Jan Wahl Movie Review: 'This is Where I Leave You'
You can hear KCBS Entertainment Editor Jan Wahl's movie reviews on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM Fridays at 8:53am & 4:53pm.
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— From "A Majority of One" to "Annie Hall" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding", there are wonderful comedies celebrating and satirizing our ethnic differences.
Jonathan Tropper's novel (he also wrote this screenplay) is about a Jewish family sitting shiva (mourning) for the patriarch. There are some fine actors and actresses playing this dysfunctional family forced together including; Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jan Fonda, and Adam Driver.
Unfortunately there's a feeling of sitcom silly everywhere, contrived, we know everything that will happen to the pugnacious siblings. The director Shawn Levy dumbs us down to a Kardashian level.
All the Jewish wit is taken away except a funny running joke about a young rabbi. He needs his own movie. Many people are looking for a fun film right now. I wish this one was better.
SEE NOW: My Old Lady, A Walk Among The Tombstones, Take Me To The River, Love Is Strange & Boyhood
DVD: Godzilla, Draft Day, Captain America: The Winter Soldier & Blended