In the opening moments of Our Idiot Brother, trusting free spirit Ned (Paul Rudd) sells marijuana to a uniformed police officer. After a stint in prison, Ned couch-surfs through the homes of his three sisters (played by indie goddesses Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Emily Mortimer), wreaking havoc on their lives while teaching them a bit about love and family. Is this light indie comedy (opening Friday) the perfect antidote to a summer overstuffed with raunchy, sarcastic romps like The Hangover Part II and The Change-Up — or too sweet for its own good?
This is just what the doctor ordered: "In a world of aggravating Little Fockers-level shrillness, or Hangover-style nastiness," says Michael Phillips at the Chicago Tribune, Our Idiot Brother is "a pretty smart cookie." It's a "sweet and low-key" film that showcases Rudd's broad comedy skills and a talented female ensemble. Essentially, the film is "Chekhov's Three Sisters with an idiot brother, an unofficial cousin of The Dude in The Big Lebowski." What doesn't sound appealing about that?
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