People Places Things

'PEOPLE PLACES THINGS': Three Stars (Out of Five)

Another comedy-drama flick; about an unconventional dad, learning to be a good parent. This one stars Jemaine Clement, and it was written and directed by James C. Strouse. The film costars Regina Hall, Jessica Williams, Stephanie Allynne, Michael Chernus, Aundrea Gadsby and Gia Gadsby. I found the movie to be funny, and very sweet, but nothing too memorable.

Clement plays a teacher, and aspiring graphic novelist, named Will Henry; who recently separated from his wife, Charlie (Allynne), on their daughters' (Aundrea and Gia Gadsby) fifth birthday. After explaining his recent divorce to his class; a student named Kat (Williams), sets him up on a blind date with her mother (Hall). The two don't immediately hit it off, but they slowly learn to like each other. Will tries to cope with this new relationship, while also getting over his failed one, and trying to be a better dad. He also learns to be a better teacher, and artist, in the process (of course).

It seems like we've seen this movie dozens of times before, but Clement is a very likable, and quirky, actor; so he's able to breathe new life into the material (to a certain extent). The rest of the cast is decent (Chernus is especially a scene-stealer) and the directing is adequate. The writing definitely could have been a little better though; most of the really good scenes seem mostly improvised (but I could be wrong). The film is pleasant, and humorous enough; for at least one viewing, I'd say.

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What a cute, very realistic, dramatic comedy of people like us, making mistakes like us, very passionate, the characters, the little girls are cute, simple and clumsy, but good and with good will, in the desire to get it right, loves and love affairs, doubts about relationships, a complex and well-translated atmosphere, making everything very simple, cute, simple and romantic...

Kind of like The Florida Project for divorcing and dating and remarrying couples. Everything falls apart, but kids maintain the center. The center of pizza, the center of needing to go, the center of cello and French lessons. Dad dawdles over his drawings and manages to bump into the feelings of everyone he encounters. Emotionally clumsy, he, and helpless and hapless to boot.

But it was ever this way. Anyone who has ever been in love knows what a glorious mess it is.

It might not be the funniest movie I have ever seen and if it wasn't that Jemaine Clement plays in it I probably would not even have watched it. But since I saw Flight of the Conchords I have a weak spot for Jemaine Clement. That show was so funny to watch that I just looked him up on here and then I fell on People Places Things. It's an easy movie to watch, nothing complicated apart of his life in the movie then. Jemaine Clement has one of those faces that makes you laugh. And certainly with his deep New-Zealand accent. So to me it was just a fun movie to watch. Maybe not the kind of movie I would have gone for because it's more dramatic then funny but nevertheless it's worth a watch. If you like Jemaine Clement and you like silly humor then you should definitely watch Flight of the Conchords though.

Jemaine carried the film, that's the truth. Otherwise it would have been yet another New York dialogue based neurotic script. The story is heart warming and acted with a candor that is both funny and tragic. Real characters, real people, that is what the plot was trying to portray and it pretty much manages to do so. There are some bits that are a bit forced and kind of show that the writer is also the director, but overall a good movie.

The thing is that without Jemaine Clement as the lead, I am not sure I would have rated this more than average, while the jokes are funny, but pretty spaced out. Not a lot of romance in it either - well, it is, but real stuff, not butterfly in the stomach and people meant for each other. It's just ... life.