly everyone would enjoy it.

6.5/10