FilmFemme

Apparently people that give titles to movies don’t actually want people to see the movies that they are titling. Because, let’s face it, even a smart person doesn’t want to see a movie called Smart People. As a matter of fact, I’m going to contend that the smarter you are, the more you hate smart people. All of this points to the fact that I am actually not as smart as I think I am because not only did I go see this movie, but I enjoyed it.

Dennis Quaid is Lawrence Wetherhold, an English professor at Carnegie Mellon. Ah, movies about professors. Thank god, I was starting to think there would never be another one. Oh, except for the last movie that I reviewed on this site.  Anyway. He’s very curmudgeonly. He hates all his students. His son hates him. His daughter (Ellen Page) does her best to emulate him (except for some reason she’s a Republican) and he still carries a torch for his dead wife.

But one day all of that changes!! ZOMG!!

He has a seizure while he’s trying to get his car out of the impound and ends up the ER where his doctor is Sarah Jessica Parker on the same day that his deadbeat brother (Thomas Haden Church) moves in unannounced, unexpected and uninvited.

The quirky family story that follows hardly breaks new ground, but the expectedly adequate (and at times amazing) performances and solid writing make Smart People completely watchable and generally enjoyable.

Woah, I just turned way too serious for a second there. There are no boobs in this movie. And how tiny is Ellen Page? She is soooo tiny! It’s also worth noting that SJP is not completely hateable, either. Maybe it’s only Carrie Bradshaw that I hate, come to think of it.

So Lawrence and Janet (Parker) start dating, much to Vanessa’s (Page) chagrin.  It turns out Janet used to be one of Lawrence’s students…but this time, wait for it, SHE TEACHES HIM.  Because he’s kind of a jerk and hasn’t really dated since his wife died.  So she teaches him to be nice and like, open up and all of that.  Meanwhile, Chuck (Church) takes Vanessa under his slacker wing and tries to get the proverbial stick out of her ass.  Smart People is reminiscent of movies like The Squid and the Whale – parents and children navigating their relationships both inside and outside the family – with dry humor and damp humanity. (I don’t know what that means).

But, the shining star of Smart People. The only reason I can wholeheartedly recommend it. Is.

Lowell from Wings. Yes. Thomas Haden Church truly makes this movie something special. His facial expressions and comic timing are impeccable and hilarious. The awkward but nurturing repartee that he develops with Ellen Page’s Vanessa is not only played perfectly and honestly, it is so so funny.  From his nonchalant delivery of his stoner-uncle dialogue to his simple but hilarious wide eyed expressions, Church saves Smart People from mediocrity.  Now I finally feel justified and ready to admit to all those hours I spent watching Wings reruns on USA.

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