Rich White People Problems: This Is Where I Leave You

You can watch my youtube review HERE!!!

What's more generic than a glossy well off white family? A glossy well off white family that doesn't get along and thinks that their not so problematic problems are the biggest problems in the world. This film is directed by Shawn Levy  and stars Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Jane Fonda, Connie Britton, Rose Byrne, Timothy Olyphant, Ben Schwartz, Kathryn Hahn and Dax Shepard. After the death of their father a family comes together to sit shiva upon his will's request...even though they're not Jewish.

Shawn Levy has made one movie that I can say that I really enjoy (Date Night); the rest of his filmography is harmless but obvious with no real wit. He thinks something would be funny and assumes the rest of the world will agree, I disagree. Fortunately the cast is wonderful, every actor charming and charismatic, unfortunately the script is rather trite. These actors do the best with what they have and make a rather bland film competent, especially Adam Driver who I never cease to enjoy. Without this cast I would have hated this movie but luckily this film did have it's cast.

The film has glossy cinematography and a decent soundtrack; Shawn Levy at least knows how to put a movie together. But the film has no soul, no drive, it almost feels like a product for the masses that has no substance but is shiny enough to enjoy. The problems the characters have are not real problems except for Jason Bateman's character and for that reason you just can't really get behind most of what goes on in the movie. Also the fact that it throws a penis jokes at you every minute makes it rather grating at times.

I honestly didn't outright hate this movie but I also didn't care about it at all. There are also several moments that I don't agree with morally and its contrivances are rather annoying. The cast makes it a leisurely watch but there's nothing there to compel me to watch it again.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

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