People Like Us Review

Rated PG-13 (Language, Some Drug Use and Brief Sexuality)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 55 Minutes

Cast-

Chris Pine-Sam Harper

Elizabeth Banks-Frankie Davis

Michelle Pfeiffer-Lillian Harper

Michael Hall D'Addario-Josh Davis

Olivia Wilde-Hannah

Jon Favreau-James Richards

Philip Baker Hall-Ike Rafferty

Mark Duplass-Ted

Directed by Alex Kurtzman

Elizabeth Banks cannot believe that Chris Pine is the captain of the starship USS Enterprise.

I used to work at the reception desk of the Psychology department during my breaks from class at Long Island University (Brooklyn Campus if you were wondering) and I remember my supervisor (a kindly old woman) making a rather curious joke when I told her that I was an only child.  With a soft chuckle, she said that children who lack siblings often end up getting spoiled by their parents (what Asians call ‘Little Emperor’ Syndrome), prompting me to silently wonder how different my life would’ve been if I had a brother and/or sister. You often hear stories about people reuniting with a long-lost sibling but I cannot imagine how I would react to such news since I’ve never experienced it for myself. This is the central premise for “People Like Us,” a drama from first-time director Alex Kurtzman. While it may seem unusual, drama films have always been a mainstay during the summer movie season and appeals to audiences who want to avoid the latest big-budget blockbuster. There’s a bit of irony in this because Kurtzman, along with his frequent writing partner Roberto Orci, have been responsible for a number of summer blockbusters including but not limited to the first two “Transformers” films and the 2009 “Star Trek” reboot that also stars Chris Pine. The two also share co-creator status with fan-favorite J.J. Abrams for science fiction television series “Fringe,” which will end with a truncated fifth season later this year. Kurtzman makes a solid directorial debut with “People Like Us” and while many of its conflicts and themes lack originality, the film makes up for it with sincere performances from Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks. 

Sam Harper (Chris Pine) is a fast-talking young businessman who works as a barter system trader, a job that he is incredibly skilled at as he successfully negotiates several contracts with various companies, earning a big $84,000 commission and allowing him to pay off his outstanding debts. However, his supervisor James Richards (Jon Favreau) reveals that one of the higher-ups is threatening to go to the Federal Trade Commission over Sam’s failure to follow safety regulations for a shipment of canned tomatoes and has blackmailed the company into paying to build a new room for his mansion in return for his silence. His commission withheld by Richards, Sam returns home to learn from his girlfriend Hannah (Olivia Wilde) that his father has passed away after a long battle with cancer but he barely reacts to the news. He reluctantly flies to Los Angeles to attend his father’s funeral but arrives late, angering his grieving mother Lillian (Michelle Pfeiffer). Sam and his father, a former record producer, had an estranged relationship and failed to connect on an emotional level. Family lawyer and old friend Ike Rafferty (Philip Baker Hall) gives Sam a satchel containing $150,000 in bills and a short note written by his father asking him to deliver it to someone named Josh Davis (Michael Hall D'Addario). Driving to the address on the note, Sam learns that Josh is the twelve-year-old son of a thirty-year-old recovering alcoholic named Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) and that she is his half-sister. Buried under a mountain of debt and with the Federal Trade Commission breathing down on his neck, Sam is tempted to take the money but is conflicted once he meets his sister and forms an instant connection with her, leading to an awkward and ambiguous relationship. 

Honestly, I was surprised to find Alex Kurtzman as the director of “People Like Us” given his previous work but a film of this type allows him to flex his dramatic muscles and show that his talents aren’t limited to mindless blockbuster fare. The film’s opening title card reveals that it was ‘inspired by true events’ and a little research online reveals that Kurtzman finally met his half-sister and half-brother eight years ago at age 30. Although it was never kept a secret like in the film, the writer remarked that ‘meeting my half-sister was a life-changing experience’ and that it continues to be due to the lost time they could’ve spent trying to get to know each other. The script is a heavily fictionalized version of Kurtzman’s personal story with writers Roberto Orci and Jody Lambert contributing from their own life experiences. “People Like Us” does not buck convention with its themes and conflicts but the film benefits from its sincere and grounded tone. The character of Sam mines well-worn territory, a man who has buried himself in his work in order to avoid confronting his own flaws because of the cold and distant relationship he shared with his father. This extends to his mother Lillian as well with her insistence on Sam being an only child and refusing to own up to the fact that her husband was not the ideal man she fell in love with. Much of the film revolves around the growing relationship between Sam and Frankie, which has a pseudo-romantic component to it which may make certain audience members feel uncomfortable (nothing happens between them if you were wondering). Both characters are only able to move past their personal demons once they acknowledge that they cannot continue to be trapped in the past and blame their father for their own shortcomings. This journey is handled well by Kurtzman because he is writing from a personal place but while the character drama is compelling, the overall script remains fairly predictable even without seeing the initial previews, which reveal too much about the film already. A few comedic scenes are also included to balance out the dour mood with Michael Hall D'Addario’s Josh providing quite a few laughs with his penchant for blurting out whatever is on his mind without caring whether it’s appropriate or not. The film also uses a number of licensed music tracks (understandable given that the main character’s father was a record producer) but I felt their inclusion added a layer of schmaltz that was unnecessary, in addition to all the perpetual sunsets.  “People Like Us” won’t win any awards for Kurtzman but it serves as proof that he’s a stronger writer than he initially appears to be. 

Perhaps the strongest element in the film is the performances and although Sam is written as a smooth-talking jerk, he’s instantly likable thanks to Chris Pine and his winning smile. Most of the dramatic lifting comes from Elizabeth Banks as her character Frankie has been through hell and back. Without spoiling the scene, she and Pine share a powerful moment late in the film that cuts emotionally deep. Although they are not playing a couple per se, the two have such a good chemistry that they might as well be. Playing Frankie’s son is Michael Hall D'Addario and while he’s the typical kid with a smart-mouth, he’s not as annoying as I expected him to be. Michelle Pfeiffer is also great in a supporting role as Sam’s mother and I must say that she still looks attractive even though she’s 54. Olivia Wilde also stars but her character could’ve been played by any other female actress while Jon Favreau has little more than a cameo despite his name being prominently displayed on the poster. 

“People Like Us” will be released on June 29, 2012 and while it won’t be doing blockbuster numbers at the box office, it should garner at least a positive reaction from critics. “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” was originally set to release on that day and would’ve dominated that weekend but Paramount made the uncharacteristic decision to delay the film until March 29, 2013 in order to do a post-conversion to 3D and add new scenes. The only competition to Kurtzman’s film is Steven Soderbergh’s “Magic Mike,” Seth MacFarlane also making his directorial debut with R-rated comedy “Ted,” and Tyler Perry’s “Madea's Witness Protection.” Given the popularity of Perry among African American audiences, his film stands the best chance of hitting number one at the box office. Although the release of “People Like Us” is still a month away, I managed to attend a special advance screening used to gauge the audience’s (which leaned heavily toward female) reaction, which was largely positive but one person whispered rather loudly that it was ‘so weird’ when Frankie began to have romantic feelings for Sam. Boosting sincere performances from Chris Pine and Elizabeth Banks, “People Like Us” is a solid drama film that is worth a look but first-time director Alex Kurtzman ultimately plays it too safe by sticking to tried-and-true themes, preventing it from truly standing out.

Final Rating: 3.5 out of 5

“My father, he always said lean into it. It means that the outcome doesn't matter. What matters is that you are there for it, whatever it is…good or bad. Kinda like right now.”