Movie Review
This Is Where I Leave You
This Is Where I Leave You (directed by Shawn Levy) starts with Judd Altman (Jason Bateman) discovering that his wife Quinn (Abigail Spencer) is having an affair with his boss. To put the cherry on the cake, his sister Wendy (Tina Fey) calls him some time later to tell him that his father just died. All the four siblings including oldest brother Paul (Corey Stoll), youngest brother Phillip (Adam Driver) and Mother Hillary (Jane Fonda) get together for the burial and then intend to leave, along with their wives/husband/girlfriends/children. However, their father’s last wish, who was a “Jewish Atheist”, was that his family should hold a Shiva, that is a weeklong mourning period. This means the family will be stuck together in the house for the first time in years. Their mother announces from the start that yes, they will go on each other’s nerve and drive each other crazy. But they also openly like each other and respect their late father’s wish, so they make it work.
Even though almost nothing but deoressing things happen to each character, it is certainly not a depressing movie. After all, it is still a upper middle class family in the suburbs- which doesn't mean they don't have their fair share of problems, but it is certainly not a dark movie like family dramas tend to be. The unforced humour and refreshing perspective on things by the Altmans give the film an uplifting notion and you feel more like you watch each family member come to terms with what happened instead of watching them despair. It’s life! I certainly noticed Tina Fey’s relatable humour in there. The one liners are unforced and the conversations are spot on, the Altmans feel like a real family. Unfortunately Penny (Rose Byrne), an old admirer of Judd, is a bit of a “manic pixie”, a coin termed by Nathan Rabin, describing quirky female characters that only seems to be there to make the male lead see how great life actually is.
However, I loved that this movie didn’t try to teach the audience to settle for what you have, or (my least favourite movie trope) that you have to love your family no matter what because you’re related (which I always thought enforces the notion that relatives have a right to mistreat you). No, the movie message is that you have to figure out what you want, which is hard, and then get up and go do it, which is even harder. The Altmans are portrayed as a family who gets along, but life happens und you can’t always stay together in that house and hang onto the past or failed plans. Appreciate the good things you have but keep on moving forward.
Not all the character’s problems are resolved at the end, but it is not really an open ending. This movie provides you with an interesting and entertaining glimpse at a nevertheless realistically portrayed family.