At a glance, this movie seems to be just like any another crude comedy with clichéd sexual humor running amok. It turns out that there’s not as much sexual humor as one would expect. In fact, it’s not as funny as one would expect. Sure it’s a comedy, but its messages of supporting one’s family and staying true to oneself overshadow actually laughs. Regardless, actors Paul Rudd and Zooey Deschanel conjure up a few laughs and tears with their unique and comic portrayals.
After being sent to jail for selling marijuana to a cop and getting kicked out of his farm home by his hippie ex-girlfriend, the protagonist, Ned (played by Paul Rudd), is a kind-hearted and optimistic biodynamic farmer who begins a process of serial-living with each of his three sisters.
The oldest sister, Liz (Emily Mortimer), is a typical anxious mom whose main job is to take care of her family as she struggles with a deteriorating marriage. Miranda (Elizabeth Banks) is a career-obsessed journalist for Vanity Fair who struggles in trying to get an article published. Lastly, the youngest sister, Nat (Zooey Deschanel), is a bisexual hipster who lives with five other roommates, including her girlfriend Cindy (Rashida Jones) in a communal-style apartment.
Living alongside with them, Ned becomes unintentionally involved in a variety of situations, stuck in a web of miscommunication. It is difficult to pinpoint whether or not he is truly an “idiot”, or if he’s just doing the right thing. However, in every situation, he is the sole scapegoat whenever someone needs to point a finger.
This movie is far from idiotic (no pun intended). In fact, I found the movie to be inspirational in the sense that it reminds us to be good people and to always have our siblings’ backs, no matter how much they seem to mess up.
Banks’ character sums up her how everyone feels about the main character, “No one loves anything as unconditional as Ned.”
Many will be disappointed in the lack of laughs while watching this movie, but Ned’s character will surely make up for it. The movie consists of a variety of unique characters in odd situations. I highly recommend Our Idiot Brother if you’re looking for something to watch with your siblings or close friends.
