This Is Where I Leave You

Synopsis: Moments after discovering his wife, Quinn (Abigail Spencer), in bed with his boss (Dax Shepherd), Judd Altman (Jason Bateman) receives the call that his father has died. He returns home to sit shiva, the Jewish ritual of mourning, with his mother Hilary (Jane Fonda), sister Wendy (Tiny Fey) and brothers Paul (Corey Stoll) and Phillip (Adam Driver). Inevitably, old wounds and tensions surface, secrets are exposed and family members learn to laugh in the face of anguish.

Fans of Jonathan Tropper’s best selling novel “This is Where I Leave You” will not be disappointed with this faithful screen adaptation, most likely because Tropper penned the screenplay. The novel is seamlessly condensed while retaining all of the plot highlights, character foibles, humour and emotion.

The screenplay certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel in the realm of ensemble family dramas, with comparisons to films like The Family Stone, Parenthood and even Dan In Real Life, springing to mind.

Like the novel, the film relies heavily on Tropper’s witty and acerbic point of view, and the film really shines during its comic moments, notably a riotously funny sex scene broadcast to the entire family via a baby monitor and a hilarious but also poignant scene where the three brothers get high in a synagogue.

The performances are as expected from a cast such as this and readers will see the novel’s characters come to life with great satisfaction. As Judd, Bateman is, appropriately, more subdued than usual, but, as always, balances the comedy and sentiment with skill. Fey does her best with some of the weaker writing while in his usual inimitable fashion Girls star Adam Driver stakes his claim with the black sheep role, providing some of the film’s finest moments.

Ultimately This Is Where I Leave You is like a leisurely Sunday visit with old friends. You’ll enjoy sitting in their living room, but won’t really dwell on it afterwards.

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