Our Idiot Brother (2011)

The Weinstein Co.

Everybody has had those moments where you say too much and end up “putting your foot in your mouth.” I’ve especially had quite a few moments like that recently, so I felt I can relate to the character of Ned as he means well but doesn’t know when to zip it. Paul Rudd plays it perfectly and carries the movie with incredible charm.

The movie starts as Ned is arrested for selling pot to a police officer and that gets the ball rolling as he bounces from house to house, all while trying to get his dog back. Along the way to getting his dog back, we meet his 3 sisters, played Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer. If you’ve seen them in other movies, then you know what to expect. Ned seems to connect more with his sisters’ friends than he does with them, which naturally sets up awkward moments for Ned. The highlight of the secondary characters would be Ned’s ex girlfriend’s new man, who’s even more clueless than Ned is. While the film does wrap up almost too neatly, there is a great pay-off at the end with Ned and his new best friend.

"Our Idiot Brother" hits the point that being honest and loving can be both rewarding and troublesome, but in the end everything works itself out. It almost seems more in the vein of what is now called a "dramedy", that is because it succeeds at delivering the laughs while also providing a satisfying emotional side. It might be too light-hearted for some but it is a film worth checking out.