Out on a great note with MY IDIOT BROTHER

 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 2011

DAY THREE

In a rush to pack for leaving and get to the movie, it was a whirlwind morning.  Jim and I awoke early to see My Idiot Brother.  By today we had figured out not to count on the Film Festival’s shuttle service to the Park City hotel, and grabbed a cab as Eccles Theatre was a bit of a hike.  We grabbed breakfast bars on our way out (courtesy of the gift basket from Chase Sapphire), and ran.  The theatre was a madhouse.  This was truly one of the most “Hollywood” movies we were scheduled to see, and with such accomplished and well-known actors as Paul Rudd.  Zooey Deschanel (multi-talented, you’ve never heard a better rendition of “Baby It’s Cold Outside” than she did with Will Ferrell in Elf,) Elizabeth Banks  (Zack and Miri Make a Porno but I always mix her up with the “Modern Family” actress Julie Bowen), and Emily Mortimer (Whip It!), it was bound to at a minimum have some great acting.

Peretz said in the Q&A that he had always had a vision of Paul Rudd playing this kind of character.  He enlisted his sister and brother-in-law,  Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall, to write it.    He pictured Paul as an open, un-cynical guy, and then made him a fish out of water.   He used Hannah and her Sisters as a reference point for tone.   Paul Rudd brought down the Q&A when someone asked about what kind of research he did for the part and he responded, “I caught the first part of your question, but I’m so high I didn’t hear…” Mr. Rudd did go on to say that he liked Ned because he appealed to people’s best side, and that is “ultimately a gratifying way to live.”

Jesse Peretz did not fail to deliver a Hollywood-style movie.  It was very evenly written, great character development, a happy ending, and a comfortable 95 minutes long.   Paul Rudd has a truly great performance as a stoner/hippy whose naïveté’ and honest efforts to right some wrongs reminds us constantly why people tell white lies.  The cast was fabulous, and it was not a one-man show as Rudd’s character sisters, brother-in-law and mother really made the show.    It’s light fair, what I would call a beach-read if it were a book, but some out loud laughs truly put us in good humor as we embarked on a tough trip home.  (One trip, 19 hours and 5 airports later, reminded us why we banned USAir the first time from our list of possible airlines to fly.  Never again.) 

Director:  Jesse Peretz

Screenwriters:  Evgenia Peretz, David Schisgall

And it is with contentment that we big a fond fairwell to this year’s Sundance Film Festival. 

Thanks for the memories, Sundance.