tieman64
A film by director Noam Murro, "Smart People" stars Dennis Quaid as Lawrence Wetherhold, a pretentious English professor. Lawrence's daughter (Ellen Page), the overachieving Vanessa, is similarly pompous."Smart People's" second half finds Vanessa and Lawrence learning to be less uptight and more sympathetic toward the wants, needs and interests of the "academically challenged". Teaching these lessons are Lawrence's brother (Thomas Church) and a local doctor (Sarah Jessica Parker). Trite but watchable, Thomas Church steals the show as an affable slacker. For a better film about similarly dysfunctional intellectuals, see Noah Baumbach's "The Squid and the Whale".6/10 – Worth one viewing.
callanvass
(Plot) A widowed professor falls in love (Sarah Jessica Parker) but his daughter (Ellen Paige) is very disobedient and beats to her own drum. He also has to deal with an unwarranted visit from his annoying brother (Thomas Haden Church) I don't remember much about this movie, but I do remember that it was a decent film, and refreshingly unorthodox. It has a quirky style to it, and I got into it for the most part. It also helps that it has an A + cast. Ellen Paige is one of my favorite up and coming actresses and her snarky performance delighted me. I dug her obsession with fancy words. It also had a great contrast in personality with Paige & Jessica Parker. Parker is a rather subdued personality compared to her, and the way they clashed gave me some chuckles. Dennis Quaid is a tad unsympathetic, but fantastic nonetheless. You'll like him, because you won't be able to help it. Haden Church is a hoot in his roleFinal Thoughts: I kinda liked it. Its quirky style may not appeal to others, but those tired of the same Hollywood drivel will find stuff to like about it. Worth a watch6/10
Sirus_the_Virus
Smart people doesn't have all that much originality. Dennis Quaid plays a professor, Sarah Jessica Parker plays a physician who was a former student of Quaid's. Ellen Page plays a Juno like character. And Thomas Hayden Church plays a loser. I told you there wasn't that much originality, but the movie works. The film focuses on a professor(Dennis Quaid) who gets injured one day. also in one day, he meets a doctor(Sarah Jessica Parker) who was a former student of his. Also, when he comes home, he sees that his adoptive brother (Thomas Hayden Church). He starts seeing this doctor and ignores his daughter(Ellen Page). Also, one night his daughter and brother get drunk and she starts to have feelings for him.Alright so there is a lot going on in the plot. This movie is really funny. To me, the humor mostly is from Thomas Hayden Church, and just the littlest things made me laugh in this film. Just read this right here. "What are you doing?" "Watching a documentary on Snow apes". I thought that was funny. So it's not a great movie but I can't help but give it a thumbs up. To me, it seemed like you didn't get that much from Sarah Jessica Parker. Ellen Page plays the same character she does in every movie she is in. But that is okay because I like that character. I liked this movie.Smart People:***/****
chapsmack
The movie looked a bit too indie for my liking, if there is such a thing. The cast did their part, the storyline wasn't that bad. It's just that there wasn't too much to offer on the whole. Hayden Church stood out in his role, and was a central character to the entire movie. Ellen Page although doing her part didn't distinguish herself any further from her prior works, and displayed her usual lackadaisical attitude to the entire film. Maybe the role required it, maybe not, in any way not impressive. Casting of Jessica Parker was interesting but the film didn't really offer her that much. Kind of a film that you will likely forget than remember. 6/10.
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