Review of Home Again (2017) by Daniel M — 08 Sep 2017

Just saw this with the wife--we're about Reese's age. I knew ZERO about this movie going in, so I was a bit confused at first as to what it was about. Once the two plot lines were woven together--the 3 young guys, and the single mom--it started to be interesting. There were enough moments to keep me awake and curious (it wasn't predictable, for the casual viewer). But I have to agree with some of the other audience reviews, which say it doesn't feel authentic.

Afterward, my mind was still trying to figure out what kept me from liking it. Here are my gripes:

> Everybody is just an "accessory" for the main character. Her friendships are never explained. Her kids, her mother, and even her background (daughter of a famous movie maker) are just tacked on accoutrements.

> Never once do you feel she is struggling, but you are told she is.

> The guys that show up are NOT real (I say that as a guy). They are squeaky-clean, emotionally engaged with her & her kids, they cook, they do childcare, they are always well dressed. They are 27. Maybe 1 is realistic, but 3???

> The estranged husband was a contrivance.

> Candice Bergen's character only serves the purpose of bringing the 2 story threads together; other than that she just keeps the kids out of the way during the action of the movie.

I did like some of the camaraderie between the guys, and the way Reese's character kissed them on their noses (like Snow White & the 7 dwarfs), I thought the little girls were super cute, and I liked the scenes where the 1 guy explored the trove of memorabilia that belonged to her father.

Ultimately, I just didn't care, and I felt an opportunity was wasted to tell a unique story about 3 guys who come to live with a single mother. It was patterned after the "coming of age story" template, but instead it was a unique "woman finds her place" story with no insight into her internal journey. Fortunately at the end she tells her (much) younger love interest how he helped her to get over her fear & loneliness. I'm glad she spelled out the point of this movie for us guys. It could have been funny(er), it could have been a romance, it could have been more profound, but instead it was $25 and 2 hours.

Should you see it?

Aside from the drunken party montage at the beginning and the off-scene extramarital sex, it was mostly unobjectionable. But there's definitely nothing here to rush to the theatres for. Wait until this comes out on home video, rent it, and forget it easily afterward.

Probably the most interesting thing about this movie is where we will see the cast members in the near future as a result of this flick--several of them I'd like to see more of, hopefully doing something more compelling.