This Is Where I Leave You Review
By David Kempler
You Might Want to Leave Early
Billed as a dramatic comedy, "This is Where I Leave You" certainly qualifies in the category of comedy. As a drama it falls way short. The reason it falls short is because the director, Shawn Levy, and Jonathan Tropper, the writer of both the screenplay and the novel, relentlessly throw outrageous twists at us.
While a lot of the comedic bits work, the too-numerous-to-count twists only serve to undermine the drama part. Whenever a serious moment arises, it is quickly tossed aside for the laugh. By the fourth or so time it happens, you come to realize that it's not worth following any of the dramatic story lines. Just sit back and enjoy the comedy aspects, even when Levy and Tropper keep trying to outdo the outrageousness of the scene that preceded it.
Judd Altman (Jason Bateman) is a fairly successful radio producer of a show hosted by Wade Beaufort (Dax Sheppard). Wade is a high-energy, obnoxious personality on the air. His personality away from the microphone is no different. When Judd comes home early to surprise his wife, Quinn (Abigail Spencer), he finds her in bed with Wade. She is naturally horrified to be found in this position. Wade's attitude is derisive towards Judd. Judd is calmly blown away.
Soon afterwards, Judd learns that his ill father has died and that he must come home immediately. All of his siblings descend upon the house they were raised in, as well. There is his snarky sister, Wendy (Tina Fey), his trying-to-get-pregnant oldest brother, Paul (Corey Stoll), and his incredibly obnoxious youngest sibling, Phillip (Adam Driver). While we are supposed to see the good and bad in all of them, it is extremely difficult to believe that you would not despise Phillip in real life.
Mom (Jane Fonda) has summoned them all home and told them that their father's dying wish was that they sit Shiva for their dad, which confuses and annoys all of them. Mom isn't Jewish and dad, although he was Jewish, was an atheist. Mom is a successful writer and is very concerned that her breasts be exposed to the maximum at all times, to the point of absurdity. Besides that, her only notable trait is to constantly say things that embarrass her children.
Levy and Tropper have laid out a structure where every member of the family can be a sadist while making fun of all of their siblings and I can't say that a lot of it isn't funny stuff, even while feeling incredibly forced. The effect is more akin to watching a series of skits than rather than a fleshed-out story.
Despite "This is Where I Leave You" having zero heart no matter how hard it tries, the comedic writing and the performances are all more than passable. That it crashes under the weight of trying to string seriousness between the funny scenes can be overlooked, as long as you reconcile that you are okay with being entertained without the possibity of this family ever really existing. It will leave you as soon as you exit, but you won't have been harmed by the experience.
