source: The Oranges

Such a bad movie and so disappointed in Hugh Laurie's choice in this role. Dumb plot, overacting, and boring.I only watched it because Hugh Laurie is in it. I love his face; but he made a bad choice here. None of the characters seemed real - it's difficult to care about any of them. Shallow, self-centered and bland. This movie is pure crap.Another bad Hollywood show - meaningless and not in the least entertaining, insightful, or interesting. Wasted two hours of my life watching it. Not sure why this review needs 10 lines before it can be submitted. How many ways can I say this was a bad show with unbelievable characters and a bad plot?

This movie is categorized as comedy, drama and romance and fails in all three IMHO. Let's start with the tag lines: there's no sex whatsoever and it's about to get juicy but it never does, reckon that according to your preferences. As a comedy it delivers few smiles and even less laughs. The drama side goes a bit better if nothing else for the ever worried look of David (Laurie), a middle aged husband who could be attractive only to girls in desperate need of a father figure.Unfortunately the drama part is also predictable and without sparkles.Finally the romance: very little dwelled upon and without any surprise. If i haven't been harsher in voting it's because of the actors' effort, in particular Alia Shawkat (perfect in the role of the incredibly obnoxious Vanessa) and Adam Brody (my favorite scene is when he's back from China and discovers the "scandal")

Hugh Laurie, and Catherine Keener are the Wallings. Their daughter Vanessa (Alia Shawkat) is too scare to go after her dream. She has retreated back home with a dead-end job. Oliver Platt, and Allison Janney are the Ostroffs. Their daughter is the often-absentee hard-partying Nina (Leighton Meester), and she's running home after she catches her boyfriend Ethan cheating. Both families would like her to get involved with the Walling son Toby (Adam Brody). The whole thing blows up when Nina has inappropriate relations. It is inappropriate on so many levels. Almost everybody feels betrayed. The subject matter really prevents any of jokes to be funny. In fact, the quirky tone constantly conflicts. The best line happens when Hugh Laurie and Leighton Meester are in a coffee shop discussing their affair. He is trying desperately to put into words how inappropriate this all was. And she says "There is no rules!" That seems to be the ultimate message of this movie. It's a very uncomfortable message. No matter what the accepted convention is. Love is a game where truly "There is no rule!"

What you have to be clear about, is that this movie is about perception. How do people perceive things, how does society judge and how do we know what is wrong and right? While I admit that especially later on, this movie lacks a bit of attachment to some of the characters, in never feels like they are cardboard cut outs. And while it might seem that passion is missing, just acting wild is not the definition of going through things. Sometimes a more subtle approach can work better. If you feel, the movie should have been more aggressive in that case, that is a fair point, but you either accept that it didn't take that route or you are condemning it to lose from the start. The actors are incredible, but reading their names alone should tell you that. Their interactions and connections seem to work perfectly. Even the ending is nicely done, although as always it won't satisfy everybody of course. A family drama/comedy that is by definition not a family film, but a look into guilt, responsibilities, growing up and (as mentioned above) perception

"If you could lean across this table right now and kiss me and no one said it was wrong and there were no rules, would you do it?" The Walling and Ostroff families live across street from each other and are best of friends. One Thanksgiving Nina Ostroff (Meester) surprises everyone by showing up unexpectedly. This innocent act changes both families forever. For awhile now I have started watching movies without seeing the trailers for it. That way I go in with no real expectations and no idea about what the movie is about. I did that with this one. I knew the basic plot but that was it. I have to say I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed this. The writing is very witty and funny and I laughed out loud most of the way through. The movie deals with a very hard and sensitive subject but has so much heart and laughs that it takes the pain away from the idea and makes it enjoyable to watch. This is a very good indi-comedy that I highly recommend. Overall, very very funny and very much worth watching. I say B+.

This movie isn't about adultery or male fantasies. To think that is to completely miss out on what the film is trying to say (and I feel it's dodging the questions that are silently asked throughout the movie: "What is happiness and what is it worth?") While a previous review mentions the movie being about consequences, and there certainly is plenty of that showcased throughout the film, it's really about a group of people, family and close friends, who realize that they are all still searching for happiness after the imaginary suburbia happy fairy gets metaphorically hit by a truck. By the end of the film, one may wonder whether various moment were that of selflessly sacrificing personal happiness in order for others, whom you also love, to have more of their own. The casting simply could not have been any better for this film and, ironically, this picture marks the second time that Leighton Meester has played a character who has a thing for Hugh Laurie (House, MD).

The friendship between two middle-aged neighboring couples is severely strained during the Christmas holidays when the patriarch of one family has an affair with the post-teenage daughter of his friends. Poorly-written suburban shenanigans from Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss, whose script tries for a wry tone but does not have enough substance to carry interest passed the halfway mark. Their scenario, mostly made up from memories of other films such as "American Beauty" and "Say Anything", is unconvincing in the extreme, hobbled further by poorly-cast kid actors who look nothing like their on-screen parents. Obnoxious and foul-mouthed throughout...and yet scored with nostalgic seasonal music and over-decorated with twinkling lights and snowmen. * from ****

I was keen to view this picture after seeing the trailer as I've seen all these actors in various roles over the years. There is such a great range of talent here and they all looked like they were having fun in a comedy with darker moments. This is a film about consequences after all and is not really a romcom romp nor a morality tale. It reminds me of a suburban memoir and the writing reflects this. The short season between Thanksgiving and Christmas has been done to death in American cinema, with all of the inherent conflicts, compulsory traditions and conspicuous consumption. The writers have used this backdrop to do something ever-so-slightly subversive. Leighton Meester and Alia Shawkat are wonderful in their respective roles as the lifelong neighbours/friends who are further entangled in a world they really want to leave behind. I hope this becomes a Christmas classic. Hugh Laurie, Allison Janney, Catherine Keener & Oliver Platt - who could ask for anything more?

I can't say I ever reviewed a movie as a zero it this one gets it. A disgrace in morals terrible acting and a story line that is not convincing. On a whim one night a father decides to build a relationship with the vapid friend ofhis daughter. What a terrible example of poor cinema and story. There was actually a line where the mom of the loose daughter asks are you OK sucking David's old balls? I don't want to stop I want to be happy the dad says. This is. bad writing acting art u name it. Total trash. Don't believe any rating above a 2. This is the worst of the worst. Hard to believe these actors agreed to b in this. Disgrace.