To me, this movie is perfection.

So much average

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

Yes Jason Bateman plays the same kind of guy in most of his work, and it may even be close to his real personality. But either way, there is something likable about that guy. I don't if it's acting or what, but he's great. Without him, I would not have watched this.Regarding the Jewish aspect. They say up front that the mom is not Jewish (meaning I assume that she didn't even convert), and the dad is an atheist.So these people are secular, born to a non-Jewish woman, but with apparently some loose "Reform" Jewish identity. Let's not say that they are typical Jews. Even most of the actors were non-Jewish. Having said that, it presents a horrible family and makes them seem Jewish. So be prepared for that if it's bothersome.But there's more to that. Clearly these people are living Godless lives and never fully understand the relationship between that fact, and their disappointments. (That is probably true for the film makers, or people in Hollywood in general) Yet, I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the writer used the vehicle of religious ritual (sitting together for a week to mourn a loved one)as a means toward some spiritual or moral reckoning, and that seems to be a pro-religion statement.The Bateman character lacks "alpha" qualities. That's probably why his wife went with an alpha male, and why he never really lived his life to the fullest. They don't identify this by name, but it's really one of the core themes affecting millions of men around the globe. Beta males live in the shadow of alphas.The house and town looked lovely. Why does everyone talk about who "got out?" I guess elitist types view their hometowns as provincial and silly.Tina Fey was good. She was down-to-earth and didn't ham it up. Forget the device of having a kid sitting on a portable toilet. That's such a cheap way to get a laugh. Wouldn't the kid need toilet paper anyways? That whole story line cheapened the experience.I realize that we are living in a "progressive" age, but I don't know if audiences want to see same-sex kissing, etc. I guess it will become more and more accepted. If you want to imply that same sex people are together, you could just show them gazing into each other's eyes. I guess the whole movement is about making it identical to the straight life. So showing actual gay bed scenes will be next, if it's not already happening.With this many characters and only so much time, it's hard to establish back stories. I think they did a reasonably decent job of that. Also, as others have said, they walked that fine line between slapstick and drama well.

This Is Where I leave You(2014) Starring: Jason Batemen, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Corey Stoll, Adam Driver, Kathryn Hann, Rose Byrne, Abigail Spencer, Timothy Olyphant, and Ben Schwartz Directed By: Shawn Levy Review This is where I leave the mediocre stuff. If you were looking forward to seeing this like I was don't bother it's alright for a one time watch but not that impressive till pretty bad. You got some great performances from some of the main stars though. We open up in the picture with Jade(Batemen) who has a great life and everything is just the way he likes it until one day for his wife's birthday he goes home a little earlier and finds her sleeping with his boss. He loses job and his father dies. His fathers last request was that the family must stay under one roof together for a week. The cast does amazing in this movie with the poor script their given to work with especially Fey, Batemen, and Driver. The problem is that while the cast is amazing they all have mediocre material to work with. The movie is pretty bad but it has a ton of good with stellar performances and nice pacing. Everyone in my theater laughed a lot and when we laughed we laughed hard. The film is well handled and then it's very underhanded. This Is Where I Leave You has its moments, but given the amount of talent assembled on screen you would expect something better rather then the letdown this film is it's strictly a rental. I give This Is Where I leave You a 2 1/2 out of 5.

In the movie "This is Where I Leave You" the Altman children (Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Corey Stoll, and Adam Driver) gather in their childhood home to see out their father's final wishes following his passing. They are forced to live under one roof again with their mother (Jane Fonda). In their small hometown the children run into people of their past that they have grown apart from. Each member of the Altman family grieves in their own way and they come to important realizations along the way.Throughout the film the audience laughs and cries with the Altmans as they try and find their way after devastating news. This film incorporates well-know family drama, characters, and relationships that the viewers can relate to. Many viewers have experienced the death of a loved one and are able to find many similarities between the Altmans and their own families. I really enjoyed this film because I felt that it represented family dynamics in a small town perfectly. Also the actors make the audience feel apart of the family so much that the viewer thinks that they are going through the characters' journey with them. I would definitely recommend this movie for anyone that is looking for a funny film filled with loads of family drama.

When their father passes away, four grown siblings, return home to sit Shiva with their mother in "This is Where I Leave You," from 2014.The film stars Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda, Rose Byrne, Corey Stoll, and Timothy Olyphant. Back where they started, the siblings confront their old lives and loves and reflect on where they are at present.What happens is funny, uncomfortable, sad, and unexpected as they put up with each other and their mother, who pays little attention to discretion as she brags about the sex life she had with her husband and the size of his ... sexuality. Jane Fonda is excellent, outspoken and surprisingly motherly, considering the personality of the character.I love Jason Bateman and watch him in anything in which he appears. He doesn't disappoint here as Judd, with his serious, straight-on delivery and his Everyman frustration. But that isn't to put down the rest of the cast, all of whom give good performances. Rose Byrne as Penny, Judd's old girlfriend, is a standout and again shows her versatility as an actress. Anyone who saw her intense performance on "Damages" can't fail to be impressed by this chipper, cheerful character. Family dynamics make for good movies if they're realistic. Though some of the reviewers here didn't feel they rang true, for me they did - bad marriages, old loves left behind, taking stock of what one has accomplished, and future goals -- the death of a parent and being around family is a time of contemplation."This is Where I Leave You" is good but it is an uneasy combination of comedy and drama, sort of not knowing which it wanted to be. On the one hand, Bateman and Fey are often associated with comedy, and then on the other, there were some serious issues covered.Worth checking out.