The Hallers is another film about an indifferent white guy in a midlife crisis who returns to his childhood home after news of a sick relative. In other words, this is a movie that the viewer could already be familiar with. A kind of typical picture of the “dramedy” format about the average American family, so beloved by independent cinema in the United States. Alas, the magic and charm of the “Country of Gardens” could not be repeated.
John Krasinski, director and starring, plays a graphic novelist from New York who has returned to his "roots." His mother suffers from a brain tumor, his father will eventually become bankrupt, and his brother is obsessed with his ex-wife. And John himself (by the way, Krasinski plays his namesake here) is in no hurry to marry a beautiful girl Rebecca (Anna Kendrick), who, by the way, is pregnant. The result could be a clever but strange story with no beginning or end, such as I wish I was here. But the creators decided otherwise.
The script is too serious in its desire to convey the trials and tribulations of family life. That is, some comedic background, initially, apparently, had more importance in the plot, was replaced by a touching pathos. For example, the night before her mother’s surgery, John helps her escape from the hospital so she can enjoy lunch at her favorite restaurant. Touching, but unwise. Even the circumstances are ridiculous, because I think the selfish John and the writers do not care about the consequences of such an act for a sick person. And some of the moments seem out of place (who does Rebecca work there?) Designer of dog clothes? For God's sake.
Some characters are also embarrassing. So Ron (the brother of the main character) is especially unbearable and is, by and large, a caricatured human child. Suppose such an individual can exist in reality (and the reality of family drama is an important factor, it should be emphasized), but his actions are in isolation from true psychology: he makes racist jokes in front of an Asian doctor, breaks into the house of his ex-wife and behaves strangely, to say the least. The same applies to John’s former lover – she is not enough here, and interesting features of the human interaction between her and John are buried under the main character’s own problems.
The Hallers still have some kind of soul. For example, when a husband and two sons sing a favorite song for the venerable mother of the family to cheer the woman up. On the one hand, it is not so operational-sentimental, but on the other, we can say, it turned out to be original. Or, for example, John shaves his mother’s head to prepare for surgery, and then claims to have a beautiful and clean-shaven head. The potentially dramatic scene isn't spoiled, because John's comment is moderately funny, sincere and good-natured. Unfortunately, in “Hollers” such scenes are not enough, because most of the picture is tossed between awkward comedy and predictable plot moves.
A simple film that can be recommended to all fans of family dramas.
5 out of 10