Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Everybody has a quirky movie that they, and few other people or critics, like. It just might be that a movie simply comes along at the right point in our lives and interlocks with events in it. I certainly have a number of movies among my favorites that fit into this category, and I have a feeling that Jeff, Who lives at Home might have been admitted to it.

Although it is billed as a comedy, and there are certainly comic elements to it, there is a more serious component that underlies it and gives it some depth. Jason Segel plays a slacker who, at the age of 30, has few prospects (and living at home at 30 seems to be the modern stereotype of a loser). Jeff clings to the idea that some 'sign' will appear to show him the way. In fact, he is viewed as nothing but a loser by his mother, brother, and just about everyone else. When someone mistakenly calls his number asking for Kevin, Jeff, seeing this as the sign he's been waiting for, begins his search for his role in the universe, brushing aside all ridicule in the process.

I like movies that show how small, apparently insignificant, choices can lead to life changing events. I also like movies in which a character is redeemed by adhering to principles that everyone else thinks are insane. In its own subtle way, the movie questions many of the basic premises that underlie modern society. Yeah, I know, maybe I'm reading too much into this, but, I suppose, that's why we all like certain movies that others don't.

You're not going to get a better guy to play a slacker-loser than Segel. The other actors hold up their roles well. I admit that I expected little of this movie, but I found it engaging right from the opening scene. Give it a chance and I foolishly believe you will not be disappointed

Well, there are two ways to go about this movie. There's the way of a nice superficial 2 or 3 out of 10 and then you can actually try and understand it a bit. This was what I chose.

The movie is heartbreaking. It's kind of random and weird but if you go along and stick with it, you can see that this is a masterpiece. The problems it discusses are there more and more frequently the past few years. It's a movie of its time, and it touches all the sensitive issues.

It discusses about the alienation between family members as well as our inability to understand the different in all aspects of life, respect it and just nurture it. It also gets into the marital issues that drive so many couples apart. And although these seem a lot, and there are even more, it makes it. It gets you a small sample of everything, emotions flooding and leading you to maybe cry a bit but hopefully be a better person by the end of the movie.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home is a great example of an indie film. Jeff, a 30-year-old slacker, is searching for meaning in an aimless life, looking at pop culture references for a sign.

Jeff's journey may seem like a simple one, but his mission to buy wood-glue for a broken shutter is not dissimilar to Odysseus's epic return. The twist in the third act underscores the idea that within all of us lies a destiny. (Jeff, Who Becomes a Hero, as a title, would've given it away.) Jason Segel gives a great goofy charm to the lead character, and he is ably supported by Ed Helms as his obnoxious and insensitive brother. Susan Sarandon is faultless as the mother looking for a sign of her own as she suffers bleak corporate office cubicle.

Ultimately, this is not only a comedy about a slacker living in his mother's basement, but a hopeful look at family and what that word means. It starts slow, then reveals some wonderful surprises.

"You ever feel like your waiting for forever to find out what your destiny is and when you do it's not really that exciting?" After receiving a phone call from a wrong number Jeff (Segel) thinks that the call has a deeper reason. His mom (Sarandon) calls and asks him to run an errand for him. What starts as a simple trip to a hardware store begins to evolve and change the lives of everyone Jeff comes into contact with, including his brother Pat (Helms). This is another movie that is almost nothing like the preview. The preview made it seem much funnier then it was. While this did have some funny parts in it I found this movie to be more sweet and heartfelt then I expected. Some of the aspects of the movie are very serious but they are done in a way that tone it down. Segel is just about the perfect choice for this role because there is just something about him that you find disarming and comfortable no matter what he is doing. If you are looking for a typical Segel comedy this is not it. This one has more substance and heart and is very much worth watching. Overall, if you liked "Everything Must Go" then this movie is for you. I recommend this but this is again not your average comedy. I give it a B+.

This film is about a mother and her two adult sons, who experience varying degrees of interpersonal problems.

The first half of the film portrays a socially awkward Jeff, with his newfound infatuation with anything to do with Kevin. It looks like a pothead comedy, which I do not usually enjoy. The mood of the second half changes dramatically, as the characters get emotionally complex. Their emotional wounds get explored, and the film becomes touching and engaging. The ending is well built and climactic, and I find myself very touched by the heroic events. How each family member found emotional attachment is beautiful to say the least.

Though "Jeff, Who Lives At Home" may be a little boring at first, it is worth watching as the last twenty minutes are excellent.