You can’t star cancer. You can’t star AIDS. You can’t star a tumor or TB or rickets or jungle fever. This is often the Achilles heel of extended family comedramas. The producers assume that isolated tragedy -often a fatal illness- will not only drive the action, but create the emotional crux of the film. Makes sense, this is how life works and all. Thing is, movies are primarily entertainment, not art, nor societal reflection. They can be the latter, but have to be the former. So when the plot of a film is driven by cancer, the audience [read: me] feels cheated when the emotional center of the film is also driven by cancer. To put it more succinctly – comedramas that revolve around tragedy have to be character driven, not plot driven. Those unable to earn said lesson end up making disasters like The Family Stone or Love the Coopers.
The Hollars are a matriarchal bunch and mom (Margo Martindale) has a brain tumor. This isn’t a good time to have a brain tumor; hubby Don (Richard Jenkins) has a failing business. He had to fire son Ron (Sharlto Copley), who has fallen from the ranks of “married father of two” to “living back home with his parents.” That’s nowhere you want to be. His younger brother John (writer/director John Krasinski – you named the character yourself, did you?) is the one who “has it together,” merely being horribly insecure about his unfulfilling job and very pregnant girlfriend Becca (Anna Kendrick).
The Hollars takes almost sadistic enjoyment in calling Becca’s baby-to-be a bastard, constantly asking, “is this still a thing?” Well, it sure is if you keep saying it.
John returns home for mom’s operation and we all get an idea of what a family looks like when it’s not so much dysfunctional as just going through a tough time. Typical of the action is when Nurse Jason (Charlie Day) attacks John for feeding his mom ice cream & pretzels instead of the regulated hospital dreck. When the two are isolated, Jason continues his rant, eventually yielding to invite John to dinner – see, Jason has married John’s high school girlfriend, Gwen (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). The Hollars is a soft film; there aren’t fistfights, wild accusations and words you can’t take back. In place of hyperbole, there’s Ron stalking the new man in his ex-wife’s life, Reverend Dan (Josh Groban) and Reverend Dan returning the favor by fixing Ron’s car. The Lord works in mysterious ways.
Margo Martindale is a woman you’ve seen in about 47 different films. Dunno if she’ll actually take a nomination for this role, but don’t begrudge it; she’s never been better. Contrarily, her counterpart, Richard Jenkins, has never been worse. Tis the summer of overacting — Richard Jenkins recognized he was in a comedy and
decided to Hollar it from the rafters. It’s possible Margo looks comparatively better because she is surrounded by pure country ham on all sides.
I don’t have a good track record with these semi-dysfunctional family comedramas. They often come off too preachy or too “ha! Our mess is bigger than your mess!” or just seem to lose sight of the fact that characters need to be likable. The latter is extremely important in generating audience sympathy; only a few of you will be sucked in by the tumor alone. The tangible feel to this version gives it a nod up on predecessors; also, the moments of levity were amiable and never pretended to be more. Full half star off for the idiotic “Hollar” surname. What, are you all hollaback girls? Puh-lease.
♪Oh, there’s no place like home for the maladies
‘Cause no matter how far away you drive
You just know there are eventual tragedies
How simply fab to the fam is still alive!
Here, the director lives in NYC, he was heading home
To mom’s tumor the size of pumpkin pie
Back at home his bro is still stalking
His ex- whenever he drives by
Check out our sibling issues
Don’t forget to bring the tissues
Oh, there’s no place like home for the maladies
For whenever you might decide to roam
You just know there’s emotional insta-freeze
The very instant you enter your childhood home! ♫
Rated PG-13, 88 Minutes
D: John Krasinski
W: James C. Strouse
Genre: Repairing dysfunction
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Criers
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Stoics
♪ Parody inspired by “(There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays”
