kevinmonzon-48132
Definitely a different type of movie that I'm used to seeing. A predictable movie although, a story of a man who finds out he has a half sister from an affair his father had unknowingly.There was a plot that didn't have any substance to the movie, which was the main character Sam, being in legal trouble. Throughout the movie, lawyers were calling him and he just ignores the calls the whole movie. I guess this was meant to have a sense that Sam would leave LA and go back to NYC, or possibly go to prison, but by the end of the movie, that plot is left unresolved.All in all, its a decent flick that is enjoyable to watch, but I wouldn't watch it twice.
juneebuggy
This was pretty good although ultimately nothing all that special. I did like all the characters involved and the actors who portrayed them. Elizabeth Banks is very believable as a recovering alcoholic, single mother and a bright spot in the movie. Michelle Pfeiffer has a couple of powerful scenes and damn she's beautiful, does this woman never age?Chris Pine's character is nothing new, a twenty-something, fast-talking, self absorbed salesman (although in all fairness he wasn't terrible he just wasn't all that interesting.) The movie revolves around his character Sam, whose latest deal collapses on the day he learns that his father has suddenly died. He returns home for the funeral excited at the prospect of an inheritance but is shocked to find his father has left the money to Frankie, a sister he never knew existed. At first he plans to keep the money for himself but curiosity gets the better of him and he befriends Frankie and her son.I really enjoyed the boy who played the son (Michael Hall D'Addario) He was fun, interesting and seemed to bring out the best in the adults he had scenes with especially Pine. Ultimately I did find all the characters a little vague and the ending kinda meh, unsatisfying. If I'm being totally honest I fell asleep a couple times too and had to keep rewinding it. 10/26/15
Springdivine
I was pleasantly surprised when I finally committed to sitting down and watching this movie. I'm a huge fan of Michelle so naturally I knew I would get around to it, though the premise made me uneasy. The story essentially revolves around Sam (Chris pine) who learns his father has died and left him a shaving case filled with money to give to his half sister, Frankie (elizabeth banks) that he never knew existed. During this journey we learn all about what in his eyes was a very unhappy childhood, the estrangement with his parents (Michelle Pfeiffer is his mother), some obvious relationship issues he has with his current girlfriend (Olivia Wilde), and the difficult issues Frankie and her son have. I felt the acting was top notch for the most part. Loved Michelle as I always do. The only issue I had with the film were some of the unanswered questions and certain aspects that seemed less believable. Where was Frankie's mom in all this? Why would Jerry (Sam's dad) be so detached with him yet make the effort to reunite the kids on Sundays? Why would that detachment between Sam and his father mean distance between Sam and his mother? What the hell ended up happening with everyone trying to arrest Sam at the end? There is this shift where you get some insight that Sam may not be all that great of a guy... The argument he has with his girlfriend, troubles at work, yet it was never really addressed... Just he made up with everyone and yeah, happy ever after getting to know his sister. They delved a bit into Lillian's heart condition yet didn't fully explore why she wasn't seeking treatment and why she finally agreed to it, that convo even after she was back home never happened.Despite all that, the movie was enjoyable and thought provoking - which are movies that are rarely made these days. So if you can forgive the questions that arise once it's finished and enjoy it for what it is, it's worth it.
tigerfish50
A cynical salesman called Sam learns that one of his dubious deals has imploded into looming lawsuits, unemployment and debt, shortly before he's informed about the death of his prosperous estranged father. He returns to the family home too late for the funeral, and makes some grudging attempts to repair the strained relationship with his mother. A day or so later, Sam meets with the family lawyer to receive disappointing news about a meager inheritance, before being entrusted with a substantial cash bequest intended for his father's secret illegitimate daughter and her young son. Torn between keeping the money for himself and handing it over, Sam decides to become acquainted with his half sister without revealing their common parentage.Unfortunately the opportunity to make something of this promising idea gradually slips away in a series of scenes that become increasingly trite and sentimental. Despite the efforts of a talented cast, minor misunderstandings are constantly being leveraged into artificial melodramas until the predictable moment of redemption finally arrives. It's all formulaic enough to turn one into a cynical salesman.
AD
