Our Idiot Brother

Our Idiot Brother is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Jesse Peretz and written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall. The film features an ensemble cast, including Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Emily Mortimer, and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011, alongside other notable films like The Guard and Submarine. The movie was released by The Weinstein Company and received generally positive reviews from critics, including Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times and A.O. Scott of The New York Times. The film's success can be attributed to the talented cast, which also includes Steve Coogan, Hugh Dancy, and Kathryn Hahn, and its witty screenplay, which was praised by Peter Travers of Rolling Stone and Todd McCarthy of Variety.

Plot

The film tells the story of Ned Rochlin (played by Paul Rudd), a hippie farmer who lives on a commune with his girlfriend, Janet (played by Kathryn Hahn), and is inspired by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Allen Ginsberg. After being arrested for selling marijuana to a police officer (played by Bob Stephenson), Ned Rochlin is forced to leave the commune and move in with his sisters, Miranda (played by Elizabeth Banks), Natalie (played by Zooey Deschanel), and Liz (played by Emily Mortimer), who are all struggling with their own personal issues, reminiscent of the characters in The Royal Tenenbaums and The Squid and the Whale. As Ned Rochlin navigates his new life in New York City, he gets into various misadventures, including a stint as a dog walker and a encounter with a celebrity chef (played by Adam Scott), and finds inspiration in the works of Henry David Thoreau and Jack Kerouac. The film's themes of family, love, and identity are also explored in the works of Woody Allen and Eric Rohmer.

Production

The film was produced by Anthony Bregman, Peter Saraf, and Marc Turtletaub, who have also worked on films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Little Miss Sunshine. The screenplay was written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall, who drew inspiration from the works of J.D. Salinger and John Cheever. The film was shot on location in New York City and Vermont, and features a soundtrack with music by Fleet Foxes, The Tallest Man on Earth, and Bon Iver, among others, and was praised by critics like Robert Christgau of The Village Voice and Greil Marcus of The New Yorker. The film's cinematography was handled by Yaron Orbach, who has also worked on films like The Messenger and The Good Girl, and was influenced by the styles of Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola.

Cast

The film features an ensemble cast, including Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, and Emily Mortimer, all of whom have appeared in a wide range of films, including Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Elf, and Notting Hill. The cast also includes Steve Coogan, Hugh Dancy, and Kathryn Hahn, who have all had successful careers in film and television, with credits including Tropic Thunder, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and We're the Millers, and have been praised by critics like Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian and Jocelyn Nussbaum of Entertainment Weekly. The film's cast has been compared to the ensemble casts of films like The Big Chill and St. Elmo's Fire, which were directed by Lawrence Kasdan and Joel Schumacher, respectively.

Release

The film was released in the United States on August 26, 2011, by The Weinstein Company, and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2011, alongside other notable films like The Tree of Life and Martha Marcy May Marlene. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, including Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times and A.O. Scott of The New York Times, who praised the film's witty screenplay and strong performances, and was also praised by critics like Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times and David Denby of The New Yorker. The film was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, and was released on DVD and Blu-ray by Lionsgate in 2012, and has since become a cult classic, alongside films like The Big Lebowski and Garden State.

Reception

The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with an approval rating of 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from critics like Peter Travers of Rolling Stone and Todd McCarthy of Variety. The film was praised for its witty screenplay, strong performances, and nuanced exploration of themes like family, love, and identity, which are also explored in the works of Jonathan Franzen and Jennifer Egan. The film was also praised by critics like Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly and Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly, who noted that the film's cast, including Paul Rudd and Elizabeth Banks, delivered strong performances, and was compared to the works of Woody Allen and Noah Baumbach. However, some critics, like Armond White of the New York Press, were less enthusiastic, criticizing the film's tone and pacing, and comparing it unfavorably to the works of Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. Despite this, the film has developed a loyal following and is widely regarded as one of the best comedies of 2011, alongside films like Bridesmaids and Crazy, Stupid, Love.