Jeff, Who Lives at Home

Jeff, Who Lives at Home follows the template of the Duplass Brothers' last outing, Cyrus, in that it features strong performances in a funny, character-driven drama, rooted in reality, but, like that film, it squanders its emotional honesty by resolving things way too conveniently. Jason Segel stars as Jeff, a 30-year-old stoner who lives in his mother's basement, and spends much of his time ruminating about the movie Signs and looking for the hidden meaning in his life. A wrong number where the caller asks for "Kevin" sends him out in search of a significant Kevin who will help him realize his destiny. Instead, he runs into Pat (Ed Helms), his delusional Porsche-driving, materialistic older brother, who is in danger of losing his wife, Linda (Judy Greer), to another man. Meanwhile, their mom, Sharon (the great Susan Sarandon), confides in a co-worker, Carol (Rae Dawn Chong!), after being contacted by a "secret admirer" at her job. Segel is reliably solid here, having always excelled at playing lost, soulful goofballs. Helms is fine, too. The tension between Jeff and Pat is set up well, but resolved in very simplistic Hollywood fashion. Greer, Sarandon, and Chong, meanwhile, steal the show. These are complex, believable women characters, and their modest travails outshine the more cartoonish exploits of the men.