Thursday, January 20, 2011

Every Day

Film Review by Kam Williams

Headline: Helen Hunt and Liev Schreiber Co-Star in Midlife Crisis Saga

Ned (Liev Schreiber) and Jeannie (Helen Hunt) are a middle-aged couple in the midst of a crisis. Not only has their marriage grown sexless, but he is surrounded by temptation at work as an executive for a risqué cable TV series. It doesn’t help matters any that a gorgeous, hedonistic colleague (Carla Gugino) who “really knows how to live” is constantly trying to seduce him in the office afterhours.
But given the 19 years he’s invested with Jeannie, Ned isn’t ready to throw in the towel quite yet. After all, they are still raising two teenaged sons (Ezra Miller and Skyler Fortgang), one of whom has just come out of the closet. It doesn’t help matters that they have reacted differently to Jonah’s openly embracing his homosexuality, with mom being much more supportive than dad.
Upping the ante on this scenario set to implode is the arrival of Jeannie’s incontinent, ailing and very depressed dad (Brian Dennehy) who has flown to New York City to live out his final days with his daughter and her family. Wheelchair-bound Ernie is on 17 different prescription medications, and is ready to put himself out of his misery as soon as he senses he’s become a burden.
Written and directed by Richard Levine (Nip/Tuck), Every Day is a dysfunctional family drama which unfortunately fails to address the assorted tensions in satisfactory fashion or even to tie up the loose ends via an inspirational resolution.
I sat there waiting for that uplifting transformative moment towards the close of the third act, and I’m still waiting. Not inclined to recommend such a relentlessly-morose, feelbad flick any day of the week.

Fair (1 star)
Rated R for profanity, sexuality and drug use.
Running time: 93 Minutes
Distributor: Image Entertainment

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