Rating of
3/4
Nice Message Regarding Emotional Intelligence
Franz Patrick - wrote on 10/19/08
Even though I’ve seen this kind of movie before, I still really liked it because it had a good balance between comedy and drama. Not only is it about family dynamics, it’s also about relationships outside the home (or lack thereof). In the middle of the film, I realized the greatness of its title. Yes, most of the characters are smart academic-wise but some of them lack emotional intelligence, which makes it harder for them to be liked by others. Dennis Quaid is great as a professor and a father who not only wants to get his book published but also become the head of the English department. Quaid is often very elegant and I think he truly shines. A lot of people claim that Ellen Page plays the same role as a blend between quirky and too smart for her own good. I disagree because her character here is not as likable as Juno; the nuances in Page’s acting can be discovered if one decides to look deeper into the character she’s playing. I also really liked Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church, and especially Ashton Holmes. I first took notice of him in “Wind Chill” (but seen “A History of Violence” first) and I’m glad to have stumbled upon him again. His character brings heart and something different to the story. Overall, this movie may not be the most original but I thought it was smart, funny, and heartbreaking; for a movie that’s only about an hour and thirty minutes long, in the last few scenes, I feel like the characters have grown a lot. This is worth a rental if one likes character studies.
