Review of Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2012) by Michelle S — 13 Apr 2014

"Jeff Who Lives at Home," a movie brought to you by the brilliant minds of Mark and Jay Duplass, stars funny men Jason Segal and Ed Helps. The movie, available to stream on Netflix, offers a funny look into the life of a 30 year old stoner who holds a strong belief that all things in the universe are tied together, but to be able to see the connections, one must have an open heart. Co-starring the riveting redhead Susan Sarandon, the audience gains a view on a typical dysfunctional family through a cliched indie-style comedy. Althoughthe Duplass brothers have struck gold with other indie comedies such as "Safety not Guaranteed," this movie is a dud compared to their other works.

Jeff (Segal) is a man in his 30's still living in his mother's basement. His brother Pat, played by Helms, is in a marriage that is seemingly going downhill. When Jeff receives a phone call asking for somebody named Kevin, he believes that maybe that person called the wrong number for a reason. Through various scenes, Jeff attempts to make a connection between the phone call, and much to his dismay, is only brought into the failing marriage of his brother.

Although the plots seems interesting, the dull humor and lack of jokes make the comedy seem more like a slow-paced nature documentary. The first 60 minutes of the movie have very little plot, and makes it hard to view without becoming distracted. Although the presentation by the cast is honest and believable, there is not enough going on to keep you interested. The most exciting parts of the movie happen in the last 15 minutes, but getting there is difficult.

With an MPAA ratingg of R, the movie isn't suitable for every age group due to crude humor, language, and sexual references. With the being the, the general idea of the film was good, but wasn't executed in a way that made the audience enjoy it overall.