If you gave me a second word I could add to the first, I'd choose 'real.' I think all of that stuff happens to real people every day. I know some of it does, 'cause it's happened to me; and the rest? Well, I could so see that happening. If I was trying to get my daughter to return my phone calls for months, felt like I was losing touch with her, only to see her being affectionate with my boss, whom I've been confiding to the whole time, I'd probably squeeze the package of Epsom salts I happened to be holding to near bursting too.
And, of course, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: truth, reality, they don't make a movie. A story needs conflict. And it surprised me, how compelling this movie made corporate takeovers and children moving out. My wife found it a little slow, but for me, I bought into it, I cared about what happened to the characters, and so the time just flew.
Dennis Quaid was great. I didn't realize he had that in him. I mean, I liked The Rookie (2002), but I didn't think he was anything special in it. This was different. The director, Paul Weitz, is clearly a fan of very close shots, and Quaid's emotional performance stood up to that scrutiny. Everyone's did. It was really something.
You just pick the right one to be in the foxhole with, and you keep your dick in your pants.
--Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid)
Weitz also has the writing credits on this one, and I have to say, what I've learned about life and marriage so far? I agree; that captures it. Wisdom: it ain't always pretty.
[Edit: Forgot to mention the soundtrack: excellent, and thoughtful. In trying to find some good information on it - the official site says soundtrack information is coming soon - I found this Movie Vault review.
Despite its positive tone, I have to disagree with it on two points: 1) I would never have referred to the soundtrack as repetitive; every track seemed to be well thought out; and, 2) where were the clichés? The overprotective father? If you mean cliché as commonplace, you may have a point; if you mean cliché as hackneyed or trite, then I strongly disagree. Capturing something that is common, that we can all relate to, isn't a bad thing. Portraying something as we've come to expect, despite its having no relation to the way it really happens? Yes, that's a cop out that many comedies and dramas suffer from these days.]
