Mommy Brain

(Smart People was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

From the producer of Sideways - get to know a lovable yet dysfunctional family everyone can relate to in this lighthearted comedy People calls “smart and enjoyable.” When Lawrence Wetherhold (Dennis Quaid) - a widowed and self-absorbed professor - falls for his attractive former student (Sex and the City’s Sarah Jessica Parker), his all-too-predictable life suddenly turns sunny-side up. That is, until his freeloading brother (Thomas Haden Church) and his sharp-tongued overachieving daughter (Juno’s Ellen Page) speak up, making “chaos” the word of the day. Now on DVD, Smart People is even funnier with never-before-seen interviews, deleted scenes and hilarious outtakes.

I watched Smart People on a mom’s movie night with Michelle last week. It’s a good thing, too, cause I don’t think Kevin would have liked it much - not enough explosions.

Professor Wetherhold’s life is turned upside-down when he falls from a fence while trying to sneak his briefcase out of the university impound lot, where his car has been towed. His bump on the noggin induces a seizure, which means no driving for six months. His daughter, played by the ever-wonderful Ellen Page, isn’t too happy to have this inconvenience thrust on her right before she takes the SAT.

Enter Wetherhold’s adopted brother (the “adopted” fact is repeatedly emphasized by Wetherhold), played by Thomas Haden Church. He’s an unambitious teenager in a man’s body, and he agrees to drive his brother in exchange for a place to stay for a while. Church’s character tries to help Wetherhold’s daughter lighten up and act more like a real teenager, but that effort goes drastically wrong.

Wetherhold is trying to date his doctor and former student, but he’s out of practice and doesn’t know how to relate to anyone except from his academic pomposity, which doesn’t go over well on a date. Their relationship takes some odd turns, and Wetherhold finds his life irrevocably changed.

Dennis Quaid is very good as Professor Wetherhold - I was impressed with how he physically embodied the character. His walk changed, his manner of speaking changed - he was very different than in any other role I’ve seen him in. In fact, all of the acting was very good, but I can’t say I loved the movie. It had a few laugh-out-loud moments, but most of it was just okay.

Smart People is available on DVD on August 10th. The DVD special features include deleted scenes, interviews with the filmmakers and cast, a blooper real, and commentary by the filmmaker and writer.