Joe List stars as Jeff, three years sober and potentially on the cusp of fatherhood. Jeff fears that he lacks the potential to be a good parent due to his own dysfunctional childhood. To overcome his anxiety at its source, he plans to confront his family of acerbic Bostonians regarding the perceived shortcomings of his own upbringing while at their annual family lakeside gathering in Maine.
First and foremost, the film is hilarious. The sold out crowd at tonight's world premiere at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan was laughing from start to finish. Joe List is great, Robert Kelly steals every scene he's in, and Tara Pacheco provided some excellent subtle humor as the neutral observer. Nick Di Paolo and Louis do not disappoint either.
The cowriting of Joe List and Louis CK seemed to shine through in an introspective and cathartic way from both ends of the spectrum of fatherhood. On one side, trepidation regarding what may be, and on the other end, regret for what has been and can never be undone (portrayed phenomenally through the father character by Robert Walsh).
The casting was fantastic from top to bottom. My only small qualm with the film is that the exposition in the first act was a bit heavy handed. Not really distracting though.
See this movie in theatres if you have the opportunity, it was a great experience to be able to laugh with a crowd of strangers again.
