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JEFF, WHO LIVES AT HOMEMovie Reviews
Comedy about a 30-year-old man who lives with his mother and thinks the universe might be sending him messages about his destiny. Cast:Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Judy Greer, Susan SarandonDirector:Jay Duplass, Mark DuplassRelease Date:March 16, 2012DVD Release:June 19, 2012From:ParamountRating:RLength:1 hr 23 min
JUNE 19, 2012
Jeff, Who Lives at Home, Very Good Reviews National
Jeff, Who Lives at Home played in national release to very good reviews. • Scott Bowles wrote in USA Today, "...lovable stoners are a Hollywood fixture. But they're just tough to hang a movie on.... Thankfully, Ed Helms and Susan Sarandon pick up where Jeff leaves off, and then some." • And Peter Travers wrote in Rolling Stone, "...reaffirms your faith in Jay and Mark Duplass." More Reviews Below...
Jeff, Who Lives at Home Positive Reviews (47 Reviews, reviews below)
Mary Pols, Time: VERY GOOD "...subtly winds its way into a tender, wise and completely delightful film about family.... This is the kind of Jeff who lives at home and also in your heart."(See all of Mary Pols's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 726 words, 03/16/12
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a sweet, slight tale told with simple intimacy and a deadpan tone to its absurd humor.... but it all builds to a climax that makes the journey worthwhile."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 547 words, 03/15/12
Mara Reinstein, Us Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...appealing yet disjointed... Despite some funny pratfalls, the fraternal chemistry between Segel's overgrown infant and anxious Helms feels contrived..."(See all of Mara Reinstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 114 words, 03/22/12
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a goofy, sweet comedy about estranged siblings who work their way back to brotherly love in the course of a daylong, very shaggy caper of coincidences."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 247 words, 03/16/12
Scott Bowles, USA Today: VERY GOOD(cg) "...lovable stoners are a Hollywood fixture. But they're just tough to hang a movie on.... Thankfully, Ed Helms and Susan Sarandon pick up where Jeff leaves off..."(See all of Scott Bowles's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 439 words, 03/16/12
Kat Murphy, MSN Movies: MODERATE(cg) "...verging-on-sitcom silliness... The kind of arch indie comedy that likes looking at itself... wears thin, all surface and not that much heart."(See all of Kat Murphy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 762 words, 03/15/12
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...short enough not to wear out its welcome but the payoff is so slim that the investment of any serious time or effort is unlikely to be repaid in full."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 684 words, 03/15/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (12 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "The aura of holy foolishness that hangs around Jeff is not just bong exhaust: he turns out to be the hero of a disarmingly sincere spiritual fable."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 948 words, 03/16/12
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The whole movie is about piecing together broken parts. It may not always come together, but what it makes, if you look at it the right way, is endearing."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 332 words, 03/16/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "If, like Jeff, you keep your expectations seriously in check, the film is an amusing slice of several ordinary lives.... feels a little too aimless, then a little too obvious."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 03/16/12
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: WEAK(cg) "...quasi-quirky, paper-thin... pointless stylistic tics (the sudden zoom) mix with syrupy Hollywood convention (an ending so maudlin it's laughable)."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 257 words, 03/16/12
Brian Miller, Village Voice: VERY GOOD "...a surprisingly mutable, ultimately poignant day-in-the-life drama... It's not a major film, but an endearing adventure in hope nonetheless."(See all of Brian Miller's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 742 words, 03/14/12
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "...takes a sudden and unexpectedly dramatic turn in the final reel, ending in an emotional scene that elevates this quirky work."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 538 words, 03/16/12
Mark Olsen, LA Weekly: EXCELLENT "Sharp while knowingly a little stupid, heartfelt and sincere while also more than just a touch stylized and slapsticky... a resonant goof."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 180 words, 11/03/11
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: VERY GOOD(cg) "The plausibility of the finale is open to question, but the filmmaking duo's determination to take us there makes a nice kind of sense."(See all of Steven Rea's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 439 words, 03/16/12
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: VERY GOOD(cg) "This is a low-budget, low-fidelity production.... The jokes are understated... The story is wise... It won't change your life but it'll probably send you out the exit smiling."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 430 words, 03/16/12
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The Duplass brothers have pulled off a neat trick... for fans of quirky charm leavened occasionally by uncomfortable, realistic exchanges, the film is a small delight."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 556 words, 03/16/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...compelling and provocative.... the Duplasses actually accomplish something I've yet to see their mumblecore brethren do -- earn some real and heartfelt tears."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 593 words, 03/16/12
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: VERY GOOD(cg) "Give these four characters to any other filmmaker, and you would get back an earnest but very boring movie.... the Duplass brothers find ways to activate these characters."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 584 words, 03/16/12
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...has a meandering quality, like its title, that's oddly appealing; you feel like you know these very regular-looking people, and slowly become invested in their dilemmas."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 289 words, 03/16/12
Marc Mohan, Portland Oregonian: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...sneaky... The plot threads, and the cast, converge on a traffic-choked bridge out of Baton Rouge. There, the movie takes a sudden, and astonishing, left turn..."(See all of Marc Mohan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 314 words, 03/16/12
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a high-wire act that could crash if the actors were out of sync, but under this big top, the never-better Jason Segel keeps everyone aloft."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 321 words, 03/16/12
Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "Susan Sarandon hasn't been this good in a while... It's a movie that grows on you, after grating your nerves while viewing it."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 398 words, 03/15/12
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: MODERATE(cg) "...a surprisingly sappy misfire from brothers Jay and Mark Duplass, a hug-it-out, touchy-feely movie that succumbs to the maudlin sentimentality..."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 393 words, 03/02/12
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (11 Reviews)
Brian Miller, Village Voice: VERY GOOD "...a surprisingly mutable, ultimately poignant day-in-the-life drama... It's not a major film, but an endearing adventure in hope nonetheless."(See all of Brian Miller's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 742 words, 03/14/12
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: VERY GOOD(cg) "Maybe it's Segel's sad naïveté, or the filmmakers' inventiveness and metaphorical dexterity, but even when the contrivance kicks in, it seems like Jeff might have the right idea."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 162 words, 03/15/12
Mark Olsen, LA Weekly: EXCELLENT "Sharp while knowingly a little stupid, heartfelt and sincere while also more than just a touch stylized and slapsticky... a resonant goof."(See all of Mark Olsen's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 180 words, 11/03/11
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: VERY GOOD(cg) "The Duplass brothers give the film an ingratiatingly ramshackle tone in keeping with their meandering protagonist, until a third act betrays that low-key naturalism..."(See all of Nathan Rabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 331 words, 03/15/12
Cynthia Fuchs, Pop Matters: WEAK(cg) "...makes fun of familiar plots even while it uses them... Even as Jeff insists that 'All this randomness is leading somewhere,' the movie is looking stuck."(See all of Cynthia Fuchs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 888 words, 03/15/12
Andrew Schenker, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...feels at once as loose as the Duplass brothers' trademark lurching faux-verité camerawork and contrived-to-the-point-of-impossible-to-credit overdetermination."(See all of Andrew Schenker's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 692 words, 03/14/12
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the Duplass brothers begin with the actors and trappings of a more conventional Hollywood comedy that evolves into a looser, less formulaic story."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 326 words, 03/15/12
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: VERY GOOD(cg) "...sweet and amusing... And yet it ends up making you wish it realized its own potential to be truly original instead of going down a well-trod path..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 567 words, 05/17/12
HIGHBROW PRESS (4 Reviews)
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: VERY GOOD "...most of the material avoids the treacle zone, while Jason Segel, as the man-child in residence, gives a performance that I can only describe as gravely affecting."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 225 words, 03/16/12
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "The aura of holy foolishness that hangs around Jeff is not just bong exhaust: he turns out to be the hero of a disarmingly sincere spiritual fable."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 948 words, 03/16/12
Ian Buckwalter, NPR: GOOD "...unassuming, dryly funny, often ramshackle... seems unlikely to be as emotionally rich as it is. Both Jeff and the film have a way of sneaking up on you."(See all of Ian Buckwalter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 627 words, 03/15/12
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "If, like Jeff, you keep your expectations seriously in check, the film is an amusing slice of several ordinary lives.... feels a little too aimless, then a little too obvious."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 03/16/12
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Peter Debruge, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "Graced with Susan Sarandon's radiant turn... it's loaded with moments of uneasy recognition, mostly amusing, but in many cases poignant as well."(See all of Peter Debruge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 817 words, 09/14/11
John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter: VERY GOOD "A short and sweet outing... pulls back from the comedy of 'Cyrus' in favor of character-defining vignettes and moments of grace."(See all of John DeFore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 487 words, 09/14/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "If, like Jeff, you keep your expectations seriously in check, the film is an amusing slice of several ordinary lives.... feels a little too aimless, then a little too obvious."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 03/16/12
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: GOOD(cg) "While the acting is uniformly good, the writing is uneven, veering from hilariously comic and revelatory sequences to scenes that feel indulgent, sort of time-fillers."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 339 words, 02/28/12
A.O. Scott, New York Times: VERY GOOD "The aura of holy foolishness that hangs around Jeff is not just bong exhaust: he turns out to be the hero of a disarmingly sincere spiritual fable."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 948 words, 03/16/12
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: VERY GOOD "...most of the material avoids the treacle zone, while Jason Segel, as the man-child in residence, gives a performance that I can only describe as gravely affecting."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 225 words, 03/16/12
15.1 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Jeff, Who Lives at Home's reviews are separated by an average 15.1 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Jeff, Who Lives at Home (47 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Jeff, Who Lives at Home's reviews cover 92.3% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 22,667 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 482 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Jeff, Who Lives at Home Coverage, Volume & Length (47 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 66.4 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Jeff, Who Lives at Home's reviews on average broke 66.4 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Jeff, Who Lives at Home's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Jeff, Who Lives at Home (47 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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