Smart People

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Opening this Friday is a non-special effect, non-animated down to earth dark comedy from the same comedic minds as “Sideways” with “Smart People”.

This film tells the story of widower Professor Lawerence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) a brilliant man who is having a heck of a time figuring out his family and his life. In the throws of a middle life crisis, Wetherhold seems to have lost his zest for life.

His son in college James (Ashton Homes) doesn’t have much to say to his father. His Young Republican daughter Vanessa (Ellen Page) seems to have inherited her father’s wit and more so, his innate sadness. Along for the life ride is the professor’s adopted brother Chuck (Thomas Haden Church) who has perfected the art of freeloading and shows up unexpectedly.

Also unexpectedly, the professor runs into former student Dr. Janet Hartigan (Sarah Jessica Parker) and his life with his surroundings begin to change in an interesting way.

FINAL WORD: This is a dark but funny comedy about how overwhelming life can be sometimes. Quaid is interesting as Professor Wetherhold, with this character being a little off the beaten path for him.  He plays well off of his film family with just the right touch of a mid-life crisis.

Quaid admits that this character is the exact opposite of his own, “I’m much more of an extrovert, so at first it was hard to imagine myself in this role. But the story was so good.” To play the role, Quaid admitted to gaining 25 pounds getting that lumpy physique and quit smoking to get the grouchiness needed for his character.

Church is funny as the adoptive brother. His wise cracking and straight on vision of life brings a lot of sense to a confusing situation. Homes plays the son with emotion but not so many words.

It is good to see Parker again and as everyone anticipates the “Sex and the City” full length movie quite soon this was a nice change of character for her to play. She portrays the emotionally cut off Hartigan who is also going through an emotional crisis of her own.

The winner here is, of course, Ellen Page as Vanessa. I will say that her character in this film reminded a tad of “Juno” but with an “American Beauty” sad twist. Her one-liners are hysterical and she has just the straight face to pull it off.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give “Smart People” three tubs of popcorn out of five. This was a great film to see that is straight from the heart with the confusion of the head. The story is basically of a family that can’t communicate the simple fact that they all want the same thing is believeable. If you enjoyed “The Royal Tanenbaums” or “Little Miss Sunshine” then this film is for you.

Before the summer blockbusters skyrocket into the theatres, take a moment to see something down to earth and see how it’s done by “Smart People”.