Rated R for sexual content including nudity, and for language throughout.
Starring Paul Rudd, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Elizabeth Banks and Adam Scott
Directed by Jesse Peretz (The Ex)
I feel like an idiot for watching this one.
Every family has one: the sibling who is always just a little bit behind the curve when it comes to getting his life together. For sisters Liz (Emily Mortimer), Miranda (Elizabeth Banks) and Natalie (Zooey Deschanel), that person is their perennially upbeat brother Ned (Paul Rudd), an erstwhile organic farmer whose willingness to rely on the honesty of mankind is a less-than-optimum strategy for a tidy, trouble-free existence. Ned may be utterly lacking in common sense, but he is their brother and so, after his girlfriend dumps him and boots him off the farm, his sisters once again come to his rescue. As Liz, Miranda and Natalie each take a turn at housing Ned, their brother’s unfailing commitment to honesty creates more than a few messes in their comfortable routines. But as each of their lives begin to unravel, Ned’s family comes to realize that maybe, in believing and trusting the people around him; Ned isn’t such an idiot after all.
Sure there are a few funny scenes…but I saw all of them in the trailer. It tried really hard to be a quirky comedy but it just didn’t deliver enough laughs.
Sure it has a decent cast…but I’m hardly a fan of Paul Rudd, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer or Elizabeth Banks. I think Rudd watched The Big Lebowski as research…but he’s so not “The Dude.” Bridges was funny – Rudd not so much.
So take out the needless nudity, take out all the F-bombs and you might have had a cute movie about family dysfunction. Instead, we have a rated R movie that falls flat at every turn and you are left with a new coaster for your coffee table.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
No, kids should skip this one too. There are a couple scenes with sex and nudity and more than just a couple of F-bombs.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
Q: What’s the message/theme of this movie?
A: The name of the movie is Our Idiot Brother and while Ned makes a whole bunch of bad decisions, it’s his sisters who end up being the “idiots.” They are the ones who lie, cheat and have difficulty admitting any wrong doing. While Ned lives with each sister he exposes their lies and secrets. Instead of owning up his sisters deny and as one of them puts it, “our idiot brother just ruined my life.”
Q: How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
A: Read Numbers 32:23
But if you fail to keep your word, then you will have sinned against the Lord, and you may be sure that your sin will find you out.
What do you think that verse means?
What is one way to avoid having a secret sin exposed? (We can avoid being exposed by confessing our sin)
What happens when we confess our sin?
Read I John 1:9
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Q: How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
A: We need to understands that we all sin (Romans 3:23), but sometimes we try to hide our sin. According to Numbers 32:23, that sin will be exposed. What do you think generally happens when a secret sin is exposed?
Do you think there would have been a different outcome if they would have willingly confessed their sin?
Is there anything you need to confess or seek forgiveness for?
