The Puffy Chair

The Puffy Chair is a pleasure to watch; human and funny and full of well- observed moments that ring so true they elicit long, gorgeous belly laughs.

Josh, his girlfriend Emily and his brother Rhett are on a road trip to visit Josh's father. On the way they plan to pick up a puffy chair for Dad's birthday.

The film, although buzzed as a road trip movie, is essentially a relationship comedy-drama, and unfortunately falls into gender stereotypes. Emily, focused (entirely?) on marriage issues, is less sympathetic than the two guys, Josh and Rhett. It is disappointing in such a character driven movie that the female still...isn't given enough character. However, Katie Aselton as Emily does a terrific job, as do Mark Duplass and Rhett Wilkins, and the film's appeal, as in BottleRocket, is motored by the immense charm of its lead actors. Warmer and less measured than Napoleon Dynamite or Garden State, The Puffy Chair is a lovely and--one more time--truly charming film. I highly recommend it.